2023 Audi A3 - Sort-Of Mechanic's Review
Affordable and German Luxury Really Don't Go Hand in Hand
Sort-of Mechanic’s Review: 2024 Audi A3
My wife and I were given an Audi A3 as our rental car for tripping around the Hawaiian island of Maui, and as many of you know, I love Audis. The S7 may well be one of the classiest sedans that ever existed, for a fraction of the cost more luxurious brands offer. The 2010’s yielded this brand some of the most timeless designs I think we’ll ever see in automobiles. This 2023 A3 holds on to that success, and unfortunately, many of the issues that keep this brand hard to recommend to those without pocketbooks to support them, or a good lease opportunity.
Tip: Like most Audi’s, these depreciate rather quickly. A slightly used A3 Premium can be found for a little over $20k in most markets. That’s nearly $20k off the sticker price some poor soul paid only a few years prior. So, consider looking for these used at an Audi dealership and put that money saved into a really good warranty, if you plan on keeping for the long-haul.
Interior / Exterior Quality
Overall, the A3 was a really pretty car. The exterior is smooth and professional, and will outshine any Toyota Corolla on the road. The new Honda Civics look good, but have that subdued, youthful vibe about them. Audis have always carried the “cool executive” feel. Beautiful LED headlights add a little extra “oomph.”
The interior is much the same. All business. Black leather and fairly well-appointed interior trim pieces are still found even here at Audi’s most economical option. There’s some cheap plastic hidden tastefully throughout to keep that price within reach for the aspiring luxury car fanatic. Parts of the center console and doors feel un-Audi-like, but that’s to be expected. The parts you interact with all feel very much worthy of the Audi name. While the dash layout is possibly my favorite of the current Audi lineup, it’s very glossy. So expect to clean a lot of fingerprints and do much polishing over the years to keep it from looking like it went through an automatic car wash.
Panel fitment and quality of inputs are one of Audi’s greatest strengths. There may never be a squeak in this interior, as everything you press feels put together like luxury lego bricks. Nothing shifts and nothing squishes that isn’t supposed to. The buttons all click with an air of confidence, and even this base steering wheel feels fancy in the hand. Infotainment reacts and animates like an expensive iPad, and leaves little to be desired there, aside from maybe some confusion navigating Audi’s menu system. Audio controls conveniently can be controlled by a little iPod wheel on the center console.
Score: 8.5/10Reliability:
While I may be a wannabe mechanic, I can say with fairly strong confidence this vehicle will be middle-of-the-road at best in reliability. Audi, like most manufacturers, doesn’t quite have Toyota’s level of quality in mild-hybrid systems. Edmunds.com’s review section so far looks below par as well for the A3’s current drivetrain, which is of course very similar to that of the Jetta GLI’s. The modern 2L Turbo Four Cylinder engines aren’t known to have tons of major issues as the older variants did, but could still be costly if not very properly maintained. Timing chain tensioners, water pumps, and other fairly pricey issues are still possible on these engines.
While the repair bills on Audi’s turbo 3.0 V6 are certainly more expensive when something does happen, it’s a stronger engine overall, and way more fun to drive. Do you really want to pay an arm and a leg for maintaining a car like the A3, while only having a fraction of the fun you could with a more performant drivetrain? My opinion on Audis, is if you’re going to pay such an increased cost of ownership, you should get something for it. If you’re set on a 4 cylinder turbo combo, I’d consider BMW/Mini’s options over this.
Score: 6/10Average Guy Driveability Review
The first thing I noticed in the A3 is how insanely touchy the brakes were. Braking along The Road To Hana’s 650 curves made my newly-wedded wife nearly wish to leap out down the coastal cliffs. It’s all or nothing when you touch the brake pedal. Some forum users claim this goes away with time (as your brake pads wear away, I guess?) but I think most will have gone insane by then. Driving dynamics are pretty solid though, as is typical to Audi and other Germans. Every turn was super smooth, and the suspension soaked up the averagely maintained road’s bumps with little discomfort to us.
The turbo 4 cylinder’s power delivery is fairly linear, and feels peppy in the lower RPMs. 0 to 60 times of around 6.8 seconds provide at least a meager taste of the German Autobahn. Most competing options out there in more affordable and reliable segments come with a CVT transmission, so it’s nice that the Germans haven’t similarly blanched their economy offerings. A 7-speed dual clutch delivers the power here, and is only a tad clunky at low speeds. Personally, for my money, I’d skip entry-level luxury cars entirely and find a used model of something a bit more performant and luxurious for the money. With a good warranty, if possible, or needed.
Score: 6.5/10Final Thoughts:
There’s a reason Mercedes is ducking out on the CLA 45, and BMW seems less and less interested in the base 2 series; entry-level luxury cars don’t really make sense. They carry similar lacking reliability to the more traditional variants, with none of the fun that risk is supposed to bring. If you’re really wanting to stay in this price range, and with a more recent model option, I’d be more enticed by a Mini Cooper. At least they’re interesting.