Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi A3 review - better than a BMW 1-series? - Interior and Tech

Audi’s posh Golf is a massive sales hit and it’s not difficult to see why, though rivals drive better

Evo rating
RRP
from £20,365
  • Beautifully designed, impeccably built and competitively priced premium hatch
  • All just a bit too grown up and sensible, needs a more playful side

Interior and Tech

Unquestionably one of the biggest draws of the Audi A3 is its interior. Even the entry-level models have an interior that’s exceptionally upmarket, bettering anything in its class, and many classes above it. Tactile materials, neat metal or gloss black detailing and the indulgent, obviously considered design of all the elements make for a cohesive whole. It’s difficult not to smile when you twist the air vents to open them, the A3’s cabin intelligent as much as it is contemporary and beautiful.

It's become even more appealing since the most recent update, as Virtual Cockpit is now available in some A3s. Just like the TT in which it debuted, this replaces conventional instruments with a high-tech TFT screen that displays both car data and useful info from the navigation system or infotainment setup. In terms of feel-good factor it immediately lifts the A3 above anything else currently available in the class.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The seats offer fine comfort and plentiful adjustability, while the operation of the entertainment and information is all neatly integrated into Audi’s intuitive MMI controller. Space in the back, and access on this three-door, is a touch tight, though the boot’s class competitive on space - though doesn’t offer a completely flat loadspace with the seatbacks down. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

If F1 had no rules: the car with five outright hillclimb records – car pictures of the week
Gould GR59
Features

If F1 had no rules: the car with five outright hillclimb records – car pictures of the week

In issue 336 of evo Magazine, we had an audience with the Gould GR59, a dominant hillclimb car with five records to its name. These are our favourite …
23 Aug 2025
The Nissan GT-R is finally dead after 18 years
Nissan GT-R finishes production
News

The Nissan GT-R is finally dead after 18 years

The Nissan GT-R has finally ended production, at over 48,000 units after 18 years on sale. It’ll be missed.
26 Aug 2025
The origins of the Jaguar F-type with the men that made it happen
F Type podcast
Features

The origins of the Jaguar F-type with the men that made it happen

The Jaguar F-type was a sports car 40 years in the making. We reunite the team that made it a reality, which includes our very own co-founder and edit…
22 Aug 2025