Forget sitting up high and having tons of space. There’s a lot of fun to be had in a smaller car.
Simply fire up this Audi A3 quattro and get ready to zoom around town.
Audi calls this an “affordable premium compact sedan,” and this one stands out in bright red (called Progressive Red metallic, but more accurately identified as Ticket Magnet Red). That color is new for this year, as is an exterior refresh that features a big, wide, grinning grille.
This one also features a $1,750 “black optic package” that includes black and silver wheels, black exterior trim bits and a sport suspension.
It is most definitely sporty. If you told me I was driving the faster S3 and not the entry A3, I would have believed you. It packs plenty of straight-line zip and also corners with ease. It has all-wheel drive, too.
The interior was also freshened for 2025. I like the fact that the rear seat has its own air conditioning and heating vents — something not all small cars provide for rear passengers. My family fit just fine.
The interior also includes an LED light show, with lighted accent strips on the dash and door panels, and light-up dots on the door panels, too.
The trunk is a bit shallow, but for good reason: It holds a spare tire!
Another small issue: The driver door opening is a little small for me. (This is a common problem for my taller frame in smaller cars.)
In the nitty-gritty, Audi struggled in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, finishing fourth from the bottom among eligible brands. Crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for the 2025 A3 has been limited, but it did well in the frontal test it’s been subjected to.
The A3 starts at $39,495 after shipping. This one totaled $46,040, all in.
Looking at the big picture, Audi and others are committed to electric vehicles long-term, but I wouldn’t object to gas-powered cars like this one being produced until the end of time.
