Tested: 2022 Audi A3 Quattro Lacks 'S' Appeal

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver.

“For just a little more per month . . .” the showroom slickster begins, pressuring the unsure car shopper trying to stick to a budget. For the buyer wavering between an Audi A3 and an S3, we say give in to the upsell. The latest A3 is far less satisfying than its S-badged sibling.

Freshly redesigned, Audi’s compact sedan maintains a sensible size and is rendered in crisp sheetmetal. Inside, there’s a fantastic driving position and narrow pillars for unhindered sightlines. There’s also, however, hard plastic everywhere: the door grab handles, the upper door panels, the center console. And our test car’s Agate Gray wood inlays look like they popped out of an injection mold.

Audi apparently believes buyers can be hoodwinked by a screen-intensive interior design, one that banishes all physical knobs. But the round four-way audio-control button whose outer rim adjusts the volume is an unsatisfying substitute. So, too, is the little flipper shifter.

The screens, at least, are well rendered. All A3s have a digital instrument cluster—ours had the larger, enhanced version (part of the Technology package). Screen-based gauges are fast becoming commonplace, and Audi maximizes their potential more than most, with multiple display choices.

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

You probably guessed that motivation is provided by a turbo 2.0-liter inline-four driving all four wheels (front-wheel drive is standard). Now running a modified Miller cycle and boasting a 48-volt hybrid system, it’s more economical. The EPA combined figure increases to 31 mpg, a 6-mpg improvement over its predecessor. Our A3 Quattro returned 40 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test. The snappy and responsive dual-clutch automatic makes the most of the modest 201 horses, but the 6.0-second 60-mph time trails the Mercedes and BMW entries. With 105 more horsepower, the S3 shames its weaker sibling, hitting 60 in 4.3 seconds.

Nor is the A3 as willing when the road starts throwing curves. The suspension is firm but feels underdamped on challenging pavement. The S3, particularly with its optional adaptive dampers, is much more sporting. On the skidpad, the A3 managed 0.89 g, against 0.96 g for the S3. More disappointing is the overboosted steering, which feels disconnected, and switching to Dynamic mode provides no amelioration.

No, the remedy for the A3’s mediocrity is to spend up for the S3, which not only drives better but has welcome interior upgrades. With standard all-wheel drive, the S3 is $9K dearer than the A3 Quattro. But hey, just skip eating out once a month.

Specifications

Specifications

2022 Audi A3 Quattro
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE

Base/As Tested: $37,895/$45,390
Options: Premium Plus package (adaptive cruise control, vehicle alarm with motion sensor, active lane assist, side- and cross-traffic assist, full LED headlights, driver’s seat memory, park assist, wireless phone charger), $3300; Technology package (Audi Connect Plus, Audi MMI Navigation Plus, virtual cockpit with 12.3-inch display, Bang & Olufsen stereo, side-traffic alert), $2250; 18-inch wheel package with all-season tires, $800; Manhattan Gray metallic paint, $595; interior style package (Agate Gray grain birch wood inlays, LED interior lighting), $550

ENGINE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3

Power: 201 hp @ 6200 rpm

Torque: 221 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm

TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic

CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink

Brakes, F/R: 12.0-in vented disc/10.7-in disc

Tires: Pirelli P Zero All Season
Tire Size: 225/40R-18 92H M+S AO

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 103.5 in

Length: 176.9 in

Width: 71.5 in
Height: 56.2 in

Passenger Volume: 88 ft3
Trunk Volume: 8–11 ft3
Curb Weight: 3509 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 6.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.6 sec @ 95 mph
100 mph: 16.1 sec

Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.8 sec

Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 sec

Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.6 sec

Top Speed (gov ltd): 127 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 181 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.89 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 26 mpg

75-mph Highway Driving: 40 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 560 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 31/28/36 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

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