Audi A3 Sportback (hatchback) review - Carbuyer 

Matt before car wow days

These wheels : just no. But the car : YES!

I've been waiting for mat to review this car for so long... Great Job

100% Agree with you. The fact that the Leon has improved so much to the point that it is on par with the A3 and the Golf means that the only one you need is the Leon. The Leon FR 189bhp tdi is in my opinion, the best c seg hatchback on the market right now.

About time we had a new car review by Matt!

Great review Mat. Your review fits perfectly to this car.

Thumbs up for the introduction of the sandwich, witch is a pleasant new edition to the Car Buyer's cabin storage test :)

lol i laughted so hard when you jumped into the back of the car. Nice review dude

I missed your reviews Matt!

Can’t wait to drive mine. Just bought it and I’m going to wait 3 months for it. Had to buy 1.6 TDI since I drive about 20,000 miles annually...

my mom has this car and it is long lasting has great space and a secret storage compartment in the middle sit and we've had it since 2016

Mat you are fond of criticising cars based on Load Lip. However, I think the Load Lip is ingenious. If you have more load in the boot, it helps support any heavy load that moves around from putting pressure on the boot door.

Beautiful car, well built, competition does not stand a chance. Quality in and out, brilliant!

my mother drives a 2008 B 150 and she loves it for several reasons: 1) comfortable seats 2) high driving position thus better visibility 3) VERY light power steering 4) rear seats r spacious 5) other things which u may get in other cars as front and rear parking sensors and panoramic sunroof :D P.S. the only thing i dislike about this car is -how to say it- its steering diameter, which may put u in awkward situations (e.g.in narrow U-Turns) hope this helps in taking ur decision.....

This scares me most, going to fast into a corner is one thing but lift off oversteer is something I would not always remember to avoid as a rookie

Ive ordered my A3 Sportback and was conflicted on whether to go for the standard suspension or the sportier one (not the S-Line one). In the end I went for the sport suspension, and without having driven the standard suspension, I dont feel like the sporter suspension ruins ride comfort.

With regard to everyday stuff we (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) use the metric system. With regard to cars however, we still use miles per hour and miles per (imperial UK) gallon, although we use litres at the petrol pumps. Car literature here generally states both miles per gallon and litres per 100km figures. All cars in the UK have the ability to display their speed in miles per hour and kilometers per hour. Its actually not confusing.

Thinking of getting this car

Couldn't agree more... I own one and its not dull or boring at all..

I love this one. Looking great, both out and inside. Especially in red. Only the price is a bit higher for a golf-like car.

IS THAT MAT WATSON FROM CARWOW???!?!?!?!?!?!?!? damn he hasn't changed at all

I purchased a Audi A3 tfsi sportback, and there are small niggles. There are 2 small scratches on the door trim, and there is a small rattle from the front door from a small tear in the door trim. Has anyone else had these kinds of issues, does all new cars have small little things like this?

Already been compared to a class merc and 1 series and beaten them, has won 2013 world car of the year together with golf so i am sure it has no worries at all.

I wonder if you are going to have an Audi A3 Saloon review

Can't wait for the RS3 :)

mat watson looking real thicc in 2013

How much is this car going for if i were to buy the 2013 model in 2015 ? looking to buy a used 1.4 some point next year

Have you even driven or compared the new one to the old one? A world of difference. I have the new A3. The golf is ridiculous, you have to strain your eyes to work out if its the new one or not. The new A3 shape has changed quite a bit when you see it on the road - the same can't be said for the Golf (with its cheap interior).

Luv theese reviews

54mpg is quite run of the mill in europe. Turbo Diesel engines have around 50% of the market here, and those can get up to the 70s or 80s. The Kia Rio has the best non hybrid turbo diesel engine at time of writing, returning 88mpg (about 105 US gallons). Its pig dog slow and only 3 pot however. 15s to 60. I'm driving a turbo diesel Nissan Juke right now with a 10 gallon (12 US) tank. At the halfway point in sports mode I've done 200 miles.

I NEED an Audi A3 Cabriolet - wondering if there will be a Carbuyer review of it?

So what you are saying is that built quality in Audi is the same as in Golf?

Really love Mat's reviews. Didn't expect the fruitcake stunt where he jumped in the boot. Another good review.

No, you've done it backwards. The US gallon is smaller, therefore the total number would be higher. 54 Imperial Gallons is 64 US Metric Gallons. approx. 0.8 imperial to 1 metric. 54 x 1.2 = approx. 64

this isn't the SE model its the sport trim

Power to the A3.

Come on Mat, we want the Seat Leon review!!!

Good review!

Just bought one! But i need to wait till the paperwork is done:(

Mat here and I am first so no one else can be. ha ha ha....

I'm talking about gearheads, not people like you who think "cars are to be safe". driving a RWD car along a twisty road is much more satisfying than driving a FWD car, because for reasons that cannot be explained, oversteer is far more enjoyable than understeer :D Now, i'm not saying that i'm a dumbass that drifts all around my city, but that slight sensation of the rear end letting go, and PUSHING you around the corner as you accelerate,is what brings a smile to the face of those who ENJOY cars

Go you'r local Audi dealership and order it, may take up to 3 months to arrive but you got it

what does absoloutely huge miles mean in your sense? Is 30.000km/year huge or is it not?

3:25 he's Driving the Sport version not the SE

a great review matt m8 and yes dont you just want one,i love all generation audi a3s.😁

hey Mat, in your opinion the Golf Mk7 or audi a3 sportsback?

Matt, is the iphone connection thing same as this one in the new Kuga?

1:38 Oh, Mat... some crazy man

The people of the Internet thank you for this.

I've had an audi tech at the dealership tell me that the software on the A3 is slightly turned up from the golf. Can anyone validate this? I own 2 A3's, a 2007 premium plus fwd and a 2012 Sline Quattro. I also own a 2012 volvo C30 Rdesign platinum edition. The C30 is very comfortable and handles really well along with a pretty nice sound system, but the A3 does feel alot more solid and definitely faster with less hp. I've also had NO reliability issues what so ever on either one of these cars and I drive them really, really hard everyday. In fact, the only thing that I've ever had to replace was a pcv valve($50), diverter valve ($138) and a window regulator ($105) on my '07 A3 after all of these years and miles (115k) of owning it. I have an '04 350z that I had to rebuild the engine ($3500) after only 48k miles on it...and people bash on German reliability...smh.

You can order the 30-pin-to-lightning port converter for iphone 5. And A3 is not only a Golf with rings on the front.

I love the new A3.

You said, you pay for this car more than for a VW only because of its badge, and I am wondering have you ever compared VW and Audi? That's entirely new world, something that you cannot compare. Everything is different and made with better quality than VW. Where VW has two screws, Audi has 4, everything is much much better, even noise protection is much better on Audi.

looks really similar to the old one, but that one looked quite nice so I dont see the problem

More of Matt please! K - back to the car. Don't like Audis. Don't understand the point of them, but then I have never been one to understand badges or brands or names.... Still, nice practical car.

Great review..please review Mazda Atenza Hatchback

England (and indeed the whole of the UK) adopt both the metric and imperial systems.

The VAG group has actually fired all of it's car designers as a cost saving measure and just kept on a skeleton crew to make minor adjustments to their cars looks. That is why every model looks just like the last one.

54 miles to the european gallon is equivalent to 44 miles to the US gallon. If this car were rated in the US it would probably be rated for even lower since the testing criteria are more strict.

2:14 cool papa screen :D

Even though this doesn't break design boundaries.. Im happy.. Because it means my old a3 doesnt look so old... Haha! ;p

Does A3 sportback come with a spare wheel ?

this is the car i'm gonna buy when i get my promotion

Perfect car

Where the heated seats button on 2014 diesel model sportsback 1.6

UK MPG is different from US MPG :) 54 UK MPG is around 44 US MPG.

I could watch Mat all day!! ;-)

Nice jump Mat lol

I have one if these cars but my dream car is audi rs3 🏎

Just my personal opinion. I have an A3 and I love it. I don't compare it with BMW or Mercedes because I haven't driven the other two, and I am not going to do the comparison. Everyone's feeling and taste are different.

This A3's interior is the best of all cars IMO!!

Looking through the comments, it seems we are not alone :o)

Misleading, you don't get climate control in the SE model it's a £390 option

Also do a Lotus Evora review please :)

I remember when I enthusiastically purchased my 2012 A3 Sportback, besides other reasons (the only Audi I could afford, lol) the previous generation´s review made me notice the car. Purchased it, hated it :-( very small car, light and nervous. Nonetheless it had a great interior, made other interiors (such as my previous 2008 E90) look like crap. I like the brand, but don´t think I would go back here. Headed for Stuttgart, hopefully ;-)

1:43 Those air vents are looking right through my soul.

Can you review the RCZ 2013 model please :)! Been waiting for a review of the new model for ages, and whatcar just completely blows compared to your reviews!

Good job from Audi having bluetooth!! Good job from Apple having 30-bin to lightning convertor : )

you cant just say "you pay more because of its badge". okay it may be a production of vw group but its totally different from a rubbish golf. in your case, we must say that you pay much more money for a bentley because of its badge, we shouldnt forget that bentley also uses vw engine, transmission and other stuff.

so is the old one a better car, or the new one?

Carbuyer Audi lovers : )

is it good for hilly terrain?

omfg i love this car so much i annoy people when i say that when i have money the only car i wil want is an a3 i duno this car speaks to me ffs so beautiful omfg

Yes, I do. The Audi A3 is only that good, because the Golf as a platform is that good. Add to that, that the Golf is a much more original car. It's an icon. Rebadging it as an Audi and adding more expensive materials may make it feel more luxurious, but doesn't give it more character. That's why I would pick the Golf over the A3. Even though it's sold in much higher numbers, somehow the Golf feels more special. That said, I prefer the new A-class to both of them, but that's a different story. :)

If anyone owns this car.. May I ask you about the avg oil consumption? I read horror stories about the oil-drinking of TFSI engines.. both 1.4 and 1.8.. thanks in advance..

For the iPhone you can get an adapter and it will work fine

i didn´t know the english use both system, isn´t it a little bit confusing?

hahaha I had never seen a car reviewer jump into a car's boot to demonstrate how big it is lol

2:10 throwing the IPhone like it is rubbish.daamn haha

A gallon is different in the UK and USA.

The exterior is beautiful.

Is this car allot different than the VW GTI ??

All these cars have iphone/ipod connectivity. What about the Android and BB users?

You pay more for the Audi not because of it's badge, but the interior, exterior and probably materials. If the skeleton is the same, but the skin is different, it doesn't mean both should cost the same.

2:25 Matt sounds like Richard Hammond to me.

It looks completely different to the old one

If you have an iPhone 5, you can use the headphone / Aux Jack that us Samsung users do. Oh wait, I think Apple made a deal with Audi, NO AUX JACK. At least that's the way it was with my 2013 A8. Bluetooth only. Every now and then you get a "crack" in your music.. Wires are still the best..

My mommy wants to buy a new car. Which is best? A3 sb. V40 or merc.b series ( she comes from 2005 a3 sb.

Matt can you review the new q7 s line please

Good review. Buy a 1-Series because it's RWD. Save alot of money and just a buy a Golf 7 (same car technically)