Audi A3 review: Small car is starting to show its age

The sub-$50,000 market is important for luxury car brands as they attempt to pull in new, young buyers. And Audi’s A3 has a tech trump card.

2020 Audi A3.

Audi’s A3 hatch has been a favourite of Aussie drivers for a number of years, but the small car is starting to show its age despite the German brand’s best attempts to keep it fresh, such as the addition of the outstanding digital cockpit.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2020 Audi A3.

New Audi A3 S line plus editions offer outstanding features and exceptional value.

Value

The A3 range is coming to the end of its life cycle and Audi recently added an S-Line value package to keep sales on the boil. External cues include new 18-inch wheels, badges and alloy sill plates on the doors. Inside, the highlight is Audi’s “digital cockpit”, a high-resolution screen in front of the driver that replaces the speedo and tacho dials and needles. Other goodies include upgraded satnav, smartphone mirroring and blind spot monitoring — tech you’d really expect as standard in a car that retails for $43,300. Our test car’s prestige red paint adds $1190.

Audi’s digital cockpit is a real highlight.

Comfort

The cabin is well finished with quality materials and supportive, comfortable front seats. The digital cockpit makes it easy to change the channel on the radio or make a phone call without taking your eyes from the road. Rear passengers get their own aircon vents and decent head and legroom for a small car, though three across the back would be a squeeze. The load area is average for a hatch but those with prams and kids’ bikes will find an SUV more accommodating. The occasional thud over bumps and jitteriness over corrugations detract from ride comfort. There is also a bit more road noise than you might expect from a luxury car.

New Audi A3 S line plus editions offer outstanding features and exceptional value.

Safety

The S-Line pack fixes the A3’s most notable safety omission: the lack of blind spot monitoring. The tech is better than most, too — you can’t miss the big orange LEDs flashing in the mirror housing. It’s still safe to say that the A3 isn’t a segment leader on safety. High-speed autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane assist and rear cross traffic alert are part of an option pack. There are seven airbags in the event of a crash and the Audi scored five stars in independent crash tests in 2013.

Driving

Our test 35 TFSI sits between the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo 30 and the punchier
2.0-litre turbo four. Its 1.4-litre turbo four is modestly powered but above-average torque and its quick-shifting dual-clutch seven-speed auto combine to get the A3 off the mark smartly enough for city driving. It feels secure and predictable on the open road, settling well after bumps and cornering confidently at speed, without setting the heart aflutter. Again, the lower-profile rubber on our test car meant it wasn’t as cushioning at low speeds on less than perfect backstreets.

Verdict 3/5

The A3 is well put together with a willing turbo engine. Apart from the excellent digital cockpit, it is beginning to show its age against newer competition.

Alternatives

BMW 118i, from about $47,800 drive-away

New model released late last year switches to front-drive, losing some driving sparkle, but the interior looks more modern and inviting. Down on power and torque.

Mercedes-Benz A180, from $49,022 drive-away

Also down on power and torque versus the A3 but it wins back points with an excellent hi-tech cabin that exudes class.

Audi A3 35 TFSI vitals

Price: About $49,895 drive-away

Warranty/servicing: 3 years/unlimited km, $2060 for 5 years

Safety: 5 stars, 6 airbags, AEB, blind spot warning

Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl turbo, 110kW/250Nm

Thirst: 5.0L/100km

Boot: 340L/1180L