2023 Audi A3 Sedan

　　

2023 Audi A3 Review

byBrian WongSenior Reviews Editor

　　Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.

　　, rating written byBrian WongVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The Audi A3 may be the smallest of Audi's luxury cars, but its small size doesn't mean it skimps on premium looks and features. We also like the premium interior materials and technology features available at an entry-level price (for a luxury brand), giving the diminutive sedan some solid value. The A3 was completely redesigned last year and returns for 2023 with most of the same features, though one trim level has been dropped to reduce complexity, according to Audi.

　　The redesign included a reworked interior that highlights one of the A3's strengths: technology. A 10.1-inch center touchscreen comes standard, as does a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster that can be upgraded to 12.3-inches via the Technology package. Leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, and tri-zone automatic climate control also come standard. The only knock on the A3 is a cozy interior space, but that's how things go in this class of luxury subcompacts.

　　Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine offering 201 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive comes standard, with all-wheel drive optional. In our testing, the A3 was impressive, sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and stopping from 60 mph in 121 feet, very capable figures for this class. Of course if you want more performance, Audi offers the 306-hp S3 and the 401-hp high-performance RS 3 to whet your appetite. Scroll down to read more about what our experts thought of the A3.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.2

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the A3 drive? The Audi A3 is one of the smallest sedans on the market, luxury or not. That small footprint makes it feel light and nimble whether you're out on a mountain road or maneuvering through a parking lot. The A3's steering is light and accurate, though it doesn't give you much feel for the road. The brakes are equally impressive and produced impressively short panic stops at zzdcar' test facility.

　　We like this turbocharged engine too. There's lots of low-range and midrange power, so the A3 feels quick on the street, reflected by a solid 0-60 mph sprint of 6.4 seconds. The transmission helps, with smooth, quick shifts and better around-town drivability than other small luxury cars. While Audi left more on the table for the sportier S3 and RS 3, the base A3 is still plenty fun to drive.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the A3? The A3 has a comfortable and compliant ride, though it leans more toward the firm side of comfortable. You'll feel road bumps and imperfections, but the ride is never harsh. The standard heated leather seats are supportive and comfortable in both rows, though the rear bench is a bit flat.

　　The standard three-zone climate control system is excellent, working quickly and evenly to cool the car down. The heated seats work well in cooler weather. The climate control buttons are all on a row on the dash, making them easy to operate without taking your eyes off the road. We also appreciate Audi's use of real buttons.

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