Audi A3 Sedan 1.5 Facelift Review: A Firm Foundation
The 2025 Audi A3 has the right amount of engagement, feel and build quality to rival the best in its segment.
This might be the strongest A3 offering in Cat A COE in a while. Now equipped with the 1.5 TFSI inline-4 engine (replacing a 1.0 inline-3) as well as multi-link rear suspension, the Cat A A3 is no longer the ‘poorer cousin’ as we alluded to in our first drive in Germany.
While the larger and faster flowing roads in Germany still made the 1.5 TFSI feel like it could give more, in the Singapore urban jungle, there is more than enough grunt from the drivetrain. You get 116 hp and 220 Nm, and it’s the latter figure that matters most for urban driving. It’s smooth and free-revving, too.
The s tronic gearbox, existing for some time now in various applications, is mostly smooth and efficient. However, it sometimes can get caught out in specific driving situations - like slowing down and then requiring power immediately. I wonder if the higher-powered versions would face less of this issue, which admittedly is probably just a matter of tuning.
Although Audis have a general reputation of being safe and secure, while not very scintillating to drive, the A3 does have dynamism built into the way it drives. The steering feel is meaty while there’s a lithe way it goes about the road, thanks to its modest weight and wheelbase. This is one Audi you’d rather enjoy coaxing speed from, while it remains very well damped.
On the inside, the A3 is in line with Audi’s impeccable standards. Not only are the materials used good and well put together, the technology is also not brazenly in your face. There’s a separate climate control panel as well as a row of shortcut buttons, and it all feels lovely and tactile to use. This is really how it should be, instead of everything being controlled from a screen. The petty complaint I’d make is why is everything black and drab? A little flamboyance in terms of a wider colour palette wouldn’t hurt. Perhaps a more serious point would be that the features list feels a little bit light, given what Chinese competitors can offer at the price point, like ventilated or massage seats.
But if you are looking for the luxury badge then that is a bit irrelevant, I suppose. If it’s a compact hatchback you want with all of the brand values of Audi instilled into it, the A3 is a stellar choice. Its direct competitors from Mercedes or BMW don’t quite have the same understated premium feel.
Photos by James Wong
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