Audi A3 vs BMW 530E

What's the difference?

Can a hatchback still be a fun and fashionable way to get around when the SUV has become such a status trend?

The facelifted Audi A3 certainly makes a case for it.

The refreshed 2025 A3 is, as Audi puts it, more competitive than before when it comes to not only value but also, you might agree, style.

Last year, before the update even arrived, the A3 sold almost as well as its Volkswagen Golf corporate sibling. In fact, it’s Audi’s third most popular model behind the Q3 and Q5 SUVs.

It’s also third in its segment of ‘Small cars under $40,000’, behind only the MG4 electric car and, you guessed it, the VW Golf.

As such, it also outsells its actual closest rivals the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, both of which are close to the A3 on price.

Now that it’s been given a bit more razzle dazzle, let’s see if the A3 can keep that momentum going.

Anyone unfortunate enough to hear me banging on about electric cars - or perhaps more accurately, electrified cars - will be aware of my undying love for the existence of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). 

I love them because they offer a drama-free step into electrification. You don't need a big box on the wall to make sure you're charged overnight and because there's a petrol engine under the bonnet, as long as you've got fuel in the tank, your range anxiety disappears.

You can get around town in electrified silence and emissions-free smugness while still planning that around-Australia trip you'll never go on. It's absolutely the best of both worlds for those reluctant to take the next step. A genuine win-win, if you like.

Except that very few people buy them. Their existence in the catalogues of a number of car companies feels like a weary, "We should at least do something" from product planners. BMW has been trying with PHEVs for a while, with selected offerings in the 3, 5 and X5 range. Given the 5 Series has had its mid-life facelift, what BMW calls the LCI, it's time for another look.