Audi A3 Saloon Review & Prices

The Audi A3 Saloon is a small but posh saloon car, which offers a bit more style in exchange for a bit less practicality than the A3 Sportback. A 2024 update means it looks sharper inside and out than before. It’s a bit like choosing an eye-catching dress rather than a jacket with practical pockets.

If you like the idea of a posh, small saloon, you could also consider the Mercedes A-Class Saloon or BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. There’s also the S3 Saloon if you want this Audi with a bit more power.

The Audi A3 Saloon is a smart-looking thing, with the 2024 update bringing new headlights that can display unique patterns and a tweaked grille that sees the Audi badge blend into the bodywork. No great changes, then, but it’s very much a case of not fixing what ain’t broke…

Inside the changes are more subtle still, with a smaller gear selector opening up a bit more space around the centre console, while the Virtual Cockpit (Audi’s name for its digital instrument display) is now standard-fit. Sure, it’s not quite as premium as pricier Audis, but the A3 interior is smart and feels solidly put together.

As well as the digital instruments, all versions of the A3 get a 10.1-inch infotainment screen that’s neatly integrated into the dashboard – the graphics are sharp and it responds quickly to your inputs. There’s a bank of physical switches for the climate control, which makes a nice change from awkward screen-based systems that are now commonplace.

Space is decent throughout, though rear headroom isn’t fantastic. The boot capacity is good at 425 litres, which puts it on par with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and more spacious than the A-Class Saloon. However, the saloon-style opening and lower boot ceiling mean it’s not as practical to access as hatchback equivalents, despite boasting more capacity.

Out on the open road the Audi A3 Saloon is a great all-rounder. It’s comfortable around town, quiet on the motorway and pretty good fun on a twisty road. S line models get sport suspension, which makes them a bit more jiggly around town but a bit more confidence-inspiring on a fun road – though the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is better here overall.

There are few compromises to owning an Audi A3 Saloon, then – a spacious boot, stylish design and solid build quality make it an appealing family car, though it is very much a head over heart purchase.

If all that appeals, check out the latest Audi A3 Saloon deals available on Carwow. You can also browse used A3 Saloon stock from our network of trusted dealers, as well as other used Audis. And when it’s time to sell your current car, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Audi A3 Saloon is competitively priced when compared with other premium saloons. Its circa-£33,000 starting price is about the same as the Mercedes A-Class Saloon and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. Things start getting pricier when looking at plug-in hybrid versions – top-spec trims come to more than £45,000 for both the BMW and Mercedes.

If you don’t need one of the German brands, a bigger, almost-as-posh Peugeot 508 isn’t much more expensive than the Audi A3 Saloon, nor is the less posh but ludicrously practical Skoda Superb. Both have saloon body shapes but easy access hatchback boots.

The Audi A3 Saloon gives a comfortable ride and feels safe and secure to drive, although a BMW is more engaging and a Mercedes more comfortable

In town

The A3 Saloon is a compact size, so you can nip around town without having to worry about whether it’ll fit through whatever gap you’re negotiating. Sport models are more comfortable over bumps, but the sport suspension in S Line models means you feel bumps and holes in the road more. Still, it’s far from uncomfortable.

Being a saloon, the back end is further beyond the back window than in a hatchback, so bear that in mind when parking. Fortunately, you get rear parking sensors as standard, though a reversing camera is part of a costly optional extra.

The driver’s seat adjusts forwards and backwards, and up and down, as does the steering wheel, so it’s easy to find a good driving position. Visibility out of the car is very good, though.

The 30 TFSI petrol is most efficient in town. Its relatively low power doesn’t matter much there, either. The more powerful engines have more get go, but will use a bit more fuel.

On the motorway

The A3 Saloon is a fine long distance cruiser. You’d have to concentrate really hard to notice any significant difference to the bigger Audi A4. It’s quiet and comfortable, and feels resolutely stable from behind the steering wheel. A few hours behind the wheel and you should get out feeling none the worse for it.

If you regularly do long journeys, the diesel engine makes most sense. It has power to spare and will do 60mpg without much effort. If you only occasionally go on motorways, either petrol engine will crack along at 70mph happily enough. However, the less powerful 30 TFSI can feel strained if you have a full load of passengers and/or luggage.

The Mercedes A-Class Saloon is more relaxing to spend many hours in, but we’re talking fine margins here.

On a twisty road

The A3 Saloon feels pretty good to drive on a twisty road. The steering is responsive and precise, there’s loads of grip and the body barely leans over in corners. The 35 TFSI and 35 TDI models have sophisticated rear suspension, which soaks up bumps better than the simpler set-up on the 30 TFSI model. In practice, that means the more powerful cars feel a bit more stable and reassuring at higher speeds.

Put all of that together and the A3 Saloon (in any form) is a very safe, secure car. You can have a good time but you still feel like the car’s operator, whereas the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe gives you more of a feeling of connection to the car, which makes it more fun.

The A3 Saloon has loads of passenger space and a big boot, but a hatchback is ultimately more practical

Practicality

There’s pretty generous space in the front of the A3 Saloon. You'd have to be very tall to have any issues, so there's plenty of leg, head and shoulder room for most.

For storage, the door bins can hold a one-litre bottle and your wallet. There’s a small cubby hole under the centre armrest and a space in the centre console with fold-out cupholders. Your phone goes in a tray in front of the gear selector, which doubles as a wireless charging pad as standard in 2024 cars onwards. There's also a little cubby to the left of the steering wheel, and the glovebox has space for the car’s manual and a couple of packets of biscuits.

Space in the back seats

There’s a smidge less headroom in the back of the A3 Saloon than there is in the hatchback A3 Sportback, but six-footers fit without brushing their head against the ceiling. There’s plenty of leg and knee room for them, too.

Getting three adults in the back is a bit of a squeeze, but that’s true of every car this size, and a family of four will have few complaints. The ISOFIX mounts are easy to get to, but the door opening is a bit small which can make installing child seats – and children – a bit tricky.

For storage there’s decent size door bins and cupholders in the armrest right where your elbow goes. There’s also a 12-volt charging socket.

Overall, the A3 Saloon is more spacious than the BMW and Mercedes alternatives, though not by much.

Boot space

With a capacity of 425 litres, the A3 Saloon’s boot capacity is a bit bigger than that of the A3 Sportback. It’s a good square shape and you can get a few big suitcases in there. The back seats fold down for more space, but the boot opening is quite small so it’s more of a pain to load than the Sportback is, and the lower boot ceiling means it's not as easy to fit larger items. There’s a couple of extra storage spaces to the sides, but you don’t get the Sportback’s height adjustable boot floor.

Looking at the alternatives, the Mercedes CLA has the biggest boot at 440 litres, so it’s the better choice if practicality is a priority. There's also an estate-like Shooting Brake version with 485 litres. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is on par with the A3 with just five litres extra, while the Mercedes A-Class Saloon is well down on 395 litres.

Excellent infotainment system and top-notch build quality, although some materials lower down the cabin feel a bit cheap

The interior of the A3 Saloon has a nice, clear layout but the actual design is a little fussy. Especially in front of the driver, where there are angular air vents positioned oddly high up. The upper dashboard surfaces, the steering wheel and all the buttons have a suitably premium feel, but below that some materials are a bit cheap and scratchy.

Every A3 Saloon model has a 10.1-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment system that’s responsive and clear, though the graphics are quite dark. Features in the system include sat nav with 3D maps and live traffic updates, DAB radio, Bluetooth and assorted apps that can give live updates on fuel prices and parking charges. Or you can connect your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The excellent Virtual Cockpit, which is a digital instrument display, is standard-fit from 2024 and shows all sorts of information including full screen sat nav maps, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and USB-C charging ports.

There are two petrol engines and one diesel available for the Audi A3 Saloon. The 30 TFSI is the entry level engine, or you can go for the 35 TFSI, which has a bit more power. Both see around 50mpg in official tests, and while the 30 TFSI should be more economical in the real world, there shouldn't be too much in it. If you do a lot of long distance motorway driving, though, the 35 TDI-badged diesel should be your go-to.

If you’re a company car buyer, you’ll want the plug-in hybrid engine because this has the lowest benefit-in-kind tax rate. At the time of writing this is not yet available, so you'll have to go for a hybrid Mercedes A-Class Saloon or BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe instead – though the plug-in A3 Saloon is slated for release in late 2024. CO2 emissions are fairly low in the petrol and diesel models, so first-year Vehicle Excise Duty isn't too pricey, though a fully loaded, top-spec version with a few option boxes ticked could incur the extra charge for cars costing over £40,000 in years two to six.

Euro NCAP awarded the A3 Sportback a full five-star rating in 20202, which can be applied to the A3 Saloon. It scored strong marks for protecting adult and child occupants in the event of a crash, and is fitted with some useful safety features. They include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and collision avoidance assist, which sounds a warning if a crash is imminent and helps the driver manoeuvre around the hazard.

Audi hasn't performed brilliantly in recent Driver Power owner satisfaction surveys, and neither the A3 Sportback or Saloon appeared in the top 50 cars to own list. Audi provides a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is just about the most basic warranty offered by car manufacturers in the UK.