Used Audi A3 Saloon cars for sale

Used Audi A3 Saloon pros and cons

Is a used Audi A3 Saloon a good car?

The Audi A3 Saloon is a classy-looking compact four-door that somehow manages to look more expensive than the A3 Sportback hatchback. It’s very much a shrunk-down A4 or A6, and so like Father Ted’s cows, it’s small; not far away. 

That means it’s a rival to the likes of the Mercedes A-Class Saloon and the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. If you fancy something a bit more powerful, then there’s the S3 and RS3 models, which have as much as 400hp and quattro four-wheel drive. 

It’s a good-looking car, the A3 Saloon. Audi gave it an update in 2024 that brought along more complicated headlights and slightly changed badging, but to be honest you’d have to work for Audi to be able to spot the difference from ten feet away — which presumably will be good news for the resale value of older A3 Saloons. 

Earlier models came with a choice of 150hp 1.5-litre TSI petrol power, or 2.0-litre 150hp TDI diesel, but over the years Audi has shrunk the A3’s engine offering down to the 150hp 1.5 petrol, or a 115hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol. A six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch S-Tronic automatic were offered, and the automatic models had paddle shifts as standard. Oddly, the A3 Saloon wasn’t offered with the plug-in hybrid system — that was only for the A3 hatchback. 

The cabin is smart, with (optional on early models, standard later on) digital instruments under a neat cowl, and a 10.1-inch infotainment screen in the centre of the dash. Overall quality is excellent, and while you will spot some cheaper plastics here and there, they don’t spoil the effect. 

The infotainment screen has relatively simple software so it’s not too fiddly to use, and it helps that Audi kept proper physical buttons for the air conditioning system, which takes the strain off the screen and which are easier by far to use. 

Space in the cabin is fine, although headroom in the back isn’t the best. The boot is usefully bigger than that of the Sportback hatchback, at 425 litres, although of course it’s not as versatile as the hatchback’s luggage area. It’s on a par with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and more spacious than the A-Class Saloon.

The Audi A3 Saloon might be small, but it feels almost like a big Audi when you get it out on the road. It’s smooth enough to be comfortable around town (although sporty S-Line models get firmer suspension, so beware of that if comfort is your thing) and it’s reasonably good fun on a twisty road. Plus, it’s refined enough to make long motorway journeys painless. If you want maximum fun, trade up to an S3, especially the 2024 update model. 

The Audi A3 Saloon is probably one of the most painless cars you can own — solidly made, roomy enough, good to drive, but not too expensive to buy nor run. Head over heart? A little, but there’s just enough heart there to please.

What to look for when buying a used Audi A3

The Audi A3 has been recalled a few times, for issues with seatbelts, brakes, and loose electrical connectors, so make sure that work has been carried out. The infotainment system is often a cause of complaint too, but mechanically the A3 should be solid. 

The A3 didn’t place in the most recent Driver Power ownership survey’s Top 50 Cars To Own list, and Audi finished in a pretty poor 27th (out of 32) brands in the overall manufacturer survey, with 21% of owners reporting faults with their cars.

Audi A3 Saloon FAQs