Grippy AWD, a stout turbo engine, and an upscale cabin environment reassure buyers looking at the 2015 A3 that you're not driving the "cheap" Audi, but merely the small one.
@@benjaminlavigne2272 I picked up a used 2016 back in April with 26k miles (2.0t Quattro with the Black Optics and S-line package, including sports suspension). It's such an underrated and underappreciated car. So good.
Something that has to be mentioned: I live in the city of Chicago and this car is ideal, not just for younger buyers, but also for we 52 year old men. Having a smaller car in the city just works. The trunk space is also pretty good. Also, Audi care is worth a mention as well. Pay $700 and your first four years of general maintenance are covered. You can also pay to have it renewed for more years, which I have done. In my time owning my 2015 A3, I have spent $500 in additional maintenance costs. That's phenomenal. And repairs? There have been none. My car has been completely 100% reliable. That to me, is what makes Audis great. I have never owned a car that was this solid, all while delivering a great driving experience. I just had mine in to the dealer for inspection this month, and it came back with no issues. Dealers love to invent stuff that you need to do, we all know that. But they didn't.
Hey bro it’s been 4 years since your comment how has ur Audi been holding up? I saw a Audi A3 premium plus for around 17K and has 78K miles on it and I was wondering if you have any major issues, I wanna get advice on things that might go wrong on it
@@cabbagememes2852 I’ve had a 2017 for 60k miles. The only issue I had was the thermostat housing had a small leak. Covered under warranty around 30k. It’s been a solid vehicle. I spend the money on recommended maintenance, DSG service, haldex service, coils and plugs. It’s been a great vehicle.
Got a black pre owned 2015 A3 2.0T in July, and wow, I love this vehicle so much, it’s nimble, very quick, and still has that solid high quality Audi feel. I had a 2008 A6 before and the A3 feels more expensive and clearly much more sporty. No complaints.
@@hunterelliott4858 2 years later I can say it hasn’t been free of issues, but still has been a super solid car overall. It’s the kind of car you absolutely love but get pissed off at from time to time
it has been 2 years since I bought my 2015 A3 sedan, everyday I look at it ...seems like it's getting newer, everyone ask me if I just got it. it shines like a mirror, it has a brilliant black colour. the wheels are also manificent a silver alloy colour. every time i seat behind the wheels it feels so good. it does pay to buy a good quality car, no problem whatsoever. because I bought brand new it did cost me a fortune $39,960 final cost, at fist I was worried but now I'm almost half way through the payments.
In 2008, I bought a 2006 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro with ~30k miles for $28k. 7 years later, the car has 180k miles and has cost me $5k in maintenance and repairs. I took it in to Audi for regular service until it reached 120k miles, which is when Audi stops taking your car in for checkups. I've gone through two sets of brakes, tires, and halogen headlamps over the last 7 years. The car is now on it's last leg as one of the cylinders is malfunctioning. So, in short, Audis are no Lexus, but they last far longer than most people think.
$5k in maintenance and repairs doesn't sound terrible. Could be worse, right? My dad got a Chevy truck,$15k,terrible truck. $5k repairs for that crap at 120k mi. That's 33%
150k Miles and you've invested only 5k.thays fanatic. Seeing as 1 break job is about $1000 and you've done 2 with other regular maintenance. I've currently got a 2010 B8A4 with a 2.0T...in terms of actual repairs after warranty... I've only spend about... $2000 (oil pan seal, Control arm bushing, some sensor in the intake manifold) and that's it.... 8 years going, with 185,000 KM.
Vukovi Skins $650 for a complete 4 corner break job is wayyyyyyy to cheap. Perhaps she did only 1 half (like front or back half) . As they don't always wear evenly.
Pointless Potential Well said, but nothing compares to Toyota/Lexus in reliability. My dad's Matrix went 360,000km with no problems at all before we traded it.
I have the exact same Audi but in silver, it’s my daily driver. I’ve never had any issues with it , Im currently at 29k miles. It’s comfortable enough for daily driving and quick enough to pass other cars, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a nice DD.
paralelmind It’s honestly pretty quiet. I haven’t driven any other Audi models the closes thing to cabin noise I can compare it to is my wife’s Volkswagen Atlas, compared to the Atlas there is more cabin noise but it’s overall very nice nothing to complain about. If you plan to get one just test drive one, I’d recommend the 2.0T over the 1.8T as the 1.8T is front wheel drive vs the 2.0T has the quattro. Heck if you can upgrade to the S3 do that instead.
@@K24FB6 thank you for the details! I clearly want the 2.0 tfsi engine. The problem is that in Europe, we don't have that powerful engine available for this car. And the imported US cars seems to be (fully) damaged cars repaired then sold as "no damage" cars. I am hunting also a4 b9, a5 facelift and see what i could get. But I like the a3, it should be feel faster because it's lighter, even though the suspension seems superior on the a4 (multi link + longitudinal engine)
I appreciate the everyday driving segments of the video. That's something that is rarely covered by most other reviewers and they just spew off a lot of technical stuff. Definitely one of the more HELPFUL videos I've seen.
Tim Hortons I've only had the car for eight months now, I have had my first oil change at 5k and it's free. Dealership gave me a new a3 loner while they were doing the work. So I have no complaints, the car drives and handles great. I won't keep it once it's out of warranty , German cars are pricey to repair.
Thats an awesome deal. I like german cars but the reliability and repair cost can really affect your decision in buying them. I live in Canada so winter really has a toll on cars.
I recently happened to check out a used, low mileage 2011 A3 (hatchback) for $11,000 at an Audi dealer and I have to say the A3, at least the one I looked at, is a very nice car. Now, my standard of "a nice car" isn't going to be the same as yours, but compared to my personal car (a 2006 Kia Spectra SX) I was thoroughly impressed. Dual sunroof, leather seats, lots of nice features, spacious for its size, all maintenance upkeep done...for a 6 yo car this thing looked brand new. I think many would agree that a nearly $30,000 compact car is expensive but a well cared-for used one is the only way I'd go. New or used, good job Audi!
The A3 2.0T is one fine small luxury sedan. However the fact the S3 is only ~$5k more & ~50+hp yet you don't receive any MPG penalty, it makes for a hard sell. On the "green" side, since the TDI is now dead thanks to the EPA, the E-tron is actually the most interesting of the bunch (until the RS3 arrives, but I digress). A PHEV with ~20mile range & ~50mpg+ with the driving dynamics & solidity of an Audi yet after govt. incentives cost LESS than a Chevrolet Volt? That is value!
jonathan radler If you drive the S3 like you stole it, then obviously :) However the A3 will only be marginally better than the S3 when both are driven sensibly.
My wife's car. Although the 2.0t A3 isn't the fastest car on the road, it is quick enough to get away/pass most other cars on the market. It is surprisingly quick. I really want to have the local Euro Shop run a tune on it, but she would get mad at me, lol. If it was my car I would do it.
I just got one of these couple months ago, its an amazing car even though no manual is available but the dual clutch is perfect in this car. The power in this A3 Quattro has plenty of it, I have done a rear muffler delete on it just to open up the engine and sounds deeper now. I know the CLA and ILX are the rivals, but to be honest the A3 and CLA are selling high in my area I used to drive a 06 Acura TL A-Spec but Acura is off track with ugly designs and under power engines. Don't get me wrong with Acura it is a good company but they just need to get their shit together lol. The A4 and A5 are outdated with the technology and interior design. Please do a review on the S3!
I've been wondering what tje replacement for my 2015 GTI will be when the time comes, and looking at the MK8 - it won't be one of those ugly things. So, a used A3 seems like the way to go. The same engine anyway.
Having driven both of these cars, there's no comparison to the ilx: the A3 with the 2.0t Quattro simply destroys it. Plus with the reliability of the MQB platform, unless you really just want a Honda, there's no reason to even shop the Acura against the Audi.
I don't think I'd want to spend 45K on an A3. If I'm going to head in that direction, then I'm already in A4 territory to be honest. To those saying that "cheap" German cars aren't reliable, this sounds a bit more like bias on the part of one or more manufacturers. If you don't like German cars, don't buy them. It's really that simple. I've owned 10 cars over the years. 4 were American (Chevy, Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile), 1 Asian (Nissan), and 5 German (3 VWs and 2 Audi's). My current 2006 A4 3.2L Quattro w/Prem Pkg (BOSE, Nav, BiXenon Adaptive HID, SiriusXM) has 111K miles on it. I bought it as a CPO w/20K leased miles for about $13K off of MSRP and it came with the balance of the factory warranty and service maintenance contract. For the 90K+ miles I've put on the car, the only maintenance it has needed has been routine (brakes, tires and some minor muffler repair). I'm very satisfied. The car still runs super smooth. I plan on testing the new 2017 A4 when it arrives next year, though I am in no rush to part with the V6 engine in my current car. :)
I know it’s several years later, and the redesigned A3 will be out for the 2022 model year, but I test drove a leftover new 2020 A3 S-Line Premium Plus w/Quattro last weekend, the first time I’ve ever driven an Audi. I liked it much more than I thought I would. I’d been leaning toward buying a nice CPO BMW 330i, but that A3 was much more fun to drive. I’m not sure I’ll buy one now, but a similar one as a CPO would be on my shortlist of cars for a future purchase.
I just picked up 2010 A3 2.0T Quattro with 160,000kms. Dealer had to replace the transmission during their inspection, the area where the dealer is located is on the cliff of the mountain so it’s hard on any transmission. But I mist say, the car drives like brand new. Engine is very responsive and if you want to step on it, the engine will remain at the high rev range for you after you’ve slow down. It’s like a GTI with Quattro. But more refined inside and out. Seen many older A3 with over 200k kms so I plan to keep driving it until at least that mileage before I get a new A3. Hopefully they’ll have the sport back back in 2.0T by that time. E-Tron is pretty gutless.
I would pick one of these things used for like $20-23 with 30k miles but not new. Just seems like a bad move when premium gas is on the rise. I haven't had a premium gas taking car in awhile but the gap between 89 and 93 has seemed to grow.
I have a 2016 s-line with the sport suspension and 19s on Perelli P-zero. It's awsome! I have owned several GTI'S and the Audi is much better. I have owned 5 Audi's over the last 6 years and have no issues at all. I racked up almost 2000000 miles and had no issues. The key to owning any German car is maintanance, maintanance, maintanance. My only complaint is the lame exhaust note. I plan to do an APR tune and exhaust to fix that issue.
Great review. Always love the details other reviewers do not. I do have a question. You mentioned it has torque vectoring and can have a rear bias 4wd. The a3 quattro is the haldex system not the torsen system. This is indicated by the lateral engine placement. In this system its default 100 front 0 percent rear, and can go max 50 percent rear only if the front breaks loose. Can you confirm your vehicle was haldex or torsen? Btw torsen always locked 4wd 50 50 is why quattro was famous rallying etc. Haldex system is better fuel economy as rear is not always driven.
You should try and review the 2 series BMW. BMW is the only company that offers a manual in their entry level luxury cars. I would really appreciate your feedback and comparison between the A3 and the 2 series.
Keith Me too! This one does start at $29,900 though, which is _relatively_ affordable. (Too much $ for me at the moment, but not crazy money to at least get you into an Audi.)
Hey sofyan. I'm cross-shopping a 2015 a3 and a 2015 a4. Both have nearly identical options and are around the same price within 1.5k. Which would you recommend? Also how are the back seats in the a3 compared to a 2015 GTI? Is it really that much smaller than the GTI?
I have a 2016 model. Only issue I have had with it was the passenger air bag wasn't picking up someone sitting in it. Nothing has happened with anything else.
Nice for about 8K less check out the Jetta 1.8TSI..Beautiful car. But ofcourse it is not a quattro. I test drove both and settled for the Jetta 1.8TSI SE felt light on the pocket :)
+janakiram suswaram May I ask what model year? I'm contemplating a 2016 Jetta Sport or 2016 Honda Civic. I think performance is meaningful but so is the cost.
+David Lyday Don't forget to keep in mind the cost of upkeep. I'm sure the Jetta is a nice vehicle, but to maintain the car over a longer period will cost more out of pocket than the Civic. In the long run, it's what you like better of course, and it's your money being spent. Test drive both and weigh out the pros and cons of ownership on either car.
darkpoet25 you may be right..@David Lyday i liked the feel of the volkswagen and the peppiness. I have owned civics before..although great cars i was really bored driving them. It comes down to personal choice and i think in the log run Civic gives you the best bang for buck and a better resale value. If you like a fun car then it is Volkswagen Jetta. But that might change..the new honda civic is out there and the claim is that it is the sportiest civic made. Give it a look as well.
The Key is Fine its a classic feel keyless entry sucks. And the exclamation mark is cause the car is yellling at you because you really should keep your hands on the wheel!
If this car is aimed at a younger group, why does it need memory seats? I wouldn't exactly regard it as "insulting" as memory seats are generally a feature more often targeted toward families and older folk that share one vehicle.
+Jake Chapman i use the memory seats feature for quickly adjusting the seats different for style of driving (stuck in traffic, lower the seat and kick it back etc...)
