Audi A3 8V (2013-2021)

Zippy little car, with excellent acceleration – Us my car to get around town and driving around locally. it gets used by me every day for work, shops, taking kids to school for short distances. Had no problems with it. It has been serviced once with no problems. Beautiful to drive. Show details

Technology great, shame about mechanical failures – Only four years older. Full Audi Service history and yet $5000 clutch repair not honoured by Audi. Lot of dash error messages nobody can pin point. Lovely little car to drive just a shakes Audi don’t stand behind their name like Toyota would. Show details

AUDI FOR LIFE – Since I was a kid I always liked the AUDI style and finally this year I had to possibility to get one my self Audi A3 Sportback. Wooow the car is just fantastic ,best leather seats, great consolle, easy drive able and great performances , I wouldn’t change it for anything Show details

Best small car I've ever driven! – I was hesitant to go to a smaller vehicle, but A3 2019 hatch doesn't feel like a small car at all. It drives really well and easy to handle! I drive close to 100km a day for work on most days, and it definitely helps driving a car that feels comfortable and enjoyable. So far, no red flags from the servicing either. Love the quality of finishes… Read more

too. I have done extensive research prior to settling on the A3, and it won hands down on value for money and price point!

Best car yet!!!! – I use my car daily to get to and from work and then on our interstate holidays. It’s always serviced when due and I only use premium petrol in it. This car is like flying on clouds!!!! It’s the best car I’ve ever driven and can say after owning this little beauty I will never buy a different brand car again!!!! Show details

Performance to put a smile on your face – This car offers a perfect blend of a comfortable and luxurious daily drive with more than enough performance to put a smile on your face when you need some extra thrills. The cabin is superb with all the central console buttons and dials in perfect position, easy drive select modes depending on how you want the vehicle to respond, the DSG gearbox,… Read more

for the most part, is flawless and offers an instant response with Quattro AWD. Great little package and a good alternative to Golf R for some extra style, class and prestige badge.

My perfect car for the City life – This is the first time that I have been using the same car for more than 5 years and it has the space that I need for travelling with up to 5 people and also to have space for suitcases. I spent most of the time close to the city and it makes this car even better for parking and weekly tasks. I have to say it is not cheap to look after it but… Read more

when I bring to Audi for servicing my car has been look after perfectly almost like going to an Apple store and sometimes that it is what you want from a brand like Audi.

Yes my next car will be still an Audi but not sure when as my car still works perfectly

This car is excellent – This car is very cool, I use it to go to work every day, I will take my family to travel during the holidays, it is suitable for all kinds of occasions, looks atmospheric, beautiful, from the purchase to now has not appeared any quality problems, which is also very happy for me.  Show details

Power in a refined sedan – I have recently come from a Volkswagen Golf R, Even though these two cars have the same engine and very similar drive train. It was a great purchase and a well deserved upgrade. Everything in this car feels premium as you would expect from an Audi.  Show details

Awesome Audi S3 – Purchased used - 3 years old with 16K on the clock. Have owned performance vehicles for a long time. This time it came down to an Evo X and the S3 sedan. Couldn't go past the DSG transmission. The vehicle looks pretty tame on the outside, but it's what's under the hood that counts. Performance to boot. Modifications are relatively cheap (dollar… Read more

per HP gained) in order to extract more horsepower. The only niggle is that when you turn off the vehicle in "sports/dynamic" mode, when you turn it back on it says it's still in "dynamic" mode, but it actually isn't. You have to cycle through the drive modes to reactivate Dynamic mode.

Otherwise so far so good. Happy with the purchase.

S3 stylish..sassy...speedy....sexy – This car ticks all the boxes. Luxury of a roomy sedan yet sporty like a sports car. The S3 model is an absolute dream to drive and has many modes to change up the drive without feeling you are constantly in spirts mode. It’s punchy, yet elegant and a real head turner. Luxurious detail inside and clean, sporty lines. Economical for everyday use out… Read more

of dynamic mode but track ready if you wish as a press of a button for a harder suspension revving ride. The note on this mode is aggressive to appease any rev head...yes even for a girly like me. Upgraded to S line package and sunroof so have all the bells and whistles. 14 speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system is heavenly for a full surround sound system. Faultless custom stitching Napa leather interior and brushed aluminium and black piano gloss trimming. Super lux. Highly recommend this car but next I’m upgrading to the RS3. Yeh Baby!

Great car – We love our a3. The only issue is the shape of the drivers seat. Great on fuel and all the mod cons in the attraction 2015. We get almost 900km from a tank of fuel. It has enough space for us and our two kids and all of the shopping  Show details

An amazing car to drive. Worth it – Amazing! This is what I am really talking about when mentioning european/german cars. It's full on comfort, the car has very nice extra features installed. The engine is quiet as well, in the interior you will hear close to nothing. The car's exterior also looks amazing as well, overall I am happy.  Show details

Love this car – Close to perfect. So comfortable to drive. Quiet, smooth, reliable. Fantastic sound system- we got the 10 speaker option. Excellent finish and build quality. Every Bluetooth/GPS gadget you can imagine. Parks like a dream, corners like a demon, looks cool and understated. Drives great and has some serious grunt when you need it. Highly recommended!  Show details

Best car I have ever owned! – I am in love with my Audi A3! The finish and build quality are superb, and the performance and handling are just as good! It has a very high equipment level, is awesome to drive and look a million dollars. I have had no reliability problems at all. I have always admired the brand, and my current experience only reinforces my admiration.  Show details

Love it – Havent had any big problems with it. servicing costs is expensive and the break is a little too sensitive but some people like that. Good performance and a nice zippy car for quick metro rides. Interior is comfy and trendy. Gps is pretty useless and not very user friendly. Overall satisfied.  Show details

A sound car to own and enjoy – Audi A3 just doesn't fail to amaze me, has had this for 3 years and has ever had any issues with it. Handling's good and is powerful for range. The only think I can think of is there's a very little turbo lag when starting from 0, can be slightly unresponsive Also, the back seat can be tight when 2 adults trying to sit at the back. Other than that, it's a highly recommended car.  Show details

Amazing value! – Jampacked with features and fantastic on fuel. Not really much else to say except that I'd recommend this car to anyone! If you're thinking of buying one go see Trivett Audi in Parramatta! Wouldn't of even considered an Audi if it wasn't for the whole team there, lovely people not push or hard to try and get your $$. If your lifestyle would fit a cheaper model, or smaller car that is what they will recommend for you.  Show details

Perfect Convertible – Performance is great, handling is typically good like most audis, Convertible roof mechanism can be operated whilst driving under 50km per hour which is great. downside is small back seats. reliability has been good so far as no real faults after driving the car for over 2 years. Interior design is very nice  Show details

Audi S3 2017 model – Audi have done well with this new S3 sedan in blue, drives and handles like a charm, I got this only 4 months ago and a pleasure to drive. with so many features of safety and comfort, I have the performance package and silver trim on the outside looks so stylish.the stereo has 18 speakers crazy, the navigation is smart and easy to use, I like how… Read more

the screen is put away for a flush dash when switched off, the sensors front and rear give great protection as well as the anti collision features. test drive and see for yourself a car that can be set to be really sporty or efficient, economical or comfort, take your pick.good on petrol too.

Amazing Car – Performance is good, price is reasonable compare to other cars. Very smooth when driving, like the dashboard so much! its very reliable as the break is very sensitive, i like the technique pack which has the auto reverse option which is prefect for the person who not good at parking.  Show details

What a machine – Was tossing up between the a3 and the gti for a while but once I test drive the Audi the choice was easy. Sure performance is very similar but driving the car is like owning a batmobile in comparison to the golf. Only issue I've had is the rear suspension being a little on the squeaky side at low speeds and the 3 nut covers on the wheels have fallen off! Bit disappointing but I'm sure they'll replace them at service.  Show details

Stylish, elegant and fun – performance is not bad, little engine but beats most of the entry Japanese cars lines. Very elegant interior/driving cabin and has to be the most advance and 'technic' little car available on the market. The virtual cockpit is a must have option that looks and works amazing. Love it! Very enjoyable ride.  Show details

Great Car!!! But too loud – My RS3 hatchback is awesome - very comfortable seats, great sounding Bang & Olufsen sound system, and of course it's a very very fast car, so much so that it really does help you to loose your drivers licence. Otherwise, the only downer is the gearbox, my one is automatic, and it could be smoother as you can really feel the gear shifts as in… Read more

comparison to Porsche for example.

Recently I went camping and took it on a gravel road, a good road overall, and one of the low profile tires on the front wheel got shredded into pieces, so much so it even damaged some of the front bumper adjacent to the wheel. I waited 3 hours for their roadside assistance to taw the car away, and another 4 hours for the taxi that they've organised for free to go back to Sydney. Note, that there is no spare wheel, and it took them over a weak to fix the car. Not a good experience overall, and I would definitely look at getting a car with a spare wheel next time.

Last but not least, to me personally this car is pretty loud. I always drive it in Dynamic as otherwise there is too much turbo leg, and the noise that it produces when you push it is quiet out there, but I guess that's what to expect from RS range, so some people suggested I should have gone for S range instead.

Overall it's a great toy, but it should certainly come with a warning ))

Blown turbocharger and replaced engine at 6000kms – Good points - beautiful interior. Beautiful inside and out. Handles well with the Quattro. Good power from the 1.8 turbo. Bad points -Tight rear seat but it is a small car -Fuel consumption not as good as claimed. About on par with the Audi Q5 we owned for 6 years i.e. high 7s,8sL/100km -Audi's constant claims of producing a high quality… Read more

product.

-6 months into ownership (with 6000kms) on the clock I had the turbocharger fail catastrophically making the car go from 80km/h down to 20km/h precipitiously. Nearly got rammed from behind by a Ford Ranger as a result. Has taken 8 weeks to repair because the exploding turbo had blown metal shards through the engine requiring the engine to be changed as well. I have tried to ask Audi Australia for a refund/replacement considering the age of the vehicle and under consumer rights as outlined by Australian Consumer Law. Audi have rejected my request but offered an extra 12 months of warranty as a gesture of good faith. I have tried every avenue e.g. ACCC, Civil and Administrative Tribunal but unfortunately this can only be resolved by legal action. Have been advised by a lawyer to take the vehicle back and sell the car and cut my losses as a court victory may cost $30000 to achieve.

A quick web search shows that the 8V turbocharger is a source of many, many issues mainly failures and excessive 'whining' overseas.

Will never buy Audi again.

Only one complaint after three years – Steering is accurate though a bit distant, meaning not bothering the driver unnecessarily. Helps the driver keep calm in the harshest of conditions, like snow over melting ice. Performance is better than one would expect from 180 hp engine. Does effortlessly 0 t0 100 km/h under seven seconds. Built quality is admirable, no resonances after 60.000… Read more

kilometers and not the slightest fault expect that the brake disks rust easily in the arctic climate in Finland though no effect to stopping power yet. In conclusion, this is a dull car to drive in the positive meaning of that word.

Great little car spoiled by poor technology (Radio/GPS/Telephone) – Purchased February 2016. Great little car, comfortable seats, roomy cabin that is well-trimmed, good fit, nice handling. The 1.4 Turbo has sufficient power, but there is some turbo lag from a stop, so tends to bog down turning at stop signs. I got the Technics, Style and Comfort packages and the sunroof… packages that bring it up to a… Read more

‘normal’ level, by then the $30k something car had become $44k. But Audi still managed to catch me out… I missed on the red lights in the door edges that are a taken-for-granted safety feature but are part of a $400 Interior Light Package (not an Australia-only problem, there is a web cottage industry overseas adding the wiring and bulbs to the dummy red lens).

The ‘tech’ is also poor and quite frustrating:

- The Bluetooth remembers multiple devices, but has to be paired each time if someone else used the car last. Only one device can be paired at a time.

- The GPS in particular is old school that is poor to input addresses, even with the finger input pad, and gets confused easily. It has issues with speaking basic names (eg Drive is Draa-ve and Crescent is Cre-sent).

- Telephone calls from the directory is also hit and miss…normally a miss.

- The sound system/radio sounds great, but even though it also has DAB+ digital radio, doesn’t display song playing, or the next song on any stations (which even the kids’ 2011 Holden Cruze displays on FM). The display itself is reasonably large but has a lot of vacant space with the radio information… traffic/emergency warnings are crammed in the top right corner and are so small to be unreadable (but this may be a radio station issue). Pandora is handled well, showing artist, track name and album cover.

Smiles every time – Went for a new S3 in March 2015. Got the Sedan with DSG, having come happily from two years of fun with a GTI DSG. Fantastic experience. Obviously the four pot turbo is no slouch, but it is the way it delivers; quietly and with reserve, unless you choose Sport and Dynamic. Apart from the agility of the engine, I notice a huge advance in body… Read more

and chassis dynamics; the latest quattro haldex shifts power to the best wheel combination to keep it pointed.

With a bad / sensitive lower back, I've always had to chose carefully for comfort and seat adjustability. The S3 seats are fantastic - electric lumber support and heated. I honestly enjoy going to the shops in the evening if we forget something, and quite happily volunteer to pick up kids when they need returning to home.

Great car.

So far so good – I brought the car in Feb 2016 and so far the car gives me the excellent experience. The only thing that I am not in favour of this the A3 Stronic transmission which i believe is the same as the DSG on the golf or jetta. The Stronic gives me the jerky feeling when on the slow speed as, I think, it is due to that the transmission does not really… Read more

know if it should go upper gear or down gear. This is common in DCT anyway.

Other than that, good. Even for the 1.4L engine, it is not too bad. The turbo lag is not obvious. The interior does not feel cheap and the body looks more stylish than the BMW X1 (my own opinion). The steering and performance is better than the Mercedes A180 (also my own opinion). The fuel efficiency is also great.

Makes me smile – I have had my A3 for a couple of weeks now and it still makes me smile when I drive it. Looks great from both inside and out. Only little thing is the knob that sits near your leg. Being a European car its meant to sit on the other side but my knee sometimes touches it and I change a station on the radio.  Show details

Excellent quality, Practical and a class above – Had the car for two years and never gave any mechanical issue. The 1.8t engine is quite zippy around town and still delivers excellent fuel economy. It takes 95RON but will run on 91 if you're out of town and can't find any 98/95 Signed up for corporate program and I have free servicing in the first three years. The car is enjoyable to drive,… Read more

quiet and comfortable. It has been fitted with B&O Optional audi, Navigation, comfort heated seats and convenience engine start/stop button. The panoramic sunroof is huge and fun to use in good days. The sunroof liner unfortunately is not solid, but rather transparent. This may cause concern on 40degrre summer days but the tinted roof glass helps to reduce the heat. Plus you can just turn up the aircond. Speaking of the aircond grills, it's prob the most beautiful one I've seen. The centre part can be pulled to give more direct airflow or pushed for disperse airflow. Very smart design indeed. Rear passenger space is good to carry adults, even the hatchback boot space is practical to swallow a couple big luggages, unlike the Benz A class I recently rented.

Reliability is good. Having owned a VW GTI previously the car is built with just the same excellent finish as the GTI but with a step above in finish and material quality above VW. As the GTI was too bumpy for me I traded it in for the new A3 and I am not disappointed at all. No major issues with my A3. Only one minor interior speaker trim that seems like not glued properly that I got the dealer to fix at no cost (under warranty) other than that there's nothing else to fault. I think I will be keeping this car for a long time.

Verdict: not the most outstanding shape out there but there's a certain simplicistic beauty in its design. Interior quality is the best, and probably the most practical compared to BMW 1-Series and Benz A class. Mechanically sounds and once a year Servicing is standard as with other euros.

Great car but expensive to service – I have a 2012 Audi A3 1.6 TDI and agree with what everyone said above. It has great fuel economy (up to 1200km/tank) and drives really well. I drive roughly 800km per week and am nearing my 90K service already. This major service has been quoted $2000 by Audi. I was quoted the prices below for servicing and noticed often it is a bit more. … Read more

60,000km - $1160.00

75,000km - $680.00

90,000km - $1770.00

105,000km - $680.00

To change the windscreen wipers it cost over $300 as they have to change the whole blade.

Just something to take into consideration before purchasing. I have no regrets on purchasing this car as it drives really well, however might be hesitant to get it again due to the maintenance fees.

February 11th 2015 Update:

Updating my previous review to only 3 stars now... I have had the car for 2 years+ and already experienced a mechanical issue with the ERG system making my car go into safe mode with no power.

The car is regularly serviced. I searched online and realised this issue has been reported over a range of diesel VW and Audi cars. This was fixed via warranty however if it does happen again the cost to repair was quoted over $2000.

Having driven the car for 90,000km I have spent nearly $8,000 on servicing alone. I think my next car will be a Japanese car.