In a world where SUVs and Crossovers dominate the sales charts, it's comforting to see that the Audi A3 remains a popular mainstay of the Audi South Africa lineup. To date, this model has racked up over 63 000 unit sales locally since its launch in 1998. This is still far off from their 5-million+ numbers globally, but it shows that the C-segment hatch and sedan category is still fighting the good fight.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Audi A3
The all-new, fourth-generation Audi A3 is growing up with the times and now offers a more mature, yet sportier, approach to this section of the market. All-new sheet metal is combined with a revised engine lineup and tweaks to the tech to create an offering that is able to appear to both the young and the experienced at the same time.
Styling
The new A3 strikes a commanding presence on the roads with its blown arches, imposing front end and signature lighting detail. Up front, the new A3 features a wider, lower single-frame grille and is flanked by two large air dams. The side vent detailing varies by model line but the lower splitter detail is common to all model derivatives.
The sharp and angular headlights, with optional Matrix LED headlights, carry an angular theme with a noticeable hockey-stick design. This design language is carried throughout the design of the car and is most noticeable in the interior.
Inside of the headlights, a faux vent element harks back to the original UrQuattro of the 1980s and is a feature that we're seeing across the current Audi hatch and sedan range. Further historical nods can be spotted in the wide, blister arch details with creases running past the door jams and onto the doors themselves. Overall a striking interpretation of this theme.
The sharp waistline continues all the way around the back of the new A3 and is complemented by LED taillights that create a 3D look to the proceedings around the back. Down in the lower section, a set of dual trapezoidal tailpipes create a sporty appearance, even when viewed from the rear.
Model lines and packages
Three model lines are being made available at launch for the A3 Sportback and sedan. The Standard line is offered with 16-inch wheels and standard bumpers while the Advanced line sees the wheels grow to 17-inches in diameter. These Advanced models are also fitted with the Advanced bumpers that feature satin silver insets for the detailing pieces. The S line takes this one step further, retaining the 17-inch wheels but adding S line bumpers, rear PDC, sports suspension, illuminated door sills and an S roof spoiler at the back.
Four packages are on offer as optional extras. Audi has identified that customers will usually gravitate towards the same features when specifying the options on their A3s. These packs consist of the Upgrade package that adds LED headlights, rear parking aid, dual-zone climate control and an auto-dimming mirror. The Technology package adds Audi Connect, Virtual Cockpit Plus, MMI Navigation and touch and well as USB ports in the rear. The Sports package sees the addition of 18-inch wheels, sport suspension and a black styling package while the S line interior package adds a leatherette armrest, dark decorative inserts, black headliner, S emblems, sport seats and stainless steel pedals.
S3 models get the traditional aluminium exterior detailing on the wing mirrors, 19-inch wheels, red brake callipers and the aggressive S body kit with quad-exit tailpipes.
Interior
The most striking changes are found inside the new A3 though with a full redesign of the cabin. While much of the contemporary technology is still employed, it's been grafted into a cabin that now appears considerably more upmarket and mature, all while managing to retain performance car attributes.
Pride of place is given to the MMI infotainment system that will be familiar to current-generation Audi owners. Its sleek 10.1-inch touch screen with haptic feedback operates in a similar fashion to a smartphone and allows for a custom home screen menu with a tiled layout. This system ties into the digital cockpit display, which is now standard across the range, and offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless charging. A rather smart addition is the inclusion of an iPod-like volume controller in the centre console that allows for track skipping and volume control in a similar fashion to that of an Apple iPod.
Sharp angles and the aforementioned hockey-stick theme is ever-present in the interior with spars of contrasting silver running along the dashboard and featuring in the door cards and door handles. I'm particularly fond of the new air vent arrangement that sees trapezoidal air vents placed on either side of the driver's binnacle, creating a sporty look and feel.
One large change is the switch to shift-by-wire. This system does away with the traditional gear shifter and replaced it with a toggle switch. This clean approach to shifting is certainly the future where levers are no longer required to be as large as they were in the past.
The S3 gets raised contrast stitching, an RS-style digital cockpit, and sport seats with diamond stitching detail.
Engines
Two engine options exist in the A3 range with the 35 TFSI being powered by a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine that produces 110 kW of power and 250 Nm torque. This engine is mated to a 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox and will do 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2-seconds.
The 40 TFSI is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine that produces 140 kW and 320 Nm torque for a sprint time of 7.4-seconds. This engine employs a 7-speed S tronic gearbox and will be available from November 2021.
The range-topping S3 models use a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine to produce 213 kW and 400 Nm torque for a top speed of 250 km/h and a sprint time of only 4.9-seconds. This model is paired with a 7-speed S tronic gearbox and Quattro AWD.
Prices
| Model | Price |
| Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI | R561 000 |
| Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI Advanced | R586 000 |
| Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line | R601 000 |
| Audi A3 Sportback 40 TFSI S line | R641 000 |
| Audi S3 Sportback TFSI quattro | R795 000 |
| Audi A3 Sedan 35 TFSI | R576 000 |
| Audi A3 Sedan 35 TFSI Advanced | R601 000 |
| Audi A3 Sedan 35 TFSI S line | R616 000 |
| Audi A3 Sedan 40 TFSI S line | R656 000 |
| Audi S3 Sedan TFSI quattro | R810 000 |
The all-new fourth-generation Audi A3 has been launched locally and will go on sale from 1 September 2020.
