What are these new cars all about then?
Audi has given its venerable A3 a refresh for 2025, with the new model landing here in three hatch-only guises; the Sportback 35 TFSI, the Sportback 40 TFSI e hybrid and the S3 Sportback.
There will, of course, be a hot RS3, but that is for later. For now, we have the 35 TFSi and the S3 on hand, although it can admittedly be a bit tough to tell them apart…
The A3 has been given a new face for 2025, with a larger, flatter, wider grille and new 24-pixel LED headlights. It has also deleted the all-important “S3” badge from the nose, something that will no doubt irritate the S3 fanboys.
And given that the visual differences between the two are fairly subtle, I can understand why. Apart from some blanked off intakes on the A3 and the fact the S3 has four exhaust pipes hanging out the rear, the S3 is a very understated upgrade over the standard A3.
Things aren't quite so subtle under the bonnet however, with the A3 35 TFSI powered by 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a 7-speed DSG transmission, while the S3 punches 245kW and 420Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo engine to all four wheels using the same transmission.
Where the 35 will scamper to 100km/h from a standing start in 8.1 seconds, the S3 will rip through that mark in just 4.7 seconds.
While it is no secret that the A3 is a close cousin to the Volkswagen Golf, Audi has gone hard on presenting the refreshed A3 as a more premium car, something it had to do in the face of the Golf pushing up market.
Changes made to the interior are in response to customer criticisms that it didn’t look or feel premium enough and they do give the cabin a considerably more upmarket atmosphere. But while the look is more premium, there are still a few areas where the hard plastics are evident, albeit far less than the last model, with more fabric on a lot of the surfaces. But, by and large, the 2025 A3 is a noticeable upgrade on the previous model.
How much are they?
The 35 TFSI kicks off the A3 range at $71,990 and throws in a healthy array of standard equipment for that money, including 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, high beam assist, cloth/artificial leather upholstery, 3-zone climate control, heated front seats and a full suite of driver and safety assists.
The S3 ups this to $103,990 and adds things like matte chrome door mirrors, a memory function for the driver’s seat and mirrors, and Nappa leather upholstery, as well as that grunty 2.0-litre engine, AWD, sports suspension and 19-inch alloy wheels.
What are they like to drive?
Thoroughly excellent and surprisingly engaging. To be fair it would have been hard for Audi to mess the A3 up, given how good the latest Golf is to drive, but the A3 genuinely does take things to another level.
Now, I can’t say I have traditionally been particularly enamoured by Audi’s approach to steering feel and driver involvement, with it ranging from ‘remote’ to ‘arrogantly dismissive’, but the A3 - even in entry 35 TFSI form - is a properly engaging small car with sharp, accurate steering and delightfully responsive chassis.
While the S3 takes things even further with suitably aggressive acceleration and AWD traction, the standard A3 is just so delightfully agile and responsive that it is an absolute blast to chuck down a winding road despite its more modest power output.
What’s the pick of the range?
I mean, the S3 obviously, but… in terms of sheer value for money, the standard A3 is still a high quality, comfortable and delightfully enjoyable car to drive, even if it lacks the endearing aggression of the S3.
But given that both will appeal to quite different buyers, you will already have made your mind up about which one appeals more to you.
What other cars should I consider?
Premium small hatches are a bit of a dying breed at the moment, but they are still out there, with the likes of the BMW 1 Series ($68,900 to $97,900) and Mercedes-Benz A-Class ($68,299 to $104,899), both of which the A3 is genuinely more engaging than - yes, even the BMW which has traditionally always been the clear driver’s choice.
However, it is when you head down the price spectrum, but stay in the same wider family as the Audi that the A3 and S3 run into trouble; that VW Golf that I referred to as being very good earlier on rears its head to bother the Audi, particularly when it comes to the S3.
You see, while the S3 is very good indeed, you do have to ask yourself if it is better than the $82,990 Golf R or $87,500 Cupra Formentor VZ that use the same 245kW/420Nm AWD powertrain. And the answer, if you look at it in purely objective terms of bang for your buck, is “Well, no”. But then it all depends on how much more the Audi badge is worth to you, I guess.
