Audi A3 Sportback 2020 Review - International

Australian pricing has still to be announced for the 2020 Audi A3 Sportback, though the initial starting price may see an increase as the range could kick off with the larger 1.5-litre 35 TFSI engine and not the 30 TFSI three-cylinder unit currently available.

This time around, all versions of the A3 get a 10.25-inch digital instrument display at a minimum, which is perfectly good. It can be upgraded to a flashier 12.3-inch screen if you wish. The infotainment system comprises a 10.1-inch touch-screen as standard, with smartphone mirroring.

The exterior design of the A3 allows for greater visual distinction between different equipment levels. These changes include alterations to the bumper design and even the headlights, with three different LED daytime running light signatures and (except for the base model) a 15-LED panel that displays a pattern unique to the equipment line. More advanced LED matrix headlights will also be available.

Sit into the 2020 Audi A3 Sportback and you get a sense that it’s packed with tech. The more driver-focused cockpit includes the digital instrument cluster as mentioned, which is part of a gloss-black panel that stretches across to include the central touch-screen.

A colour head-up display is available, too, which is a first for the A3, and Audi has designed it in a way that makes it easier to retrofit later.

Smartphone owners of almost every kind are tailored to, with Audi including USB-A and USB-C ports and offering a wireless charging pad. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto form part of the infotainment system, with the former soon to be made available wirelessly.

Audi’s basic suite of safety systems is likely to feature across all models, such as lane departure warning and automatic braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection. We’d also expect cruise control, rear parking sensors and hill-hold assist to feature across the range.

Additional optional assistance features will be available in packages. The outgoing Audi A3 had a five-star ANCAP safety rating and, with the new assistance systems in this generation, there’s no reason to suggest that the A3 won’t earn a similar result when tested.

While the all-new 2020 Audi A3 Sportback uses an evolution of the ubiquitous MQB platform, there are plenty of changes under the skin to improve handling and enhance overall refinement over the previous car, including a wider track.

It uses a MacPherson strut front-end and, on models with 110kW and up, Audi fits multi-link independent rear suspension. Cars with lower power outputs get a torsion beam at the back, though it’s now yet clear if these versions will make it to Australia.

The 1.5-litre TFSI engine is a gem and suits the car’s driving characteristics, delivering useful performance crisply thanks to the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The default front-wheel drive set-up will be joined by all-wheel-drive quattro versions later. The four-pot motor gets cylinder-on-demand (COD) tech to save fuel by switching off the two middle cylinders when cruising; it’s seamless in transition.

Our drive in the mild-hybrid variant revealed how this system works as it can switch off the engine when coasting on a highway, saving up to 0.4L/100km according to Audi.

A belt alternator starter (BAS) fires the engine up more smoothly than a regular starter and harvests energy to charge up a small battery under the front passenger seat.

As it recovers energy, however, it gives the brake pedal an odd feel that isn’t consistent with what we experienced in the models without this mild-hybrid tech. Nonetheless, the BAS system can add a bump of up to 50Nm of torque when the car is accelerating.

Audi offers optional adaptive suspension, too, which lowers the ride height by 10mm and uses a new design of damper that expands the operating window for increased comfort and bump absorption on one end of the spectrum and firmer damping on the other.

From the moment you get behind the wheel of the 2020 Audi A3 Sportback it feels like a premium product.

We mentioned the tidy TFSI power unit, but there’s also crisp steering that provides a more involving feel, something that has regularly been a weak point for Audi.

Keener drivers may want to tick the Progressive Steering options box, as that adds a variable-ratio rack for more steering in tighter bends. The Dynamic mode aims to enhance this further in terms of more resistance through the steering, though we felt it to be a touch too heavy.

In the same setting, the auto holds onto gears a touch longer, though of course you can choose to shift manually via the wheel-mounted paddles.

With more of the underbody enclosed than before and the fitment of acoustic glass in the windscreen, the Audi A3 is exceptionally quiet inside at highway speeds.

The 2020 Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI’s COD system works well, and if Efficiency mode is selected the automatic transmission can free-wheel or coast when you lift off the throttle.

An increase in track width of 11mm at either end brings a further improvement in handling and stability, allowing the A3 to feel more secure in faster bends. Sportier S line models also get a 15mm reduction in ride height, along with firmer suspension componentry.

That flatter seats of the last generation A3 make way for more sculpted chairs that do a better job of holding you in place through the bends. You can even opt for a material insert that is made from recycled PET bottles.

Rear passenger space gets a slight improvement by way of a small increases in shoulder and elbow room. The middle rear seat is still a compromise due to a chunky transmission tunnel. Boot space remains unchanged at 380 litres, expanding to 1200 litres with the rear seat backs folded down.

For the 2020 Audi A3 Sportback, the team in Ingolstadt has stepped up its game to deliver a car that is a big improvement over what was already a decent alternative to the more popular Germans.

Not only does it tick many of the boxes that premium buyers look for in a small car, it also manages to feel unique from the rest of the Audi range and far less like it raided the parts bin.

The improvements to how it drives, both mechanically and with better electrical aides, galvanises the A3’s premium credentials. It’s more engaging than before but, and more importantly for many buyers, it also is a more comfortable and refined car to drive.

Its TFSI engines suit the car and the prospect of two hybrid variants joining the ranks further bolsters the A3’s future appeal. It’s true that its closest rivals have similarly taken strides forward, but the A3 has the kind of appeal that will earn it plenty of sales success.

It is not merely the most complete iteration of the A3 yet, it’s one of the best cars Audi has turned out in years.

How much does the 2020 Audi A3 Sportback cost?
Price: TBC
Available: Late 2020
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol mild-hybrid
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: TBC
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: TBC