Audi A3 Saloon review

• For: Good to drive, premium image, plenty of tech
• Against: Aggressive new look won’t be to everyone’s taste
• Verdict: Expensive, but very easy to live with

The Audi A3 is available as a five-door hatchback – called the A3 Sportback – or the four-door Saloon reviewed here. Either way, it seats four in comfort, luggage space is decent and the interior feels classy. 

Like a posher Volkswagen Golf, then, which is really what the A3 is. Most of the bits you can’t see are shared with the Golf – and indeed the Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia.  

Not that these economies of scale mean the A3 offers amazing value: far from it. The Saloon starts from £27,550 and list prices are at the top end of its market segment. Audi also has a long history of offering expensive extras that bump up the price further.

It makes most sense to pick an A3 model that has the equipment you want as standard. Remember, you don’t get much money back on extras when you come to sell. 

The permutations to pick from are massive, from the economical 2.0-litre diesel to the ferocious 400hp RS3. However, unlike the Sportback, the A3 Saloon isn’t available in TFSI e plug-in hybrid guise.

Overall, the A3 Saloon is a pricey but very well-rounded and likeable family car.

KEY INFO

• Launched: 2021
• Facelifted: TBC
• Due for replacement: TBC