Audi A3 35 TFSI 2022 Review

The 2022 Audi A3 is the fourth generation of the German luxury brand’s compact car range to launch in Australia. It’s been a long time coming, considering it first appeared in Europe in 2020. Blame COVID.

Made in Audi’s Ingolstadt home town in southern Germany, there are sedan and Sportback (five-door hatchback) body styles offered at launch, with the choice of two turbo-petrol four-cylinder drivetrains. There is no cabriolet in this generation of A3.

Here we’re testing the cheapest model in the line-up, the 2022 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI, which is priced from $46,900 plus on-road costs.

It drives its front wheels via a new 1.5-litre engine (with 48V mild-hybrid tech) and a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

The sedan fitted with the same drivetrain adds $3000.

The other option is a 2.0-litre engine mated with a seven-speed DCT and quattro on-demand all-wheel drive. Pricing for the 40 TFSI quattro S line starts at $53,500 plus ORCs for the Sportback and climbs $3000 for the sedan.

This pricing is up quite significantly compared to the old A3, but part of that is accounted for by the departure of the ‘30’ entry-level model. Prices have also gone up since the new A3’s Aussie spec was first announced in October 2021, reflecting the spiral in new-car pricing here and overseas.

Logical opposition for the ‘35’ Sportback comes from the BMW 118i and the Mercedes-Benz A 180. Or you could check out something like the Mazda3 Astina or the A3’s close mechanical relation, the Volkswagen Golf . Both are thousands of dollars cheaper and excellent cars.

In typical Audi fashion, the A3’s exterior is an evolution of what has come before, just sharper, a bit more angled and with a more protruding snout.

Notable features include a honeycomb single-frame grille previously reserved for sports models, an upgrade to LED headlights (not Matrix, but with dynamic running lights), 18-inch alloy wheels replacing 17s, undercut tail-lights and a convenience key that now works on all four doors rather than just the fronts.

Inside, there has been a major overhaul of the dash, which is more geometric than before. A new 10.1-inch MMI infotainment and navigation touch-screen is now sunk into the centre stack, whereas its predecessor sat atop it.

A 10.25-inch version of Audi’s digital instrument panel has angular air vents sitting high on either side.

Standard features include dual-zone climate control, leather-appointed seat trim, six-speaker audio, a digital radio, Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired) connection, speech recognition and the Audi connect services that have trickled down from more expensive models including Google services, enhanced ‘hey Audi’ voice recognition and emergency call.

Audi says the operating system behind all this is 10 times more powerful than before.

Wireless phone charging is currently unavailable because of the microchip shortage. There are two USB-C outlets up front.

There is no traditional gear lever anymore, just a shift-by-wire toggle. That means manual changing is now only achievable via the flappy paddles on the steering wheel.

There is no spare tyre and the cars are not fitted with run-flats. There’s also no standard power seat adjustment and no power tailgate; both are optional. Only two paint colours don’t cost extra.

The A3 range comes protected by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. It has 15,000km/12-month service intervals and a five-year service plan priced at $2250.

There has been a fundamental update to 2022 Audi A3 safety systems, aided by a boost in cameras, radars and ultrasonic capability.

Important features include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, side assist, lane assist, cruise control with speed limiter, park assist with rear-view camera and tyre pressure loss indicator.

It is the first smaller Audi to be fitted with an exit warning system that’s designed to stop you stepping out at the wrong time into traffic. However, along with lane change warning and cross traffic assist rear, it is not currently available because of the global microchip shortage.

The equipment list at 35 TFSI level does not include adaptive cruise control or a head-up display, both of which are optional with the 40 TFSI quattro.

The 2022 Audi A3 comes with seven airbags and five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2020 protocols.

Based on an evolved version of its predecessor’s MQB underpinnings, the 2022 Audi A3 rolls on an identical 2636mm wheelbase but measures up about 30mm longer overall at 4343mm and higher at 1449mm.

Audi says the Sportback has slightly more elbow-room front and rear and more rear shoulder-room than its predecessor. It also has more front headroom thanks to a slightly lower seating position.

The luggage compartment is 380 litres with the rear seats in place and 1200 litres with the 40/20/40-split seatbacks folded. That’s much the same as before.

The 48V mild-hybrid drivetrain is new to Australia. It comprises an intercooled 1.5-litre DOHC, 16-valve, direct-injection engine that makes 110kW at 5000-6000rpm and 250Nm from 1500-3500rpm and a belt alternator starter that stores energy in a small lithium-ion battery.

Audi claims the 35 TFSI can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 224km/h. At low engine speeds, such as when moving off from stationary, the belt helps out with up to 9kW and 50Nm.

The cylinder-on-demand engine can coast and the S-tronic transmission can freewheel, all of which helps reduce fuel consumption to a claimed 5.0L/100km on 95 RON fuel. Audi says that’s as good as it gets for any small car that’s not a plug-in hybrid in Australia.

The hybrid system can save up to 0.4L/100km and recuperate up to 12kW into the battery through throttle lifts and braking.

Because it puts out the requisite (by Audi rules) 110kW, the 35 TFSI trades in the old 30’s beam axle for a multi-link rear-end. The front-end suspension remains a MacPherson strut.

The mechanical essentials are wrapped up by electro-mechanical rack-and-pinion power steering and front and rear disc brakes.

There are no drive modes to select apart from Sport mode on the gear toggle that drops gears later and holds them longer.

The bonnet of the new A3 is made from aluminium, with other panels in various grades of high-strength steel. The new car is torsionally more rigid than before, but Audi Australia couldn’t clarify how much. Kerb weight is a lithe – for these days – 1320kg.

The 2022 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI is a $50,000 proposition before you get it on the road. Once you are out there, the pricing does seem a bit of a challenge.

After all, if you are going to pay a premium for a small car then you do expect it to be a premium experience.

The outside looks promising with its purposeful stance on alloy wheels, but there’s not a lot inside that’s screaming premium.

The driver’s seat is flat and has only manual adjustment (no lumbar), the interior trims are dark, plenty of them are hard to the touch and there is little of the drama that we’ve come to associate with Audi cabins.

The ambient lighting and aluminium trims offered further up the range would definitely help lift things.

The new central touch-screen tilted toward the driver and the upgraded instrument panel add some wow by comparison with the rest of what’s going on here.

The sat-nav system on our test car at launch was, however, not quite up to date as the car careened off-road on-screen, while actually motoring safely down a new-ish Melbourne freeway.

Move to the back seat and what premium atmosphere was apparent up front dissipates.

There is limited storage and air-con adjustment and no USB plug-in points. More positively, the scallops in the plastic backs of the front seats aid knee-room and you can find enough headroom and elbow-room to fit two adults. But I wouldn’t want to be back here for a long drive.

Get rolling and it is quickly apparent the low-speed ride is pretty unforgiving on 18-inch Pirelli Cinturato rubber that also transmits noticeable roar into the cabin on coarse surfaces.

It was much noisier than the S3 hot hatch which uses lower-profile, more aggressive rubber.

The ride quality undoubtedly improves as speeds rise, but it can be a bit of a battle to get there as the engine doesn’t feel as strong as what the output figures promise, especially at low to middling throttle percentages.

Unfortunately, the 48V system failed to make an appearance for the first 90 minutes of this drive until the battery pack had stored some charge. Then it became apparent the stop-start function was velvet-smooth, but there wasn’t a big difference to outright performance.

To get the A3 rolling with a bit more vim and vigour, Sport mode or manual operation of the S-tronic helps. There’s even a chirp from the front tyres if you get too enthusiastic with the throttle.

The nippy handling of the compact A3 is its most enjoyable driving trait. It likes a winding road and is equally well-suited to the nip-and-tuck action of the city and suburbs.

It’s a clean steerer except when the lane assist function is operating. Sadly, it had to be turned off again at each ignition cycle.

The fuel consumption average across our highly-varied – city, country, freeway, hills – drive came in at 6.6L/100km, which is good for a small city-oriented hatchback.

The driving experience of the 2022 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI did not prove that memorable. It meandered somewhere between mildly interesting and just transport.

And that’s problematic because Audi is asking buyers to spend a lot more money over something like a top-spec Mazda3.

Is a prestigious badge and some new-ish technology enough to compensate for that?

The A3’s ambience is no longer class-leading. The look is good but the dark hues and hard plastics suggest budget cuts and economising.

Which leaves us where? Not so much disappointed in the new A3 as not excited by it. It’s a competent little car at a price where more is expected.

How much does the 2022 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI cost?
Price: $46,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.0L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 114g/100km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)