mk4 Audi A3 review (2020 - 2025)

4.0

Expert review

Pros

  • Lots of luxury and safety kit

  • Very good to drive

  • Practical enough for a small family

Cons

  • Expensive for a car of this size

  • Not as well finished as some rivals

  • There's a firm edge to the ride

4/5Overall score
Practicality
Driving
Tech and equipment
Running costs
2024 Audi A3 Sportback front three quarters dynamic

The CarGurus verdict

The previous incarnation of the Audi A3 held a head-and-shoulders lead over its rivals of the time. That’s no longer the case, because the competition has seriously upped its game, while in truth, the latest 2020 A3 hasn’t really progressed all that much.

Forget all that for a moment, though, and the reality is that the A3 is still a very competitive car in the prestige hatchback class. It’s every bit as desirable as the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class with which it competes, and it has the style, technology and practicality to match.

Granted, build quality might have taken a slight backward step, but it’s still a comfortable and entertaining car to drive. It might cost you a fraction more than its rivals, too, but it still feels worth the money you pay, and it comes with plenty of luxury kit to help justify the cost.

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What is the Audi A3?

Being the best of the best is always impressive, but the shine is taken off a little when part of the reason for your dominance is because the competition isn’t really up to snuff. Yes, you could be like Usain Bolt and wipe the floor with all-comers each and every time, but surely, your achievement is a little more satisfying when you’ve got an absolutely outstanding rival that really tests you, keeping you on your toes. A Cristiano Ronaldo to your Leonel Messi. A Raphael Nadal to your Roger Federer.

The third-generation Audi A3 was definitely the Bolt of the bunch. It was a truly fabulous car, and when compared with flawed rivals such as the BMW 1 Series and the Mercedes A-Class, it well and truly trounced them every single time, even towards the end of its life.

That end inevitably came, however, and the Mk3 A3 has was replaced by the fourth-generation version in 2020. For the reasons explained, this car has some extremely big boots to fill, and its task is made even harder by the fact that the latest rivals from BMW and Mercedes have really got their collective acts together, being absolutely brilliant in a number of areas. The Audi hasn't stood still, though, as a mild facelift in 2024 added styling tweaks inside and out, along with some extra tech.

So can the latest A3 maintain Audi’s place at the top of the pile? Well, if it can, it’ll be an achievement as impressive as any Olympic gold medal, Ballon D’Or or Grand Slam title.

  • It might surprise you, though, that the A3 doesn’t do such an admirable job on interior quality, an area that has always been Audi’s speciality. Don’t get us wrong, with plenty of soft-touch materials, glossy black trim finishers and metallic-effect plastic panels, this still feels like a classy product. However, harder, scratchier, less appealing plastics are on show in the lower reaches of the cabin, and some of the other panels and buttons also feel rather lightweight.
  • There are currently four engine/drivetrains on offer: two petrols in the form of the 30 TFSI and the 35 TFSI with 116hp and 150hp respectively, the 35 TDI diesel also with 150hp, and the 4.0-litre TFSI e with, which is a plug-in hybrid with 204hp.
  • Want your A3 with a bit more poke? Then you can opt for the S3 hot hatch version, which will have a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine giving out a whopping 306bhp. As you can imagine, then, it’s blisteringly quick in a straight line, though in corners it can feel a little one-dimensional – a BMW M140i will make you smile more. Having said that, the S3’s foolproof handling and excellent roadholding make its considerable performance very accessible – it’s a solid choice if you want to go fast in a fuss-free way, whatever the weather.

  • It’s unlikely that you’ll be buying an A3 on a budget, because if money’s that tight, there are far cheaper hatchback choices to be had. But, if your heart is set on the Audi and you’re still trying to look after the pennies, then you’ll want to consider the entry-level 30 TFSI version. It’s the cheapest variant available, particularly when combined with the most basic Teknik trim, and it comes with a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine giving out 108bhp. With a 0-62mph sprint time of 10.6 seconds, its performance doesn’t sound too bad, but we haven’t tried it yet, so we don’t know for sure how mercilessly you need to thrash it to get there. We’ll update this review once we do.
  • If you like the idea of petrol power, but you want a bit more go, then you might want to upgrade to the 35 TFSI version. This uses a bigger 1.5-litre turbocharged unit that delivers 148bhp, and it delivers it eagerly and smoothly, too, making your progress effortless and civilised. It can be paired either with a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed S tronic (twin-clutch automatic).
  • Those after ultimate fuel economy will want to consider the 30 TDI. It has a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, but with a modest power output of just 114bhp, it’s only marginally quicker than the entry-level petrol, and has to be worked pretty hard for decent acceleration. However, an official WLTP fuel economy figure of almost 66mpg is not to be sniffed at.
  • However, we reckon most diesel buyers will be better off with the 35 TDI, especially if they regularly travel loaded up with family or friends, or often do long motorway runs. This 148bhp 2.0-litre unit delivers muscular performance from anywhere on the rev range and a very decent turn of pace when required, and because it’s also smooth and quiet, your progress is always impressively sophisticated, too.
Ivan Aistrop
Published 8 Sept 2021 by Ivan Aistrop
Ivan Aistrop is a Contributing Editor at CarGurus UK. Ivan has been at the sharp end of UK motoring journalism since 2004, working mostly for What Car?, Auto Trader and CarGurus, as well as contributing reviews and features for titles including Auto Express and Drivetribe.

Main rivals

Body styles

  • Five-door hatchback