Starts at $35,400
Pros
Cons
What's New for 2024?
The A3's HomeLink wireless garage-door opener now operates via buttons on the rearview mirror housing.
2024 A3 Selector
2024 Audi A3
FAST FACTS
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2024 Audi A3 that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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The base front-wheel-drive A3 gets better fuel economy than the A3 Quattro, and you'll save a couple grand up front besides. Unless you need to exit your snowbound driveway holding a four-wheel drift on a regular basis, front-wheel drive with Audi's stability control system should be more than enough kit to get you through the winter. We favor the entry-level equipment package, too, which is the Premium. Other than perhaps adaptive cruise control, it gives you a full array of niceties at the A3's advertised starting price — a rarity in the automotive world.
Adding all-wheel drive to the A3 chops off a few MPG, but you also get slightly quicker acceleration and of course superior traction on slippery surfaces.
The S3 plays in a whole new league of performance relative to the regular A3, hitting 60 mph in well under 5 seconds. It's also got about 20% less cargo space, and the A3 didn't have that much room in its trunk to begin with. But who's counting?
We recommend sticking with the base 40 TFSI Premium. Although you'll go without Audi's famed Quattro all-wheel drive, you get significantly better fuel economy and a cool $2k discount in return. We appreciate the appeal of AWD in the snow belt, but today's stability control systems are so good at keeping cars on track that AWD isn't the huge advantage it used to be. You're also adding complexity if you spring for Quattro, which could lead to maintenance issues down the line. As for why we recommend the default Premium trim rather than the upgraded Premium Plus, well, the whole point of an entry-level luxury sedan is to provide an upscale experience on a budget, which is exactly what the A3 Premium does in the $35k range. But if you splurge on the Premium Plus and maybe some other options besides, it's easy to shoot past the $40k mark, which brings less cramped and more capable luxury sedans into play. We do wish that adaptive cruise control weren't limited to the Premium Plus, but the well-priced A3 Premium is otherwise a nice package, providing the excellent 10.1-inch touchscreen and many other niceties as standard.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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