Audi A3 review

If the first thought that enters your head when you gaze upon the latest Audi A3 Sportback is “Lamborghini Countach”, you’re either standing very far away from it or are part of Audi’s design team. You see, they quote the legendarily angular Italian supercar as an inspiration for the looks of this family hatchback.

Taking the marketing spiel with a pinch of salt, it’s clear that the designers generally chose evolution, rather than revolution. However, an evolutionary approach to this car is no bad thing. After all, the previous-generation A3 was one of the outstanding family cars of the past decade: insurmountably impressive in every area, and winning group tests against newer rivals even at the end of its life.

Thankfully, it’s clear that Audi hasn’t thrown that winning formula out of the window. As well as  looking deliberately familiar, today’s A3 uses an updated version of its predecessor's underpinnings, which it shares with the latest Seat Leon and Volkswagen Golf. 

It offers you a choice of petrol, diesel, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, plus various different suspension setups and trims. But just how good is the new Audi A3? Can it live up to the exacting standards of its forebear? And is it better than prestige rivals such as the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class?

That's what we'll be looking at in this review. And remember, whichever model ultimately takes your fancy, you'll find a hassle-free deal with our New Car Buying service; we can offer great discounts on the Audi A3 and hundreds of other cars.