CASEY WILLIAMS | Auto Reviewer
AutoCasey@AOL.com
Since I started driving in the 1980s, I’ve been a fan of compact cars for their affordability, easy city driving and fuel economy. In case you haven’t noticed, I also tend to enjoy German cars for their fast, comfortable road manners. I’d like a Volkswagen Jetta or GTI just fine, but as I get older, I’d also prefer something a mite more sophisticated. Perhaps I’ve earned it.
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2025 Audi A3
Five-passenger, AWD Sedan
Powertrain: 2.0-liter T4, 7-speed trans
Output: 201hp/236 lb.-ft. torque
Suspension f/r: Independent/
Independent
Wheels f/r: 18-inch/18-inch alloy
Brakes f/r: disc/disc
0-60 mph: 6s
Fuel economy: 24/34 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Ingolstadt, Germany
Base/As-tested price: $38,200/46,040
Likes
- Bougie style
- Sonos audio
- Spirited performance
Dislikes - Tight seats
- Rear doors
- No HUD
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I could definitely go for the 2025 Audi A3.
An Audi looks like an Audi; they just come in different sizes. This one is about the size of a Volkswagen Jetta but looks more serious with its large grille, 18-inch bi-color wheels and crisp body lines. Thin LEDs illuminate both ends.
While sporty, there’s a formality to its roofline. It looks simple, but blacked-out logos and buff body sculpting lend it a serious persona. I especially like it in light bluish Arrow Gray Pearl paint.
It looks so much like larger Audis that you’re surprised at the tight quarters within. The back seat was large enough for dropping my daughter at piano lessons, but I wouldn’t ride from sea to shining sea.
Plastic door tops are unacceptable in an Audi, but the seats feel expensive and there’s a separate temperature control for rear riders.
Scrunching through the door is a little tight, but once inside, front quarters are more sumptuous. Heated leather seats, power moonroof and Volcano Gray Ash woodgrain on the dash add panache.
Flatscreen gauges and large infotainment screen initiate the tech brigade, bolstered by wireless phone connections, console charger and thumping Sonos 3D audio system. Some screen menus are a little hard to navigate, but it mostly worked. This is a place from which to get serious about travel.
I recently drove a Volkswagen GTI from Memphis to Indianapolis over the course of an afternoon, carving up hilly Tennessee and Kentucky Interstates as if piloting a Lear Jet to New York. Its tight chassis and turbo engine encouraged the kind of haste that makes a road wonder what it ever did to you.
The A3 isn’t quite as tight or powerful as the GTI, but it gives the same vibe. You just want to press down on the accelerator and devour everything between you and the horizon.
The Audi can do it too, packing a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 201 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s quick, running 0-60 mph in about 6 seconds.
Better, it sends that power to the road through a paddle-shifted seven-speed automatic transmission and Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which keeps wheels secure on dry pavement and clawing through snow when it must. Fuel economy is rated a frugal 24/34-MPG city/highway.
Like most VW brethren, the A3 relies on adept engineering over electronics to provide a chassis that snugs corners but remains compliant over rough pavement, able to soak up long miles with comfort. Audi Drive Select lets drivers configure the steering, transmission and throttle response between Comfort and Dynamic.
Safety is enhanced by adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist and safe exit warning, but I’d also love a head-up display.
I’m not too snooty to drive a Volkswagen; I’ve owned and enjoyed many of them. But I’d prefer something a little more bougie for my next life phase. With compact dimensions, frugal fuel economy, spirited performance and big car style, the A3 would be a nice way to drive the roads ahead.
For an Audi, it’s pretty affordable starting at $38,200 and reaching $46,040 well equipped. Competitors include the Cadillac CT4, Genesis G70, Hyundai Elantra N, and Acura Integra.
Storm Forward!
Send comments to Casey at AutoCasey@aol.com; follow him on YouTube@AutoCasey to see video reviews of this and other vehicles.