Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi A3 review - better than a BMW 1-series? - Design

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

The A3 may be a victim of its own success, its omnipresence meaning you’re unlikely notice it, especially if you’ve chosen one of the more sober greys, black or dark blue on offer on the colour charts. Audi offers a wide range of smart alloy wheel options if you want to be different - and spend money and time on the configurator.

Advertisement - Article continues below

What the A3 does do very well is look premium, it may be sutble, but elements like the brightwork and lighting signatures make this very obviously an Audi. It may lack the crisp surfacing quality of the new A4, but the advantage of keeping the car subtle, is that it still looks fresh, despite being past the halfway mark of its life cycle. 

There’s plenty of headlight choices, including full LED lights, Audi also offering exterior trim choices like privacy glass, a panoramic roof, aluminium trims, black packs for added personalisation. S line models come with the most appealing combination of options, for the best looking A3 you can have without stretching to the S3 flagship. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Driving the greatest ’70s supercars, from BMW M1 to Countach – car pictures of the week
1970s supercar test
Features

Driving the greatest ’70s supercars, from BMW M1 to Countach – car pictures of the week

In the latest issue of evo, we revisit 1970s supercar icons from Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, BMW and more. These are our favourite shots
20 Jun 2026
McLaren MSO HS: the secret 205mph special born to save the brand
McLaren MSO 688 HS
Features

McLaren MSO HS: the secret 205mph special born to save the brand

This could just be the best McLaren you’ve never heard of. We get the inside story on the ultra-exclusive, 675LT-based MSO HS
21 Jun 2026
Fiat Grande Panda review – as cool as a Renault 5 but with petrol power
Fiat Grande Panda front
Reviews

Fiat Grande Panda review – as cool as a Renault 5 but with petrol power

Fiat’s take on the retro-modern small car has substance and talent to match its style
22 Jun 2026