2025 Audi A3 Review: Premium Fun Without A Premium Price Tag

Not too long ago, we spent some quality time with the 2025 Audi S3, a fun subcompact sedan with plenty of punch from its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, and a lively personality that will neither break the bank nor leave you holding on for dear life. It won't wake up the neighbors in the morning, and it won't particularly stand out on the road, but the S3 delivers on its promise of high-performance luxury in a business suit against more "adolescent" competition like the Honda Civic Si or the Toyota GR86.

But, what if the S3 is a touch too much for your driving needs, but you still want to hop into an Audi as your entry into sporty German luxury? Luckily for you, the 2025 Audi A3 is here to fill those shoes, like the example that turned up at my home in Southwestern Virginia recently draped in the finest Revolution Red Metallic. I've spent more time with Ingolstadt's more race-ready models in the sim-racing world, than I have Audi's cars on actual asphalt. Would the real thing live up to my expectations? Only one way to find out.

Audi's 2025 entry-level subcompact line tops out with the ultra-spicy RS3, with a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder slamming down 394 horses and 369 lb-ft of torque through the Quattro all-wheel drive system and 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission to its 19-inch wheels. 

Then there's the S3, the middle-of-the-road selection. It won't make you feel like you're racing in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Cup Challenge — where all-wheel drive is verbotten, anyway; thus, only front-wheel drive for the 340-horsepower RS3 LMS TCR — but you'll still have plenty of fun with the 2.0-liter TFSI's 328 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.

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Finally, there's the base A3. Same engine as the S3, same transmission and layout as the rest of the 3 family, but much more chill. Here, you'll have "just" 201 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque (15 lb-ft more than the 2024 version) to work with, not that there's anything wrong with that power output, though. And the best part? The A3 needs just regular 87 octane to bring the hammer down. 

Audi's entry-level sedan is still about bringing you into Ingolstadt's version of luxury: this 2025 A3, for example, comes with black leather seating for five, plus heated front seats, driver's seat memory (via the $2,600 Premium Plus package), heated power exterior mirrors, and power-adjustable front seats with lumbar support.

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Of course, if you happen to be a tall and/or leggy adult, the rear 40/20/40-split bench might be a bit too cozy for comfort unless the two occupants up front are short people themselves. Meanwhile, the "panoramic" sunroof only covers the two front occupants. But at least those seated in the back can enjoy their own part of the Audi's three-zone climate control, plus netted pockets for storing their iPads and a pair of USB-C ports for charging them. 

The rest of the interior is accented by aluminum front door sill inlays, Volcano Gray ash natural wood on the dash, and leatherette door arm rests. Finally, the trunk can hold up to 8.3 cu-ft of cargo.

On the tech side of things, the 2025 Audi A3 keeps everything in balance as far as human interfaces go. The radio and volume are controlled by an iPod-esque dial on the center console next to the gear selector, which works much like the iPod's haptic wheel of yore; you can also control the volume and skip tracks through the steering wheel. Audi includes physical HVAC buttons, too, for the dual-zone climate control. 

There's also wireless device charging and a pair of USB-C ports in the center console, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus some snazzy LED mood lighting for a fun cabin experience. Whether you're listening into SiriusXM or whatever's on your Spotify playlist, it'll all sounds good on the available SONOS Premium sound system with 3D sound (which my A3 had). The standard, unbranded audio system version has six speakers.

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The 2025 A3 comes standard with 10 airbags, ABS with brake assist, electronic stabilization control, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision detection with automatic emergency braking. The aforementioned Premium Plus package adds adaptive cruise control with lane guidance and a hands-on detection steering wheel, while the $1,600 Technology Package brings traffic sign recognition and enhanced navigation to the mix. Alas, my favorite bit of tech, a head-up display, is not available on the A3, which is a shame for those wanting to keep their eyes on the road while adjusting their speeds manually.

My first time ever driving an Audi was in "iRacing," when I made my 24 Hours of Lemons iRacing League debut way back in February 2021 on the virtual streets of Long Beach in the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (a car that, as of this writing, has yet to be updated to the current version, by the way). It was a fun experience, albeit brief due to my wheel-and-pedal setup decided to bork itself a half-hour into the festivities. Back then, I didn't know I would get a chance to drive the real thing (or, rather, its base-level street-legal sibling) in my Old Dominion backyard a few years later.

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Decked out in the $1,750 Black Optic Package — which includes a set of 18-inch five-spoke bicolor wheels mounted in Pirelli P-Zero all-seasons, black trim all around, and a sport suspension — this A3 in Revolution Red Metallic (a $595 paint option) was a fine Audi driving experience. Pulling out onto the main roads came with a lovely soundtrack from the 201 turbohorses before me. Sometimes, I stepped out the rear a smidge, but the Quattro system reined the herd and me quickly back in.

The only bumps in the road were the literal ones on some of the side roads I took, which jostled the A3 a bit more than I would've liked (thin sidewalls aren't too fun on rougher pavement). No matter where I went, however, the A3's power and handling delivered on the long interstates, winding mountain roads, and small-town streets.

The 2025 Audi A3 isn't as aggressive as the S3 or the RS3. It doesn't need to be, though. This entry-level subcompact is all most consumers need as far as performance and luxury go. The A3 starts at $38,200, including $1,295 destination fee. As tested, our A3's sticker with destination totaled $46,040, which is just about $2,000 short of the 2025 S3's base price with destination. 

In comparison, the 2025 Acura Integra starts at $33,000 with destination, though it only has front-wheel drive and a CVT (continuously variable transmission). The 2026 BMW 228 Gran Coupe is close to the A3's starting MSRP at $39,600 plus destination, and offers 40 more horses compared to the Audi. However, you'll have to drop another $2,000 to get it with all-wheel drive.

For the money you do spend on the A3, what you get is a fun yet sensible sedan that is suitable for everyday life. The Premium Plus and Technology packages will help you make the most out of this subcompact, but even without the available options, the A3 has enough standard features to hold its own against the competition. As we said with the 2025 S3, this is one tiny man that can punch well above its weight class, and that's all that truly matters in this segment.