Sedans may not be popular these days, but the 2025 Audi A3 showcases that luxury cars still deliver a premium experience. Sure, SUVs are as popular as taking the easy road to weight loss through GLP-1s without considering the ramifications, but luxury sedans still deliver a premium experience. The A3 is proof of that.
What The 2025 Audi A3 Gets Right
The 2025 Audi A3 uses its size as one of its strengths instead of a weakness. As one of the smallest luxury vehicles on sale, the A3 stands out as one of the more affordable vehicles for shoppers looking to get into a premium car. Despite its small size and relatively affordable price tag, the A3 still delivers a premium, refined, and tech-forward experience that Audi and luxury cars are known for.
Relatively Affordable
I never thought I’d see a day when I was writing about the starting price tag of an Audi being a strength, but here I am. The 2025 A5 that Audi let us borrow was a Premium Plus S Line and carried an as-tested price of $46,040. The press car was fitted with some hefty options, including a $595 paint job, the $2,600 Premium Plus Package, the $1,750 Black Optic Package, and the $1,600 Technology Package. I think the Black Optic Package and red paint job are trivial and don’t do much to alter the A3’s overall experience.
With the average price of a new vehicle hovering around $50,000, it’s bizarre to see a luxury option like an Audi A3 sneak in under that limit. Go easy on the options and you’ll be closer to $40,000.
Peppy Performance
The 2025 Audi A3’s compact size brings another benefit in the form of perky performance. With a small body, the A3’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine doesn’t have a lot of mass to push around. So, even with a limited output of 201 horsepower, the A3 feels peppy in a straight line.
The A3 also feels light-footed around corners, delivering enjoyable handling when roads get curvy thanks to standard all-wheel drive. The small sedan is also comfortable for the daily commute. It’s a good balance between both worlds, but Audi also offers the S3 and RS3 for shoppers wanting extra performance in both the engine and handling departments.
Impressive Tech
While the 2025 Audi A3 Premium Plus I tested was equipped with a number of optional features, the A3 comes well-equipped from the get-go. Its list of standard equipment includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad. This is a great roster of features for an affordable luxury car and should satiate most new car shoppers.
The $1,600 Technology Package adds navigation, traffic sign recognition, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. While these are nice to have, they’re not what I would consider mandatory.
What The 2025 Audi A3 Gets Wrong
There are some things you simply can’t ignore because of the 2025 Audi A3’s size. For the most part, the small sedan makes up for its subcompact size. Most of the A3’s drawbacks are due to its stature. There’s also the issue of pricing for fully-equipped models.
Tight Cabin
The 2025 Audi A3 has a decent amount of space for the driver and front passenger, but the rear seats are tight. Adults won’t want to sit in the back on anything more than a short trip. Audi claims the A3 has 36.6 inches of rear headroom and 35.2 inches of rear legroom, but the subcompact car’s cabin feels smaller than those figures let on.
Limited Trunk Space
If you’re the type of person who expects to hold a substantial amount of cargo or anything more than a few bags, you should look elsewhere. The 2025 Audi A3 has a tiny trunk with just 10.9 cubic feet of cargo space. That’s less cargo space than in competitors like the BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe and Acura Integra.
An S3 Isn’t That Much More
Get a fully-loaded 2025 Audi A3 and you’re not too far off from S3 territory. Sure, a base Audi A3 isn’t overly expensive, but tacking on a lot of options will see the A3 get into the S3’s ballpark and in the class, the A3 isn’t competitive.
Verdict
Very few people will purchase the 2025 Audi A3, which is a shame. The A3 may not have the same luxurious cabin, performance, or interior space as Audi’s larger and more expensive cars, but it does a great job of playing the role of Audi’s entry-level model. It’s relatively affordable, has peppy performance, comes with a high-quality cabin, and has impressive tech features. Tight rear seats, a small trunk, and expensive options are the few downsides of the A3. Plus, there’s the fact that it isn’t an SUV.
