Used test: Audi A3 vs Mercedes A-Class: interiors

Interiors

Driving position, visibility, build quality, practicality

The Mercedes A-Class feels like a high-quality product, thanks to materials that look and feel expensive.

You operate the audio and sat-nav functions by scrolling through menus using a rotary dial between the front seats. Unfortunately, the menus are not particularly intuitive, so the system can be frustrating to use, especially on the move.

The menu system in the Audi A3 is much more user-friendly. You control it with a dial on the centre console in much the same way as you do the A-Class, but the on-screen menus are more instinctive and there are shortcut keys to help speed things up.

What’s more, the A3 has an even classier feel than the A-Class. The interior features the sort of materials you’d usually expect to find in an executive saloon, and the beautifully weighted switchgear and millimetre-perfect panel gaps add to the feeling that no expense has been spared.

The A3 we’ve tested here is a three-door model, giving the five-door Mercedes an obvious advantage in terms of practicality. However, getting into the back of the A-Class requires some stooping because the roofline juts into the door openings.

If you want a truly practical car, your best bet is to go for the five-door version of the A3, called the Sportback. It commands a small premium over the three-door, but it’s worth the extra. It still works out cheaper than the A-Class, yet makes the A3 much more practical.

Once you’re inside, both cars have enough space to comfortably accommodate four six-footers. There’s slightly more leg room in the back of the A-Class, but less head room. Both cars can seat five at a push, but only for short trips.

The A3's boot is longer, deeper and ultimately bigger than the A-Class's. While quite a bit wider, the boot in the A-Class suffers from a narrow opening.

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