The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Strong turbo-4
- Even stronger turbo-5
- Handles and rides well
- Lots of tech
Dislikes
- Tiny trunk
- Small back seat
- Unexciting looks
- Can get expensive
Buying tip
The 2025 Audi A3, S3, and RS 3 sedans are sporty, entertaining, and nicely equipped, so long as you’re not after a big, spacious car.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Audi A3? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Audi A3 is the umbrella model for a trio of small sedans. Shop them against the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, BMW 2-Series, and Cadillac CT4.
Is the 2025 Audi A3 a good car?
Overall, the 2025 Audi A3, S3, and RS 3 sedans are impressive small cars with a high-end feel and spirited performance. The lineup scores a 6.4 out of 10 overall. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Audi A3?
The A3 has freshened exterior styling, a bit more power, and standard all-wheel drive for 2025. The sportier S3 and ferocious RS 3 models also get some suspension tweaks.
A new front-end look gives these Audis a grille with a more pronounced chin line and big side air intakes. From the side, they retain their sedan-conventional three-box shape, which stands in contrast to the fastback A5 that’s a step up the gas-fueled Audi lineup.
Inside, the angular dash features a decent 10.1-inch touchscreen plus a newly standard 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. S3 and RS 3 versions have bolstered bucket seats that hug occupants but may be too tight for broader passengers.
The standard 2.0-liter turbo-4 muscles out 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, while the S3 has a significantly uprated unit rated at a hefty 328 hp and 295 lb-ft. Either version is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that shifts quickly at speed but can be a bit confused when handling low-speed in-town driving. All-wheel drive is now standard; it was previously optional on the base A3.
The RS 3 is its own beast with its boosted 2.5-liter 5-cylinder rated at 401 hp. Its version of the 7-speed dual-clutch clicks off gear changes with authority.
No A3 is a dullard to drive, though the S3’s hidden tweaks this year include a new torque-vectoring rear differential gleaned from the RS 3 that can send as much as 50% of the torque to a single rear wheel. We’ve yet to drive one, but will update this space when we know more.
The A3’s 28 mpg combined rating is decent, though we’re more impressed that the S3 is estimated at 26 mpg combined despite all that extra power. The RS 3 isn’t all that bad, either, at around 23 mpg combined.
Stretching just 176.9 inches between its bumpers, the 2025 Audi A3 is a properly compact car with a small interior to match. It’s comfy enough up front, but the small rear seat and tiny trunk don’t make it the most practical choice. Still, it has nice materials and lots of tech inside.
Standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection can be augmented with adaptive cruise control on the base trim. That tech is standard on higher-end trim levels, too.
The A3 lacks NHTSA and most IIHS crash-test data, however.
How much does the 2025 Audi A3 cost?
Audi offers the A3 in Premium Plus trims. The S3 adds a Prestige trim, and the RS 3 is its own model without additional trim levels. The 2025 Audi A3 starts at $39,495, which buys standard leather upholstery, a sunroof, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Where is the 2025 Audi A3 made?
In Germany.
2025 Audi A3 Styling
The 2025 Audi A3 may look conservative, but it's still attractive.
Is the Audi A3 a good-looking car?
It’s pleasant, and it should age well, but the 2025 Audi A3 is no thriller in the looks department. We score it at 7 out of 10 thanks to a pleasant exterior and a conveniently arranged cabin.
This year’s tweaks give the A3 a new front end with softer lines and more deliberate detailing than before. S3 versions are subtly different, but the RS 3 model gains its own grille design flanked by big air intakes and it comes with a broad integrated splitter echoed in its lower rocker panel moldings. The RS 3’s busy wheels are particularly nice, too.
A3s have a driver-oriented 10.1-inch touchscreen that pairs well with the 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The cabin has a decent amount of brightwork and standard leather, which help give it a more elevated appearance.
2025 Audi A3 Performance
While the base A3 is luxury-car demure, those with an S in their names are willing dance partners.
The 2025 Audi A3 lineup has three distinct personalities. Our 7 out of 10 here applies to the comfortable A3, which has adequate but not thrilling acceleration and a comfortable ride. The S3 would notch a point higher for its sharper handling, while the sports car in a sedan body RS 3 would ratchet up another for its overall driving thrills if rated separately.
Is the Audi A3 4WD?
It is now. All-wheel drive is now standard across the range. Front-wheel drive is gone.
How fast is the Audi A3?
The base car’s 201-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 is used widely in the Volkswagen-Audi-Porsche universe and it’s a good match here for the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While not exceptionally fast, it has limited lag and it gets up to speed quickly. Only an occasionally sharp low-speed shift disturbs the experience.
The standard A3 has a comfort-oriented suspension, though it’s firm enough in the European tradition. Sharp but light steering makes it easy to squeeze into tight spots, too.
The S3 ups the ante with 328 hp, a 127-hp bump over the base car, plus more torque this year. We’ve yet to drive the latest incarnation, but previous S3s have been downright rapid with a quicker-shifting gearbox than the A3, and there’s no reason to doubt that more power will change that experience.
Myriad small underbody tweaks this year include stiffened suspension bits, revised geometry for negative camber, and a torque-vectoring rear differential. They’ll likely add up to a different driving experience, so we’ll update this space when we’ve been in one.
The top-dog RS 3’s 401-hp 2.5-liter turbo-5 is its own thing entirely. This is a mini version of a supercar-grade engine, and it helps furnish exceptional acceleration. Here, too, the 7-speed dual-clutch has been tweaked to bark out quick gear changes. The RS 3 can be a stiff on rough roads, but that’s the price to pay for track-grade handling. It wouldn’t be our choice for the daily slog, but work-from-home types who want to be entertained at every outing will find a lot to enjoy here.
2025 Audi A3 Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Audi A3 has a mostly high-end feel.
Audi’s smallest model is nicely outfitted inside, with good materials and comfortable front seats. It earns a 6 out of 10 for comfort and quality, with what point it might have earned for trim canceled out by its bite-size trunk.
The front seats in base versions can accommodate a wide variety of body types, though S3 and RS 3 models have much more bolstered seats that might be a tight fit for broader people. The 35.2 inches of legroom rear-seat riders will find can accommodate smaller or average-size adults. The little trunk has just 10.9 cubic feet of space in A3s, while the S3 and RS 3 have a mere 8.3 cubes.
The A3’s standard leather has a soft feel.
2025 Audi A3 Safety
The 2025 Audi A3 hasn’t been fully crash tested.
How safe is the Audi A3?
The A3 has only been subjected to limited crash tests by the IIHS and the latest version hasn’t recently been crashed by the NHTSA, so we can’t assign it a score here. All versions of the 2025 A3 come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, plus lane-departure warning and active lane control. Adaptive cruise control is standard on all but the base trim, where it is available as part of a reasonably priced option package.
2025 Audi A3 Features
The 2025 Audi A3 is a good value among small luxury cars.
At $39,495, the 2025 Audi A3 ekes just below $40,000, but you’ll get a fair amount of small luxury car for that coin. It’s an 8 here thanks to its good tech on a big screen, its standard features, and its good array of extras.
The A3’s 4-year/50,000-mile warranty doesn’t include any free maintenance, unfortunately.
Which Audi A3 should I buy?
To the base A3, we’d add the $1,700 Convenience package that has adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, a wireless charging pad, and driver-seat memory. It’s more compelling than the Premium Plus trim, at which point we’d probably step up to the S3.
How much is a fully loaded Audi A3?
The S3 starts at $49,795 in Premium trim, while the top Prestige runs $55,995. It’s outfitted with sport seats wrapped in a combination of synthetic leather and synthetic suede, plus it includes a Sonos audio system. Even then, you can add adaptive dampers, blacked-out exterior trim, nappa leather, 19-inch alloy wheels, and metallic paint to nudge it over $60,000.
Audi has yet to price the 2025 RS 3, but the 2024 model started at more than $63,000.
2025 Audi A3 Fuel Economy
The 2025 Audi A3 offers palatable fuel economy.
Is the Audi A3 good on gas?
It’s not bad. The base 2025 Audi A3 checks in at 24 mpg city, 34 highway, 28 combined, which earns it a 3 on the TCC scale. Step up to the S3 and things remain fairly frugal at 23/31/26 mpg.
The RS 3 isn’t bad for 401 hp, to be honest. Last year’s version was estimated at 19/29/23 mpg, and we’ll update this if it changes for 2025.
All models need premium fuel.
