2022 Audi A3 review: Australian first drive

We spend the day in Audi’s new entry-level A3.

What we love

Entry-level powertrain is fantastic

New interior layout

Standard kit and pricing are appealing

What we don’t

Cabin can be noisy depending on the road surface

Small boot is now smaller

Comfort Package should be standard

Introduction

In the second half of 2020, the outgoing and third-generation Audi A3 range met its demise.

However, its replacement – the fourth-generation 2022 Audi A3 – has only just arrived now. We’re sure Audi Australia noticed that its best-selling passenger car was on hiatus for over 12 months, and we sure did, too, as the Australian car buying public.

Thankfully, with the supply issue resolved, Audi invited us to sample the new A3 range around town in Sydney, and also the S3 range around the hills of Tasmania. Read on if you’re interested in the new Audi A3, but if you’re more interested in the Audi S3 range, click here.

When it came time to pick which Audi A3 to spend half a day with, we chose the 2022 Audi A3 35 TFSI and for a good reason. Even though it’s the cheapest model in the range – and arguably the best value buy when assessed in theory on paper – it also packs a relatively new-to-Australia 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo with mild hybrid assistance.

What ‘mild hybrid’ means in this case is a 48-volt combined alternator and starter motor that can not only leech power from the engine, but also ‘assist’ it too. Other components to the system include a 48-volt battery plus DC/DC converter, and it’s worth mentioning the package comes in front-wheel drive only.

The system enables engine shut-off and coasting at speeds of up to 160km/h, the ability to power the 12-volt system (windows, wipers and electric seats) to reduce engine load when coasting, and also relies on live, forward-facing data fed from radar and camera information to determine when best to shut off the engine.

It sounds all smart and clever, and claims to reduce the fuel figure to 5.0L/100km on the combined cycle, so we’ll put that to the test on our launch review. The 2022 Audi A3 35 TFSI range starts with the Sportback (hatch) version from $46,900 and the sedan from $49,400 both before on-road costs.

Options in the range are broad, but some like metallic paint ($1250) and the Comfort Package ($2600) are hard to avoid. The former is obvious, but the latter introduces adaptive cruise control, heated electric seats with four-way lumbar support, auto-dimming interior mirror, and a front-view camera.

Only one other Audi A3 sits in the range, and that’s the more potent 2022 Audi A3 40 TFSI S Line Quattro. Not only does it introduce a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo with 140kW/320Nm, but also the brand’s signature all-wheel-drive system. It starts from $53,500 and $56,000 plus on-road costs respectively, whether Sportback or sedan.

With the range and our test car’s mild hybrid system understood, let’s go for a drive.

Inside

Although the exterior design of the 2022 Audi A3 looks almost as before, the interior has taken a big leap forward.

The dashboard looks immediately driver-focused, and wouldn’t feel astray in something far more sporty. A unique element of its dashboard includes an unusually high-mounted pair of air vents that frame off a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster.

It looks very ‘cockpit-inspired’ and helps channel your vision at the data. The instrumentation is good for an entry-level car, albeit a prestige one. You can use the screen to display driving data, map data, and even information from your smartphone, just in case you like the track Spotify is playing.

Other elements of the dash remain traditional, however, like the button-heavy climate-control panel. Instead of opting for something digital and contemporary for its volume-seller, the brand has maintained the idea of buttons for things, as per the 1980s.

Even its latest-and-greatest Audi E-Tron electric car eschews digital and touchscreen air-con controls for buttons, which says all you need to know. Other nice ergonomic tricks around the cabin include a neat toggle for shifting from park to drive, a better-placed start button that’s now coloured black for the first time, and a single multi-purpose dial for controlling the audio.

The resulting design of its centre console is beautifully simple yet symmetrical. The audio wheel I mentioned earlier is quite cool, too, as you can simply roll your finger clockwise or anti-clockwise to adjust volume or press to skip a track. It’s why you pay for an Audi. Not just high-end materials and great construction, but also well-considered design that is both aesthetically pleasing yet ergonomic, wherever you look.

The standard seats are manually adjustable and comfortable enough, but do lack lumbar support. My test car was equipped with these, and not the optional electric ones with four-way lumbar support that come in the Comfort Package. However, they’ll keep you snug and settled on the day-to-day, and even supportive enough if the road becomes fast and flowing suddenly.

Over in the second row, space is decent enough for the class. Two adults will find the pair of cupholders in the armrest and rear air vents just fine, but adding a third will make things squashy.

In terms of single occupant space (I’m 183cm tall), my knees were clear but close to the front seat backs, feet somewhat squashed underneath, and head just shy of the roof lining. The dark material cladding the interior’s ceiling does it no favours either, but there’s enough glass to peer out to reduce any cave-like atmosphere.

Boot space for the hatch is rated at 380L for front-wheel drive models, or 325L with all-wheel drive. The Audi A3 sedan offers 425L or 370L of storage, depending on the variant.

It’s big enough for a month’s worth of groceries if you stack like a pro, or will accept a compact stroller alongside a week or two’s worth. Under the boot floor lies a tyre repair kit sadly and no spare wheel.

Infotainment and Connectivity

As per all Audi A3 and S3 models in the range, an Audi MMI 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system handles Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and DAB+ radio functions.

The outgoing and third-generation Audi A3 was one of the last to feature Audi’s fantastic rotary dial in the centre console, which I honestly find more intuitive to use when driving than just a touchscreen, as per the car in this review.

In some ways, I feel like this new finger-poking-only system is a slight ergonomic slip-up. However, the voice control works pretty well with an Australian accent, and when using Apple CarPlay in particular, you don’t need too many gestures to get around the various menus.

The standard six-speaker stereo is good enough for the money, and its hands-free microphone system “better than usual”, at least according to one person I’ve called from over 100 press vehicles.

Other nice-to-haves include wireless charging, two USB-C charging ports, and Audi connected services (SOS/service).

Safety and Technology

The two-wheel-drive 2022 Audi A3 35 TFSI is the only model in the range to receive an official five-star ANCAP safety rating, having been tested under 2020’s criteria. So if your personal situation requires a five-star ANCAP safety rating, then you’re in luck.

It’s worth mentioning that the whole Audi A3 range comes standard with Audi Connect Plus security and assistance technology, which enables a car finder and remote signal, remote lock and unlock, emergency calls and online roadside assistance via your smartphone.

It also means the car comes with two pre-installed sim cards. One enabling data connectivity between you and the car, and the other dedicated connectivity to things like emergency services, as the system is able to do so in the event of a severe accident.

Value for Money

Other cars likely to be on your consideration list include the 2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class A180 and 2022 BMW 118i.

The former starts from $49,890 before on-roads, making it a similarly priced competitor. Compared to the Audi, the Mercedes-Benz has no fancy 48-volt system on board, rather a more rudimentary 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo with less power and less torque.

The BMW kicks off from $48,900 and is a similar affair to the Benz. Its entry-level 2022 BMW 118i features a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, which again is down on power compared to the Audi.

If you value frugality with some semblance of performance, the Audi will be the car for you. In terms of maintenance, Audi offers an upfront five-year/75,000km service plan – to match its newly minted five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty – for $2250. 

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Driving

For the launch drive, Audi offered us the chance to spend half a day with the car in Sydney.

Audi provided a packed lunch, but the roads and destinations were ultimately up to us, despite Audi providing a “recommended” drive to enjoy. Funnily enough, my own drive route interjected with the brand’s suggestion, which was heading south of Sydney Airport, down the coast, and up via the inland.

I took a small deviation through the historic townships of Bowral and Mittagong, mainly because the roads and coffee are better. The performance from the 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo powertrain is great considering the figures on offer, but it’s easy to forget the petrol engine is augmented via electrification.

Like others in the Audi product portfolio, the A3 35 TFSI in particular has its 110kW/250Nm petrol engine assisted by a 48-volt mild hybrid system. However, unlike those other Audi 48-volt systems found in its expensive diesel SUVs, this one actually works all the time.

Its default setting is on, and it doesn’t allow the user to easily circumvent things by picking comfort mode over efficiency mode, like those more expensive products I mentioned earlier. In essence, those other 48-volt systems felt somewhat gimmicky and hard to detect, but the mild hybrid system of the 2022 Audi A3 35 TFSI feels more honest than that.

Not only does it free up the little petrol engine to work a bit harder, but it also helps it when it comes time to switch off at a set of lights. The transitions it makes from engine shut-off to running again are incredibly smooth, and not because its camera and radar vision give it telepathy.

The integrated alternator-starter motor has enough guts to properly spool the engine, meaning it comes alive again seamlessly. The engine’s 250Nm worth of torque is offered in full from 1500 to 3500rpm, which is easily 50 or so more than the expected 200Nm from other similar drivelines without the 48-volt system.

It means it feels perkier than the numbers suggest, and gets the job done with one passenger only. It’s also worth mentioning that if you move to the next and only other model in the regular A3 range – the A3 40 TFSI S Line Quattro – you lose all of this mild hybrid technology and infrastructure. 

In terms of ride quality, its suspension is tuned on the firmer side, and even as a front-wheel model it still lets off plenty of composure and trust.

The roads out of Sydney’s big smoke are quite crappy after the decent deluge, and not one of the recently minted potholes caused any alarm for the Audi A3. Even the rippled sections of older imperfections were handled really well, albeit noisier than I’d imagined.

The biggest downside to the ride is the road noise, and I felt the same way when behind the wheel of the Audi S3 too. It feels as if the brand forgot sound deadening around the wheel wells, as some road surfaces above 90km/h induced louder-than-usual tyre roar.

But that’s as bad as it gets. Once out of town, and even as a front-wheel-drive non-performance model, the Audi A3 is still a real treat to drive. The basics are all done well here, which includes the steering and pedal controls.

The wheel feels light but reacts immediately once off-centre, and the brake pedal offers good initial bite but still some progression thereafter. It’s honest controls that make a car easy to read, and the Audi A3 will make anyone feel at home after a few hours.

There’s plenty of grip once the roads get a bit faster and bendy, but I never once felt the need to push the car uncomfortably. Moreover, I was concerned about my fuel usage, as I wanted to see if this mild hybrid system made gains over my chosen drive route.

Over the five-hour drive, I spent around an hour-and-a-half buzzing through half-busy metro Sydney, and three-and-a-half on motorways and country lanes. Obviously, the balance of driving was conducted on fast and flowing roads, but the car returned a fuel figure of 4.7L/100km, or a pip under the official combined claim of 4.9L/100km for the A3 sedan.

I reckon purely around town it’ll use more, but we’ll have to reserve final judgment for when we have the vehicle over a longer period of time.

Conclusion

It’s about time Audi refreshed its best-selling passenger car in Australia, as it’s been a while since German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz updated their 1 Series and A-Class.

However, upon a first look and quick drive, it appears the entry-level 2022 Audi A3 35 TFSI has the potential to become the pick of the trio if you’re shopping with a sub-$50K budget.

The resulting package is a stylish, good-looking and well-sized small car, and one with usable and beneficial technology for 2022. Also, if the 2022 Audi 40 TFSI S Line Quattro just adds more flesh to the entry-level car’s bones, then we can expect it to be just as good too.

We’re looking forward to spending some more meaningful time with the 2022 Audi A3 in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Keyword: 2022 Audi A3 review: Australian first drive