Audi is one of a handful of manufacturers left clinging to cars as more and more buyers opt for higher-riding SUVs. The automaker's smallest, the A3, is a sporty subcompact luxury car with lively engines, an upscale interior, and solid fuel economy ratings in the more pedestrian configurations. Though small, the A3 packs a ton of tech, driver-assistance features, and more.
2025 Audi A3 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2025 Audi A3
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2025 Audi A3
The A3 got a mid-cycle refresh for the 2025 model year, which brought updated exterior styling with new bumpers, headlights, wheels, and rear accents. Inside, the car now has silver air vent accents and new lighting elements. Audi also bumped the car’s torque, though performance is likely to stay even heading into the new model year.
Design
The A3 has always had sporty looks, but the 2025 refresh gave it sharper styling with a large grille and aggressive air intakes in the front lower bumper. Sculpted sides and a motorsport-inspired rear diffuser finish the package.
Powertrain
The 2025 A3 comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower. It’s aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and sends power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Though the base A3 isn’t the most powerful car in the line, it still offers a brisk six-second zero-60-mph time. Buyers wanting more grunt can opt for the S3, which has 328 horsepower, or the RS3 with its turbocharged five-cylinder engine.
Interior
The A3’s interior may not be as nice as higher-level Audi cabins, but it’s far nicer than it has to be for the price point. It offers roomy and comfortable front seats with strong outward visibility, and the ergonomics for front-seat passengers is fantastic. That said, people in the back seat, especially adults, might find a tighter squeeze, as the car’s compact dimensions don’t allow for a generous amount of legroom. Audi’s design makes the space more visually appealing, but dedicated luxury buyers may want more flash.
Technology
A 10.3-inch touchscreen comes standard in the 2025 A3, but higher trims get a 12.3-inch display with the available Technology Package, which also includes a Bang and Olufsen stereo and some driver assistance features. Other features include Spotify, Amazon Alexa functionality, and more. Audi’s infotainment system is generally easy to use, and the move from a dual-screen system in earlier models to the single-display interface in the new A3 greatly reduced the confusion and clunkiness from years past.
Safety
The new A3 hasn’t been crash-tested yet, but it gets a long list of standard safety features. They include automatic emergency braking, forward collision alerts, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and more. Available tech includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, parking assistance, rear automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and more.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, the 2025 Audi A3 starts at $38,200 for the base Premium trim. The Premium Plus model starts at $40,800. Both variants are available with added-cost upgrades that can quickly drive their price tags north of their starting points.