Overview & Reviews

The Audi A3 heads into 2011 with only minor trim and wheel changes.

• Upscale interior, enjoyable driving dynamics, versatile interior space, high fuel efficiency from available diesel engine.

• Expensive and underequipped compared to its hatchback competitors, limited rear-seat room for taller passengers, unintuitive navigation controls.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 14.00

• 

  Audi A3 magic! - 2011 Audi A3
  By jacob - January 5 - 6:38 pm

  The twin turbo and the exterior is just amazing.This is the best car with simplicity and class

• 

  Fun car not disapointed - 2011 Audi A3
  By jax2 - September 11 - 3:50 pm

  Bought it used with 33K miles and have put another 12K since then. Love the ride, handling, very fun car on my painful 1 hour commute to work every day. Since its more sporty suspension is a bit stiff so not the couch comfort but thats how German cars are. It does lack some options you would think should be in an Audi auto dimming mirrors, memory seats, passenger power seats but doesnt bother me personally. Slight turbo lag in taking off but you can shift to manual mode and it picks up right away. Cant beat the mileage, 36 daily -41 highway.

• 

  All owners MUST have an extended warranty!! - 2011 Audi A3
  By vection - September 8 - 11:19 pm

  I was so excited to buy this car. It looks great, gets above average gas mileage and I thought it was going to be dependable...I was absolutely incorrect and it has cost me a significant amount of money! The warranty expired at 50k, which is when the major system began to fail. First it was the motor in the seat...not a huge deal, but it was expensive. Next the A/C compressor failed, an issue that Audi is aware of and has issued a service advisory about, but without a warranty, one that I had to pay for. Finally the Turbo charger failed. At this rate it will have all new parts before it hits 60k. This car is crap and Audi should be ashamed that they built it.

• 

  Reliability Issues - 2011 Audi A3
  By a3owner1 - August 18 - 6:05 am

  I have owned for 2 years and put 55K miles on my A3 TDI. Bought car for performance and great MPG - commute is 100 miles per day. With 500 miles left on warranty Mechatronics unit went - first time had issues was 25K miles and dealer did software update. (its roughly$3,200 repair if out of warranty). At 54K miles EGR valve clogged with ash - ($800 repair & AUDI offered no help) I called AudiUSA and got nowhere. DO NOT BUY this car for MPG savings, youll give it all back in repairs. Overall nice car but, I also own 2 Toyotas and Im spoiled by the fact that they dont break...I had always heard that Audi/VW reliability issues were a problem, definitely some buyers remorse on A3

• 

  Outstanding Performance - 2011 Audi A3
  By gyowell - October 28 - 1:50 pm

  So far, I am very satisfied with my new Audi A3 Diesel. The performance is really exceptional. It accelerates smoothly and corners very well. I am very happy with the build quality.

• 

  Great Blend of Fun and Fuel Economy - 2011 Audi A3
  By drivetime99 - September 9 - 9:13 pm

  I recently bought an A3 TDI and have enjoyed the first 2k miles. 35 mpg with fairly aggressive mixed city/hwy driving. I like not having to baby it to get good mileage. The car is very stable and composed at highway speeds and in the daily S. Florida rainstorms. If you test drive it, look for two things. 1) Diesel motor tick. It has such a quiet cabin that you may not hear it in a test drive. Youll hear it in your driveway though. Make sure it is not an issue for you. 2) Its truly an automated manual transmission it "catches" when coming to a slow stop, just like a manual does. Those not used to manuals may not like the feel. I love it though and am very happy with the purchase.

• 

  Wish I had never bought an A4 - 2011 Audi A3
  By hadalotofcars - August 24 - 6:01 pm

  Unfortunately, I bought a 2010 A4 CVT (no CVT for me anymore). I was so dissatisfied with the car we traded it with just under 1000 miles for a Jetta Wolfsburg turbo. A little over a year later, the VW was traded for a CRV and we bought an A3 outright. It was a bit of a gamble - driving to Atlanta from Orlando to pick it up - but well worth the journey. We bought it certified with 4K miles and turned around and drove it home. A little fatigued we didnt fully appreciate the long trip (and the road noise is a little, I stress little, much) but now that were back home were tickled. The manual is responsive, the steering firm, the look is mature but not pretentious. This is a drivers car!!

• 

  Beware of heated seat issues - 2011 Audi A3
  By studiodriver - June 23 - 12:19 pm

  In most categories, I love this car. I like the look, the fuel economy, its fun to drive and has a great stereo. The turbo lag does take some getting used to - When accelerating from a stop, it can take a full second or two for the turbo to engage. Its very responsive once youve started moving. Fuel economy is great and overall, its really a fun little car. However, you should be aware that the heated seats are basically useless. My dealer explained that they have heard numerous complaints about them and that they perform to Spec. If you Google Audi Heated seats, youll find several Audi forums discussing the issue. If you love heated seats like I do, know that they dont work.

• 

  Just what I needed - 2011 Audi A3
  By ridingtoabeat - May 24 - 5:42 pm

  I just bought the car a few weeks ago. I got the Premium Plus with convenience, titanium, and open sky packages. The car rides amazingly smooth. Love the responsiveness. I was between the Audi A3 and BMW 328i wagon. The A3 is the right size, gets great gas mileage and its just a great car. I also got an amazing deal on the car (below invoice pricing). I left behind a 2010 Honda Accord which lacked performance and guzzled gas like nothing. I plan to have this car for years to come. Im new to the Audi family so I still have some tricks to learn but for a 4-cyl twin-turbo I have to say Im impressed. The car is very easy to use there is no complicated guessing or confusing buttons. Very nice.

• 

  Almost There - but Audi got a bit cheap on this vehicle - 2011 Audi A3
  By jinoc - February 18 - 1:13 am

  Any car like this one with an MSRP over $33k should definitely have some common features: garage door opener, power passenger seats, memory settings, auto-dimming mirrors, and automatic headlights. Most of these things cost the manufacturer almost nothing to install, but Audi left them off the A3. This tells me they think the target market is not an upscale or move-up buyer who would expect these things. But Id bet many other less-expensive vehicles have some or all of these features. All this aside - I really like this car. I was torn between an A3 and a Jetta TDI SportWagen, but went with the Audi because of a few better features. And it looks much better.