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Audi A3 Hatchback (03 on) - Review

Review by David Ross on 16 July 2008

Last Updated: 02 September 2010

The Audi A3 is one of the most popular premium hatchbacks around and still dominates despite the introduction of younger alternatives like the BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30. Relatively roomy and with class-leading build quality, the Audi A3 is a desirable premium alternative to more mundane cars like the Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. It’s also comfortable and refined and, while it may not be as rewarding to drive as some similar hatches, it is available with a wide range of excellent petrol engines that offer good performance or economical and low-emitting diesel engines. Standard accessories can be a little on the sparse side and ticking the boxes for optional extras means the price of the car can quickly rise. In mid-2005 the Audi A3 was given a facelift to look more like the five-door Sportback version. An eco-friendly diesel model was also introduced which emits 109g/km of CO2 and can average 69mpg. It was given another overhaul in 2008. This included sharper looks with a reshaped bonnet and front wings as well as a new bumper and grille design. The interior was also given an upgrade with the addition of aluminium air vents, light switches and centre console while more soft touch material was used around the cabin. Some models were also fitted with a stop/start system that further improves fuel economy. The 2.0-litre diesel engines were also heavily re-engineered. The new common rail injection system meant they were more refined and efficient than before. At the same time the seven-speed S Tronic automatic was introduced for the first time with selected engines. All cars after this year came with air-con and electric windows as standard, so be careful if you’re looking at a used older model as there’s a possibility it could be missing both of these. Early entry level models were also fitted with cassette players, rather than a CD stereo. In 2010 a 99g/km version was added to the engine line-up. This makes the 1.6-litre diesel model exempt from road tax while the claimed average fuel economy is an impressive 74mpg. Read the full Audi A3 review to find out more.

4 out of 5

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Standard Trim

1.2 TFSI (Start Stop) 3d

1.2 TFSI 3d S Tronic

1.4 T FSI 3d

1.4 T FSI 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI (08) 3d

1.4 TFSI (Start Stop) 3d

1.4 TFSI (08) 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

1.6 3d

1.6 (08) 3d

1.6 3d Tip Auto

1.6 3d S Tronic

1.6 FSI 3d

1.8 T FSI 3d

1.8 T FSI 3d S Tronic

1.8 TFSI (08) 3d

1.8 TFSI (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 FSI 3d

2.0 FSI 3d Tip Auto

2.0 T FSI 3d

2.0 TFSI (08) 3d

1.6 TDI 3d

1.6 TDI (99 g/km) 3d

1.6 TDI 3d S Tronic

1.9 TDI 3d

1.9 TDIe 3d

1.9 TDI (08) 3d

2.0 TDI 3d

2.0 TDI 3d DSG

2.0 TDI 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI S Tronic (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) (08) 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro (Start Stop) 3d

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Technik

1.6 Technik 3d

1.6 Technik 3d S Tronic

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Special Edition

1.6 Special Edition 3d

1.6 Special Edition 3d Tip Auto

1.9 TDI Special Edition 3d

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Sport

1.2 TFSI Sport (Start Stop) 3d

1.2 TFSI Sport 3d S Tronic

1.4 T FSI Sport 3d

1.4 T FSI Sport 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI Sport (08) 3d

1.4 TFSI Sport (Start Stop) 3d

1.4 TFSI Sport (08) 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI Sport (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

1.6 Sport 3d

1.6 Sport (08) 3d

1.6 Sport 3d Tip Auto

1.6 Sport 3d S Tronic

1.6 FSI Sport 3d

1.8 T FSI Sport 3d

1.8 T FSI Sport 3d S Tronic

1.8 TFSI Sport (08) 3d

1.8 TFSI Sport (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 FSI Sport 3d

2.0 FSI Sport 3d Tip Auto

2.0 T FSI Sport 3d

2.0 T FSI Sport 3d DSG

2.0 T FSI Sport 3d S-Tronic

2.0 T FSI quattro Sport 3d

2.0 TFSI Sport (08) 3d

2.0 TFSI Sport (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TFSI Quattro Sport (08) 3d S Tronic

3.2 V6 quattro Sport 3d

3.2 V6 quattro Sport 3d DSG

3.2 V6 Quattro Sport 3d S-Tronic

1.6 TDI Sport 3d

1.6 TDI Sport 3d S Tronic

1.9 TDI Sport 3d

1.9 TDIe Sport 3d

1.9 TDI Sport (08) 3d

2.0 TDI Sport 3d

2.0 TDI Sport 3d DSG

2.0 TDI Sport 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI quattro Sport 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI Sport (08) 3d

2.0 TDI Sport (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI Sport (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro Sport 3d

2.0 TDI Sport S Tronic (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport (08) 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Sport (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro Sport (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro Sport (Start Stop) 3d

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SE

1.2 TFSI SE (Start Stop) 3d

1.2 TFSI SE (2010) 3d S Tronic

1.4 T FSI SE 3d

1.4 T FSI SE 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI SE (08) 3d

1.4 TFSI SE(Start Stop) 3d

1.4 TFSI SE (08) 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI SE (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

1.6 SE 3d

1.6 SE (08) 3d

1.6 SE 3d Tip Auto

1.6 SE 3d S Tronic

1.6 FSI SE 3d

1.8 T FSI SE 3d

1.8 T FSI SE 3d S Tronic

1.8 TFSI SE (08) 3d

1.8 TFSI SE (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 FSI SE 3d

2.0 FSI SE 3d Tip Auto

2.0 T FSI SE 3d

2.0 T FSI SE 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TFSI SE (08) 3d

1.6 TDI SE 3d

1.6 TDI SE 3d S Tronic

1.9 TDI SE 3d

1.9 TDIe SE 3d

1.9 TDI SE (08) 3d

2.0 TDI SE 3d

2.0 TDI SE 3d DSG

2.0 TDI SE 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) SE 3d

2.0 TDI SE (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) SE 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI SE (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI SE (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI SE S Tronic (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) SE (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) SE (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170) SE (08) 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) SE (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro SE 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro SE (Start Stop) 3d

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Technik SE

1.6 Technik SE 3d

1.6 Technik SE 3d S Tronic

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S line

1.2 TFSI S Line (Start Stop) 3d

1.2 TFSI S Line 3d S Tronic

1.4 T FSI S line 3d

1.4 T FSI S line 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI S Line (08) 3d

1.4 TFSI S Line (Start Stop) 3d

1.4 TFSI S Line (08) 3d S Tronic

1.4 TFSI S Line (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

1.6 S Line 3d

1.6 S Line 3d S Tronic

1.6 FSI S line 3d

1.8 T FSI S line 3d

1.8 T FSI S line 3d S Tronic

1.8 TFSI S Line (08) 3d

1.8 TFSI S Line (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 FSI S line 3d

2.0 FSI S line 3d Tip Auto

2.0 T FSI S line 3d

2.0 T FSI S line 3d DSG

2.0 T FSI S Line 3d S-Tronic

2.0 T FSI quattro S line 3d

2.0 TFSI S Line (08) 3d

2.0 TFSI S Line (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TFSI Quattro S Line (08) 3d S Tronic

3.2 V6 quattro S line 3d

3.2 V6 quattro S line 3d DSG

3.2 V6 Quattro S Line 3d S-Tronic

1.6 TDI S Line 3d

1.6 TDI S Line 3d S Tronic

1.9 TDI S Line 3d

2.0 TDI S line 3d

2.0 TDI S line 3d DSG

2.0 TDI S Line 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI quattro S line 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line (05/06-05/08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro S Line 3d

2.0 TDI S Line (08) 3d

2.0 TDI S Line (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI S Line (08) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI S Line S Tronic (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line (08) 3d S-Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) S Line (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro S Line (08) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro S Line (Start Stop) 3d

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S line special edition

2.0 T FSi S line Special Edition 3d

2.0 T FSi S line Special Edition 3d DSG

2.0 T FSI S Line Special Edition 3d S-Tronic

2.0 T FSi quattro S line Special Edition 3d

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Black Edition

1.8 TFSI Black Edition 3d

1.8 TFSI Black Edition 3d S Tronic

2.0 TFSI Black Edition 3d

2.0 TFSI Black Edition 3d S Tronic

2.0 TFSI Quattro Black Edition 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI Black Edition 3d

2.0 TDI Black Edition (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI Black Edition 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI Black Edition S Tronic (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Black Edition 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Black Edition (Start Stop) 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Black Edition 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Black Edition (Start Stop) 3d S Tronic

2.0 TDI Quattro (170bhp) Black Edition 3d

2.0 TDI (170bhp) Quattro Black Edition (Start Stop) 3d

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