Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: £15,265 to £26,525
Beautifully made, compact, exceptionally quick, superb all-weather abilities, useful six-speed gearbox, retains its value well.
A little cramped, slightly notchy gearshift, engine note, handling and ride below par, expensive, a likely target for professional thieves.
A very desirable, high quality car that combines near-supercar performance with hatchback versatility. Not an emotionally-engaging driving machine, though.
The A3 gained high marks in the EURO-NCAP tests and gets front and side-impact airbags as standard. The clever 4x4 drivetrain also helps make the S3 one of the safest cars on the road. It gets an alarm and immobiliser as standard, but buyers would be wise to add some kind of tracking device as well: the S3 may be targeted by car thieves.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Audi A3
wrote on 18 05 2007
wrote on 07 10 2006
wrote on 09 06 2006