Audi A3 for sale

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Learn more about the Audi A3

The Audi A3 is a premium but practical hatchback which serves as a good family car but is also great fun to drive as well

Available in Saloon, Sportback and Cabriolet bodies, the A3 has a quality interior and plenty of good features to enjoy, as well as plenty of engine sizes.

The Sportback is available in four different trims, the SE Technik, Sport, S Line and Black Edition and features such as sat-nav, cruise control and rear parking sensors as standard.

The Saloon is a more stylish alternative, with three different trim levels, while the Cabriolet comes in Sport and S Line, with four different engine types.

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The Audi A3 is available in a couple of different trim levels to suit your personal preferences and driving style.

Each level comes with an impressive level of equipment as standard, starting with the entry-level SE and SE Technik.

If you want something a little more stylish and sporty, the Sport trim offers extra touches such as leather upholstery, sport seats and climate control, while the top of the range S Line also features LED headlights and rear lights, sport steering wheel and the sleek S line body styling.

A3 SE

The SE is the entry-level trim for the Audi A3 but offers a couple of good features as standard such as improved suspension for a smoother drive, as well as 16-inch alloys, air-con, a DAB digital radio and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.

A3 SE Technik

The Technik is a slightly upgraded version of the standard Audi A3 SE, with a couple of extra features such as Milano leather seats and sat-nav with 3D mapping. You’ll also get slightly larger wheels and metallic paint as standard.

A3 Sport

The Audi A3 Sport comes with exterior styling upgrades to give it a sportier look, such as chrome exhaust tailpipe trim, aluminium window trims and a sport side air inlet grille and diffuser insert, as well as leather sport seats, Audi Drive Select and dual-zone electronic climate control on the inside.

A3 S Line

If you want a dash of sportiness with your Audi A3, you might want to check out the S Line trim, inspired by the Audi Sport models. While the S Line has a host of little visual touches such as leather upholstery, black cloth headlining, sport steering wheel and stainless steel pedals to make it stand out, there are also performance upgrades too, such as precision-engineered suspension positioning.

A3 Black Edition

Audi’s Black Edition range brings darkened windows and alloys, as well as black detailing and inlays for a striking and stylish look. The Black Edition is based on the S Line specification too, so comes with all of the great features that you’d expect, such as Sport suspension and seats, LED lights and the Audi Sound System.

The Audi A3 has been one of the best hatchbacks on the market since it launched over 20 years ago, with its luxurious interior and smooth drive.

The initial release struggled to gain traction but subsequent generations have cemented the Audi A3’s place as the ultimate luxury hatchback.

The diesel options offer a good balance of performance and efficiency, or if you want to really test what the A3 can do, there’s a range of powerful petrol engines too.

If you’re after a comfortable and enjoyable small family car, there are few better options than the A3 on the market.


Brief History of the Audi A3

  • Launched back in 1996, Audi’s first smaller car since the Audi 50 in 1978.
  • The range was expanded in 1999 to include more powerful engines such as the 1.8 turbo 180 PS and the 1.9 TDi diesel.
  • New headlights and rear lamps were introduced in late 2000, as well as an improved interior and a six-speed manual gearbox on higher-performance models.
  • The second generation was launched in 2003 with a new automobile platform, new and more spacious interior, new FSI petrol engines and a standard six-speed gearbox.
  • Two sports models were introduced later the same year.
  • The five-door Sportback model was launched in 2004, with improved rear cabin space and a larger luggage compartment.
  • The S Line trim level came in 2005 offering new decorative elements.
  • The A3 underwent a major facelift in 2008 with revised nose and tail styling, a new grille and daytime running lights, common rail 2.0 TDI engines and more.
  • The third generation arrived in 2012 and features included: multi-collision braking, a new Multi Media Interface, adaptive cruise control, active lane assist and more.
  • The model received another facelift in 2017 to commemorate its 20th anniversary.
  • The fourth-generation model is set to be unveiled at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.

The Audi A3 has continued to improve with each new generation, with the latest iteration just around the corner and is one of the leading premium hatchbacks around.

Bringing a mix of luxury, practicality and efficiency, the A3 is positioned at the top end of the hatchback market, bringing a touch of luxury to the quality manufacturing that you would expect from an Audi.

The interior is beautifully simple and ergonomic, with plenty of bells and whistles such as air conditioning, start/stop and colour screen interface and other small touches that make this car a stand out.

In terms of performance, the A3 is a smooth drive rather than sporty, but has excellent grip and suspension, especially in the later versions.

But the A3 can still pack something of a punch, especially with some of the higher-performance models, which can hit speeds of 60mph in around seven seconds.

In terms of efficiency, the A3 is good, with lots of models to choose from, such as the 1.6-litre diesel in the second-generation, which falls below the 100kg/km threshold.

Overall, the Audi A3 is way ahead of the rest of the pack if you’re after a premium hatchback.

Audi is well known for being a reliable brand, but just like when buying any other used car, it’s important to give your new A3 a proper check over before making a purchase and here are some of the faults that sometimes get reported by drivers.

Some electronics have been reported as faulty, such as the interior light not switching off when the doors are closed and windows not properly closing, as well as the ABS light being permanently on.

In terms of performance, listen out for any fluttering when you’re trying to change gears as this could be a sign of a faulty diverter valve and ensure that the vehicle doesn’t over-rev when the clutch is depressed, as some models have reported faulty clutch pedal switches.

If you’re wondering whether you can afford to buy an Audi A3, have you considered buying one on finance?

Click here to enter your details​ and we’ll help to find you the right finance deal for a used Audi A3.

We work with carefully selected dealers to find the right deal for you, including hire purchase and personal contract purchase deals.

You can also ​click here​ to estimate how your monthly repayments might work out for a finance deal and learn more about the different types of finance that are on offer.

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