Audi makes yet another attempt to make its entry level sedan people’s favorite and is in its all-new third-generation avatar. With an increase of just $600 to its starting price tag over the outgoing generation, the 2022 Audi A3 packs more value than it ever did before, and it is an MHEV now. But, can it withstand the respective Bimmer and Merc?

Overview

For the 2022 model year, the whole A3 line-up, which includes the S3 and the RS3, gets a significant revamp as it kicks off the third generation. The new-generation has been A3 out for quite some time now in Europe, but it is finally here in the U.S. This generation brings tons of updates, including new design elements on both the outside and inside. An updated feature list now includes tri-zone automatic climate control, a new 10.1-inch touchscreen, and even a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit which replaces the earlier digital-analog standard console. For the 2022 model year, the new A3 is all-modernized for the segment where it can thrive, again. About the mechanics, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot remains from the yesteryear model, but now puts out 201 horses and 221 pound-feet, which is considerably lower than what it used to. A new 48-volt mild hybrid system couples the gas engine to make the mileage figures better while making it faster to get off the line. So, the new A3 is a lot more impressive than it used to be (if you don’t mind the power drop), but can it emerge as the champion when compared to the likes of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class? Well, here is a complete review of the 2022 Audi A3 and everything you need to know before considering it.

Trims and Features

Similar to the S3 and the RS3, the A3 is made available in three trims: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. For the 2022 model year, the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four remains the same as the previous generation, but now it gets mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The new A3 drives the front wheels by default, but Audi offers the iconic Quattro AWD system for $2,000. Here, we have listed down the features and the available packages for all the trims.

Premium

Price: $33,900

- 17-inch alloy wheels

- LED headlights, DRLs, and taillights

- Keyless engine ignition

- Tri-zone automatic climate control

- Leather upholstery

- Leather-wrapped steering wheel

- Eight-way power-adjustable front seats

- Multi-level heating for the front seats

- 10.25-inch driver information display

- 10.1-inch touchscreen display

- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity

- Panoramic sunroof

Default advanced driver assistance features available with the 2022 A3 would be:

- Lane-departure warning

- Forward collision mitigation

Convenience package

- Auto-dimming rearview mirror

- Power-folding side mirrors

- Keyless entry

- Blindspot monitoring

- Driver-seat memory functions

- Parking assist

Premium Plus

Price: $37,200

- Features from the Convenience package

- Adaptive cruise control

- Lane-keeping assist

- Wireless charging pad

Technology package

- 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit

- Navigation system

- 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio experience

Prestige

Price: $41,200

- LED ambient lighting

- Matrix LED headlights

- Heads-up display

- Upgraded interior trim

Black Optic Sport package

- Available for all A3 trims

- Blacked-out exterior trim

- Sport suspension

Exterior: The best-looking A3 till date

We couldn’t take our eyes off the new A3 when we saw it the very first time, in its new form. Based on the MQB Evo platform, the A3 is similar to the Volkswagen Jetta, in a lot of ways, minus the looks. The new generation A3 eliminates the majority of the exterior design elements of the outgoing generation with new LED headlights, a wider and redesigned intake grille, and a newer wheel design with new taillights.

Audi has taken special care of the overall aggressiveness and has added a lot of cuts and creases to the sides. The front and rear bumpers are sportier and are quite similar, if not entirely, to the RS3. As standard, all the A3s come with 17-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and dynamic turn signals. The rear bumper hides the exhaust pipe to make you realize the brand’s transition to EVs. Audi offers a wheel package that unlocks 18-inch alloy wheels for $800.

The A3 sedan weighs 3,329 pounds without the Quattro system, which is about 90 pounds lighter than the earlier generation. It is about an inch longer at 176.9 inches and is about an inch taller at 56.2 inches. The 70.7-inch width stays the same. The wheelbase is 103.5 which is about 0.3 inches shorter than the outgoing generation. Now, if you compare the 2 Series and the A-Class to the A3, the A3 is slightly shorter in both body length and wheelbase. And while the ground clearance of the A3 remains undisclosed, we are quite sure that it won’t surpass the 2 Series’s six inches.

2022 Audi A3 Exterior Dimensions

Interior: Much better build quality compared to the outgoing generation

This is where you will spend five minutes and feel like getting the new A3 right away. Seriously, the cabin of the 2022 A3 is good. It is so good that you will forget its entry-level $33,900 price tag, which gets genuine leather. No kidding. It is not that the previous generation had a bad interior. Audi took the minimalist design approach and embraced it with more high-tech features.

For example, the earlier pop-up infotainment screen looked great, but now the screen is bigger and is touch-capacitive. As a result, the whole dashboard looks different and modern. Gone are the hard plastics on the main touch-prone areas and are replaced by soft touches. There is three-zone automatic climate control as standard. As a result, there are separate air vents for the driver, which are flanked from both sides of the 10.25-inch fully digital instrument console. The dashboard on the passenger side has two air vents with individual controls. The steering wheel is leather-wrapped and comes with manual tilt and telescopic adjustability. The center console has changed too, with a much smaller gear selector and lesser buttons. The cup holders are moved backward for easier accessibility while driving. We found the dashboard design to be neat, and it is just the way we enthusiasts love it.

The seating comfort is great with this baby Audi. As standard, it gets leather upholstery, which is unheard of in the entry level German sedan market. As a result, the cushioning is excellent with a hint of luxury which the younger buyers would love. The front seats offer eight-way power adjustability with multi-level heating as standard. The thing which might be a bit on the troubling side would be the cabin space. You could fit four adults inside without issues, but the rear row is on the compact side. The front row offers 36.8 inches of headroom, while the legroom offered is 41.2 inches. The rear row offers a decent 36.6 inches of headroom, but the legroom is just 35.2 inches. As compared to the competition, both the A-Class and the 2 Series offer a bit more compact legroom than the new A3. Passengers above six feet will definitely feel cramped at the back. The A3 has a decent-ish 10.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Now, as you know it has compact dimensions and is not exactly like a big traditional sedan, the cargo capacity takes a hit. But it is not as bad as the 8.6 cubic feet found with the A-Class. We can assure you that you can pack a respectable amount of groceries or a couple of suitcases for your weekend trips.

A few of the interior features of the 2022 Audi A3 are as follows:

- Three-zone automatic climate control

- Leather upholstery

- Eight-way power-adjustable front seats

- Multi-level heated front seats

- 10.25-inch driver information display

- Panoramic sunroof

- Wireless charging pad

2022 Audi A3 Interior Dimensions

Standard across the trims is a 10.1-inch touchscreen display, which is the most desired upgrade according to us. It is not that the earlier screen was bad, but the new one is a lot more intuitive as it is touch-sensitive and is tilted slightly towards the driver. The latest MMI system comes onboard with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay baked in. Features like HD radio, Bluetooth connectivity, a six-speaker audio unit, and a rearview camera are fitted as standard. The higher trims get upmarket features like

- 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio unit

- 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit

- Navigation system

- Parking assist

- Heads-up display

Performance and Handling: It's not as aggressive as it appears, but that's where the S3 and RS3 come into play

Powering the new third-gen A3 is the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine from the outgoing model year, but it has its differences. The most noticeable one is the drop in power figures; 27 horsepower and 37 pound-feet lower, to be precise. The engine now cranks out 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of combined output as it gets accompanied by a 48-volt mild hybrid system. If you have driven the earlier generation A3, the lack of those 27 horses will be felt, but given the alterations made to return better fuel economy, we wouldn’t mind its performance since we have the S3 and the RS3 for all the fun. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive system come as standard, while the iconic Quattro AWD system remains a $2,000 option. Treat the A3 like an office-going compact sedan, and it will reward you with enough oomph for your outdoor chores. Out on the highway, the engine feels refined like before burying the throttle will make it roar will you enjoy the speeds. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds and a standing quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds.

The overall handling impressions are very Audi-ish and since the A3 is a compact car, the maneuverability is quite impressive. The ride is softer than the 2 Series and the A-Class, which is both a good thing (rider compliant) and a bad thing (cancels out cornering stability). If you want better driveability, you can go for the Quattro-equipped models, but it will cost you a hefty $2,000 extra. The steering feels light and easy when driving in comfort mode, but retains back all the heft in the dynamic mode. We wouldn’t mind the lack of sportiness, as we have already mentioned that the new A3 is meant to be a daily driving family car which will not scare off children or any elderly people. Audi has two other options for you performance lovers; the S3 and the RS3. So feel free to choose any one of them, if you feel that the A3 lacks power. We have reviewed both the new S3 and the RS3, so you can compare the three.

2 Series Gran Coupe- 228 hp, 258 lb-ft

A-Class- 188 hp, 221 lb-ft

2022 Audi A3 Performance Stats

Fuel Economy

The addition of the 48-volt mild-hybrid tech was a wiser decision, and given that the 2.0-liter engine churns out slightly lower power, the fuel economy boosts from the outgoing model year. The FWD A3 has gained 29 miles per gallon in the city, 38 miles per gallon on the highway, and 32 miles per gallon combined, by the EPA. What is interesting is the AWD-equipped A3’s mileage, which is 28 miles per gallon in the city, 36 miles per gallon on the highways, and 31 miles per gallon as combined. Both the 2 Series and A-Class do not come as hybrids, resulting in comparatively lower mileage figures. The standard A3 comes with a 13.2-gallon gas tank, which will return about 420 miles of combined range. Audi has added a slightly bigger 14.5-gallon tank to the AWD-equipped A3, and that will return about 20 miles extra.

2022 Audi A3 Fuel Economy

How safe is the 2022 Audi A3?

The whole third-gen A3 range, which includes the S3 and the RS3, did not get tested for their crash resistance. So, we don’t know how strong it is, but we expect it to get great scores like other Audis. Unlike the higher-priced S3, the A3 gets just two standard driver assistance features, which are lane-departure warning and forward collision mitigation. If you get the Convenience package, you will have access to the blindspot monitoring system. The $37,200 Premium Plus trim will unlock adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Other important passive safety features included with the standard A3 are:

- Dual front and rear side-mounted airbags

- Tire pressure monitoring

- Stability control

- Dusk-sensing headlamps

Should you consider the 2022 Audi A3?

If you are looking for a cheap alternative to the higher-priced luxury sedans, the entry-level A3 will serve you the best. Although BMW and Mercedes-Benz tried to take Audi’s share in the market with the 2 Series and the A-Class, the new third-generation A3 takes it to another level. It has got the best looks, according to us, and there is ample luxury inside the cabin to convince you. However, we struggled to find any major flaws when compared to the 2 Series Gran Coupe and the A-Class. We highly recommend the new A3 for it has evolved to be a better entry-level sedan with all the bells and whistles which the competition does not.

Is there a new A3 coming out?

How much is a new A3?

How fast is the Audi A3?

How efficient is the A3?

FAQ

Q: Is there a new A3 coming out?

The third-generation A3 has already launched and has hit the dealerships.

Q: How much is a new A3?

The new A3 starts from $33,900 and goes all the way to $43,200.

Q: How fast is the Audi A3?

The 2022 Audi A3 does a 0-60 in 6.2 seconds and a standing quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds.

Q: How efficient is the A3?

The EPA ratings of the new A3 is 29/38/32 for city/highway/combined.