Audi Reviews

Audi’s A8 is the third member of the big German luxury sedan crew, sharing marketplace space with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It boasts the same sharply-cut-suit looks as its peers but, in some ways, is the more technically advanced car. Somehow, however, it was never as popular as the other big Germans. Which is not to say it isn’t worth looking at now.Code-named the 4H series in Audi-speak, the 2010 A8 was available in long- and short-wheelbase forms and with a choice of either a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel with 184kW or a 4.2 litre petrol V8 with 273kW. Just for something left field, Audi also offered a 4.1-litre twin-turbo diesel V8 with 258kW but a stonking 800Nm of torque.All variants used an eight-speed automatic and the A8 was all-wheel drive, which is something its major competitors didn’t have.The car was facelifted for the 2014 model year at which point the magnificent petrol V8 was dropped from the line-up and two revised turbo-diesels appeared. The first was a V6 with 190kW and the other a V8 with 283kW and now 850Nm. The latter was available only as a short-wheelbase car.Standard equipment levels and inbuilt safety were major features of the big Audi and it remains an impressive car to drive and look at. The A8’s other big selling point was its aluminium chassis which helped offset some of the mass of the 'quattro' all-wheel drive system.The A8 is a lovely car to ride in and a decent thing to drive as well. It was set up with comfort in mind, but the quattro all-wheel drive system also lends an added margin of safety in terms of grip in slippery conditions.If anything, though, it lacks the imposing visuals of the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and from some angles, looks like an enlarged A4 or A6. The interior is pure Audi, which is another way of saying excellent.Because new tech – including safety gear – is usually first seen in the high-spec models from each carmaker, the A8 hit the market as a very safe car for the time. Even now, it boasts some equipment that is still optional on cheaper brand-new cars.Sophisticated cars often wind up with sophisticated problems later in life. The Audi is not perfect in this regard, but it is well made and used quality materials. The fundamentals are good although, like any car, poor maintenance and servicing will show up eventually. And when repairs are needed on a high-end car like this, they won’t be cheap.The first thing to look for in an A8 is any evidence or history of crash damage. That’s because the aluminium chassis and body is difficult to repair properly and requires a specialist workshop to get it right. Even the factory used specialist techniques to build the cars and a lot of the bodywork and panel alignment was somewhat hand-finished. So a close check of the frame and underbody is a must.The A8 was also caught up in the Volkswagen family’s shameful 'Dieselgate' scandal where many brands and models were fitted with devices and software designed to trick the official fuel consumption test for a better number than the car could actually achieve in the real world. The V6-powered A8s were part of this and should, by now, have been returned to Audi for a software update to negate this 'cheat'.On 4.2-litre petrol V8 variants, some owners have reported a problem with carbon build-up on the intake valves. This is due to the direct-injection system where fuel is sprayed directly into the combustion chambers rather than across the back of the intake valve. As such, the valves don’t get washed clean and carbon can build up, affecting performance. To be perfectly fair, this is not an Audi-specific problem and can affect many engines using direct-injection.The A8 hasn’t had too bad a run with safety recalls, but that’s not to say there haven’t been some recalls over the years this generation A8 was on sale.Recalls for the A8 have included problems with the glass sunroof suddenly shattering, transmission oil leaks, power steering leaks in V8 models, engine-bay seals leaking, a potential for incorrect deployment of both front airbags and seat-belt pretensioners and another to check on the oil supply to the engine’s turbochargers.You can find the full details on these recalls by visiting: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/ .There’s no specific year to avoid here, but the one A8 we’d be very wary of would be an ex-hotel limousine. Flash Aussie hotels often used big German sedans for this task, so take a close look at the rear seat (which will be as worn as the driver’s seat in a hotel limo) and the rear bumper which could be scratched from having a million suitcases dragged over it. The mileage is also likely to be higher than the average A8 thanks to a lifetime of slogging between the city and airport and sitting in traffic in between.And, obviously, any big, sophisticated car like this must have a complete and up to date service history or you could be buying all sorts of trouble down the track.Aside from those ex-hotel limos we were talking about, the A8 doesn’t seem to rack up huge mileages. So, an example with less than 200,000km showing and a clean service history should be able to offer plenty of life for the next owner.Even with its all-wheel drive and aluminium structure, the A8 was hardly a sporty car in an overall sense. So why not make the most of the luxury on tap and find a long-wheelbase version which will also accommodate lanky teenagers in the back much better. And the all-wheel drive will be a great safety bonus when those same kids start learning to drive.While the turbo-diesels have the potential to be very frugal, the Audi 4.2-litre petrol V8 remains one of the sweetest, most sonorous production V8s ever made. So that’s the one we’d go shopping for.There’s a rule in the luxury car market when it comes to second-hand examples. And that’s called the Funnel Effect. Fundamentally, it suggests that while there are enough captains of industry to lease luxury cars brand-new, there aren’t enough private buyers willing to spend that sort of money for a second-hand one. And that’s when trade-in values plummet. The Audi A8 is far from immune to this.Which means there are some great buys out there for a fraction of the cost of the walk-up price when the cars were brand-new. You’ll find decent 4H A8s out there now for $20,000 or so, and they won’t necessarily have huge mileages on board. Pony up to about $30,000 and you are in the realm of some seriously good second-hand A8s.Many of the A8’s driveline components are shared with other high-end Volkswagen Group makes and models, so even though the A8 itself was a fairly niche model, there’s plenty of knowledge and parts available.The Audi brand is also popular with enthusiast motorists, too, so there’s a big online community offering support and parts supply.You need to bear in mind, also, that the Audi is a large, heavy, relatively powerful vehicle so it will consume its fair share of tyres and brake pads and this needs to be factored into annual running costs.

Audi has officially launched the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its new, third-generation Q5 mid-size SUV in Australia.Dubbed the Audi Q5 e-hybrid, it has launched much earlier in the model lifecycle this time around. There are still the classic SUV and swoopier ‘coupe’ SUV body styles.Competition in this segment is fierce and this new Q5 e-hybrid has to compete against the likes of the BMW X3, Lexus NX, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Volvo XC60, all of which now offer PHEV variants.The 2026 Audi Q5 SUV e-hybrid is priced from $96,818, before on-road costs, whereas the Q5 Sportback e-hybrid is $3500 more at $100,318, before on-road costs.This notably brings price parity with the Q5 TFSI quattro 200kW. It follows a similar structure Audi introduced when it launched the A5 e-hybrid last year and it’s a great motivator to incentivise electrification.The pricing also sees it compete with the following:Lexus NX450h+ F Sport: $96,090 before on-road costsMercedes-Benz GLC350e: $99,817 before on-road costsVolvo XC60 Ultra T8 PHEV: $101,990 before on-road costsIt costs a little less than the BMW X3 30e xDrive ($107,700 before on-road costs).Standard equipment for the Audi Q5 SUV e-hybrid includes:20-inch alloy wheelsMatrix LED headlightsPanoramic glass sunroofHands-free power tailgate11.9-inch digital instrument cluster14.5-inch touchscreen multimedia systemThree-zone climate controlLeather-appointed upholsteryHowever, opting for the e-hybrid brings unique features like:Sport suspensionBlack exterior packagePrivacy glass for the rear windowsRed brake calipersAuxiliary air-conditioningMultiple charging cablesOn top of standard the equipment, you can very easily add thousands to the asking price with optional extras:Premium pack: $5900Tech pro pack: $5400Winter pack: $1350Adaptive air suspension: $4650Ventilated front seats: $2200Front dash cam: $1000The 2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid is powered by a familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor. Total system outputs are an unchanged 270kW and 500Nm.It’s a step up in power over the Q5 TFSI quattro's 200kW and brings it in-line with the V6-powered SQ5. The claimed 0-100km/h sprint is 5.1 seconds. There’s plenty of oomph on tap, but when the petrol engine revs harder, the note isn’t awe-inspiring.Feeding the electric motor is a 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack that allows for up to 88km of WLTP-claimed electric driving range. This is up from 55km in the previous-gen car.AC charging has been upped from 7.2kW to 11kW, but fully charging the battery still takes 2.5 hours due to its larger size. There are no DC fast-charging capabilities.For 2026, all Q5s gain physical scroll wheels on the steering wheel. They’re easy to use and have a tactile feel. It feels like Audi should have had these from the start.However, it’s disappointing there still aren’t many physical buttons around the cabin. You’re required to use the touchscreen to change the climate control settings, for example. The few physical buttons are glossy piano black, meaning they easily attract fingerprints with use.Another difference is the new multimedia interface. It looks nice on the central touchscreen and the additional apps give the optional passenger display more use, but configurability on the digital instrument cluster has been reduced. It’s a big step back as Audi used to lead the game on this front.The rest of the Q5 e-hybrid’s interior is virtually identical to the regular Q5. However, boot space is reduced due to the placement of the battery. There is 438L in the SUV and 433L in the Sportback, expanding out to around 1300L with the seats folded for both.Like many PHEVs, there is no spare tyre available. There’s only a tyre repair kit which isn’t helpful if you have a proper puncture.The Q5 e-hybrid is a comfortable and serene place to be while driving around. It’s inherently quiet in EV mode and you barely notice when the petrol engine fires up.As standard there is sport suspension with frequency-selective dampers, but you can option adaptive air suspension which further irons-out road imperfections and allows the ride height to change.I’d personally save my cash as the standard set-up is compliant and supple enough.The Q5 gains a long-range radar for 2026 and it can occasionally be overly sensitive when using adaptive cruise control. Additionally, there is finally active lane-keep assist, but it tends to ping-pong within the lane.The Q5 e-hybrid comes with the following safety equipment:Nine airbagsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Blind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertAdaptive cruise controlLane-keep assistFront and rear parking sensorsSurround-view cameraSOS emergency callingLike all Audis, there is a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet.There are a total of 82 Audi dealer and service centres in Australia.

It feels like Audi’s Q3 has been with us since the dawn of automotive time, but it’s only 15 years since the compact five-door SUV began following in the wheel tracks of its larger Q7 and Q5 siblings.And this Sportback TFSI quattro 195kW is the current flagship of the third-gen version above the front-wheel-drive TFSI 110kW and mid-range AWD TFSI quattro 150kW.At $84,400, before on-road costs, it lines up against upper grades of its traditional German ‘Big Three’ rivals, the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA as well as other premium contenders like the Lexus UX and Volvo XC40.For that kind of money it’s fair to expect a healthy list of included features and this Q3 tips in 20-inch Audi Sport alloy rims, an ‘S line’ exterior styling package, keyless entry and start, three-zone climate control, all LED exterior lighting, a big panoramic glass sunroof, a power tailgate, heated electric sports front seats and leather-appointed seat trim.There’s also multi-colour interior ambient lighting, a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, 12-speaker 420W Sonos audio, an 11.9-inch digital instrument display, central 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, built-in nav, a head-up display, adaptive cruise, a 360-degree camera view and more, including exterior mirrors that do everything except sit up and beg, suspension with damper control and privacy glass.That’s a huge wodge of standard equipment for the category and to top it all our test car featured Madeira Brown matt effect paint for $6370, an Advanced lighting package (Digital Matrix LED headlights with selectable light signatures and animations) at $4225, a Black Exterior package ($2080) and different S design 20-inch alloys ($650). All up, $97,725, including GST.It may be a product of latent colour-blindness but I see this Q3’s eye-catching matt finish as a charcoal grey rather than brown. But either way, when combined with the angular slimline headlights, sweeping coupe-style profile and jagged tail-lights it gives the car a distinctive, borderline menacing personality.The standard S line treatment includes specific front and rear bumpers while a thin red light strip across the rear and illuminated four rings logo on the tailgate add a vibrant after-dark lighting signature.The cabin is clean, contemporary and brilliantly functional. A widescreen dashtop array houses the configurable digital instrument cluster and media display touchscreen. Ventilation control is via the screen but in typical Audi style there’s a physical dial for audio volume and other functions including the ‘drive select’ system.The steering wheel is flat on the top and bottom and the controls for indicators on the left and gear position on the right are more flat paddles than conventional stalks. A (successful) space-saving measure, it takes some getting used to but quickly becomes second-nature.Partial leather trim looks and feels quality, the sports front seats are top shelf and details like semi-floating armrests are a cool design touch while making it easier to close the doors.The Q3 measures just over 4.5m long but there’s plenty of room in the front and (for me at 183cm) a surprising amount in the rear. Lots of storage options around the cabin for cups, bottles and other bits and pieces with power and connectivity including a pair of USB-C sockets in the front and another pair in the rear.The boot holds a handy 488 litres with the 40/20/40 split rear seat upright, increasing to 1289L when folded. Not only that but the reclining rear seat slides for extra load flexibility.It’s also worth noting the Q3 can tow a 2.1-tonne braked trailer, which is pretty handy and a physical temporary spare is a much better option than the increasingly common repair/inflator kit.As its name implies, the Q3 Sportback TFSI quattro 195kW is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine sending 195kW/400Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and Audi’s quattro permanent AWD system. There’s no electrical assistance for the engine.Claimed zero to 100km/h acceleration time is an impressively rapid 5.7 seconds. Which not only sounds good on paper but feels great in reality.Maximum torque is available from just 1650rpm through to 4350rpm and mid-range grunt is not only healthy but delivered in smooth, linear fashion.The dual-clutch auto is sharp (in a good way) with rapid manual shifts available via wheel-mounted paddles if you’re in the mood to swap ratios through your favourite set of corners.Overall refinement is excellent and even riding on the big 20-inch rims (shod with 255/40 Continental EcoContact 6 tyres) the Q3 handles urban bumps and thumps well thanks in no small part to the damper control suspension.The system reacts to the road profile factoring in parameters including steering, braking and acceleration to continuously adjust damping for each wheel. Steering feel and response are spot-on, as are the brakes.  Claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy is 8.2L/100km and over 300km of city, suburban and highway running we saw an on-test figure of 10.1L/100km which is okay for a car with this kind of performance potential.All the active (crash-avoidance) safety features you’d want and expect in a car in this part of the market are onboard and work subtly. But if a crash is unavoidable there are seven airbags, including a front centre bag.A five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty matches key rivals like BMW, Genesis, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes and Volvo but it’s worth noting an increasing number of brands in the mainstream market are stepping up to longer seven, eight and even 10-year cover.Service intervals are 12 months/15,000km and a five-year plan will set you back $3330 or $666 per workshop visit, which isn’t out of order for the class. There are around 50 Audi dealers covering all states and territories including key rural centres.

A top-seller in France, Germany and in the UK, Audi Q4 e-tron volumes have never quite made an impact Down Under.It's not exactly hard to work out why.First introduced back in 2021 in Europe, Audi Australia waited until 2024 before it rolled the Q4 e-tron SUV and swoopier Sportback variant out locally. When it arrived, the premium all-electric compact SUV attempted to woo buyers with its stylish looks and upmarket cabin but its high price ruled out a challenge to the high-grade Tesla Model Ys that still account for most EV sales.Originally ripe for a replacement in 2027, Audi has recently admitted delays to the next-generation platform that should underpin the sequel to the small EV have meant that its current Q4 e-tron will have to soldier on until 2030.Later this year, the Q4 e-tron will be joined by the new A2 e-tron, yet another small crossover that is similar in size but be positioned under the entry Audi SUV.To keep the Q4 fresh, Audi will continually update Q4 e-tron from now on, with faster and cheaper variants already in the pipeline but the latest facelift is one of the biggest model upgrades yet carried out to any Audi, says its maker.Not that many will spot the body-coloured single-frame grille, revised lower bumper design, or even the fresh digital LED headlamps.At the rear, another new bumper and rear OLED tail-lights smarten up the Q4, but it's inside where designers and engineers blew the development budget.Climb in and you're now greeted by the same 'digital stage' hardware as the bigger, pricier Q6 e-tron.You'll love the new 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster that lives behind a single piece of glass alongside a 12.8-inch multimedia setup, and admire how smooth and intuitive all the tech is and appreciate the augmented reality head-up display.For the first time there's even the option of a 12-inch passenger display, which is unheard of in its class, Audi says.Sadly, you'll probably hate that designers have deleted the physical controls for the climate control, but to help compensate, there's a new round steering wheel that replaces the old car's squared-off tiller, and it features proper buttons and rotary controllers to help control some of the tech without having to dive into sub-menus.All the new tech runs the brand's latest Android Automotive operating system that introduces a ChatGPT-powered personal assistant.Under the skin, engineers have added a vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability, that allow owners to charge laptops, or an e-bike via a power socket in the rear boot, plus a vehicle-to-home (V2H) feature that can see the Q4 e-tron sell energy back to the grid, power your home, or be topped up using solar.In a bid to boost efficiency, the Audi Q4 e-tron is among the first VW Group vehicles to come with its latest APP350 e-motor that is lighter, features less internal friction and is blended with a trick silicon carbide inverter, new power electronics and fresh software that slashes energy use by 10 per cent.For now, it powers a new 150kW entry version that is paired with a 59kWh battery that provides for a 440km range for the wagon shape and an 8.1 second 0-100km/h sprint.A better bet for Australians is the Q4 e-tron Performance that misses out on the eco-donk but gets a single 210kW rear-mounted e-motor and a larger 77kWh battery for the longer 592km range that is combined with a brisk 6.6-second 0-100km/h dash.Also available will be the fast all-wheel-drive Q4 e-tron Performance that produces 250kW and sees the small Q4 e-tron launch from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds, although the distance it can travel on a single charge falls to 554km.When it comes to charging speeds, the entry and mid-spec Q4 e-tron can only be topped up at 160-165kW, while the all-wheel-drive flagship can now handle a top-up of up to 185kW.All take around 27 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up, which means the Q4 e-tron is about to be humbled by the inbound Mercedes-Benz GLA that arrives later this year, which should match the bigger GLB's maximum 320kW rate and 16-minute recharge.At least the Q4 e-tron is quicker than the older BMW iX1 that takes more than 29 minutes (130kW) but that car is also set to be superseded by a new model late next year.The good news is, when it comes to its 4.6m-long footprint, Audi says the Q4 e-tron still leads the small electric SUV class for interior space, with a surprising amount of rear leg- and headroom and a large 515-litre boot in the SUV/wagon versions.As part of the cabin overhaul there's said to be up to 25 litres of storage within, including a large 4.7-litre Jumbo Box between the driver and passenger.Dual air-cooled wireless charging pads have been added, which sit ahead of two new and improved cupholders.Behind the wheel, engineers have not been tempted to inject any extra spice to the driving experience. That means the Q4 e-tron still offers a smooth, quiet and refined driving experience, with low levels of wind, tyre and road noise.The two cars we drove rode on 20-inch alloy wheels, but it was the single-motor 210kW version delivering better levels of ride quality, compared to the quicker 250kW all-wheel-drive quattro version.Efficiency also seemed impressive with the single-motor version averaging a better-than-claimed 14.8kWh/100km on a mixture of driving.What's missing is the Audi is neither fun or engaging in a way we expect the next BMW iX1 to be as it will share much with the excellent iX3.Audi Australia has yet to confirm official pricing or spec for the Q4 e-tron, but the German brand has announced that all models will come with more kit than before. That includes standard sport seats, the Digital Stage dash, the dual inductive chargers we mentioned earlier, ambient lighting and a new air conditioner that can work while parked.Extras will include matrix LED front lamps, the passenger display, the augmented reality head-up display, three-zone climate control, adaptive dampers, a heated front windscreen, acoustic glass, a panoramic sunroof and a powerful Sonos sound system.Back in 2021 the Q4 e-tron was awarded the full five stars for safety thanks to up to seven airbags and a long list of driver assist tech, although that rating will be up for review as soon as next year.Like every other Audi, the updated Q4 e-tron should come with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, with a further eight-year/160,000km protection for the high-voltage batteries.The Q4 e-tron gets capped-price servicing package, with service intervals primed to be every 24 months or 30,000km.There's no word on pricing yet, but expect a big adjustment over the current car, which is priced from $84,900 (plus on-roads) for the most basic wagon and stretches to $107,900 for the quickest all-wheel-drive Sportback quattro.

The Audi Q3 195kW quattro is the current flagship of the new range.The 150kW is priced from $81,900 for the SUV and $84,400 for the Sportback and comes with adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery, a 10-speaker sound system as well as adaptive dampers and 19-inch alloy wheels.Powered by a 2.0L turbo-petrol four-cylinder, producing 195kW/400Nm, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with quattro (all-wheel drive), it is the most powerful member of the current Q3 range.But the extra power brings extra fuel consumption, with the 195kW quattro rated at a relatively thirsty 8.1L/100km.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

The Audi Q3 150kW quattro is the mid-range model of the new small SUV range.The 150kW is priced from $70,200 for the SUV and $72,700 for the Sportback and comes with adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery, a 10-speaker sound system as well as adaptive dampers and 19-inch alloy wheels.This model is powered by a 2.0L turbo-petrol four-cylinder, producing 150kW/320Nm. It is paried to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with quattro (all-wheel drive).Fuel economy for the 150kW quattro is a claimed 7.3L/100km.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

The entry-level model in the new-for-2026 Audi Q3 range is now known simply as the 110kW.It is priced from $61,600 for the SUV and $64,600 for the Sportback variant.Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery and a 10-speaker sound system.It is powered by a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid, turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 110kW/250Nm and sends all that performance to the road via the front wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.Fuel economy is rated at 5.8L/100km for the 110kW model.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

The new, third-generation Audi Q3 arrives with big expectations. It’s the best-selling model for the German brand in Australia, so it needs to retain all the elements that have made it a sales hit while trying to expand its appeal. We drive the new Q3 110kW, 150kW and 195kW models to see if Audi has done enough to keep its small SUV ahead of rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Volvo and more.

When I say this is a rare review, I’m talking about the kind of rare that means you can’t even buy the car you’re reading about. In Australia, there are only 22 Audi RS6 Avant GTs. A couple of days to live with one should reveal how special this car feels, and result in at least one example of the rarity being driven good and proper.

It takes a brave carmaker to launch a new sedan variant into the market, given Australia’s obsession with SUVs.Kudos to Audi for expanding its A3 small sedan and hatch line-up with a new grade that sits at the top of the tree, before you get into S3 and RS3 performance car territory.The key difference with this new grade - called the A3 TFSI quattro 150kW S line - is an upgrade from the 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol unit found in the A3 35TFSI, to a punchy 150kW four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.You also get an extra helping of standard gear, different wheel designs and more premium options.The new TFSI 150kW grade is offered in Sportback hatch guise for $62,800, before on-road costs, and the sedan we tested from $65,800.Focusing on the sedan, that price is an $8000 bump from the entry-grade 35TFSI. On the flipside, it represents a $16,000 saving compared with the spicy S3 sedan, and you get a nice dollop of performance with the 150kW engine. More on that later.If you’re considering other small premium sedans, there are really only two - the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe in 220 M Sport guise at $63,400 and the Mercedes-Benz A250 4Matic from $75,400. However, Mercedes recently dropped the A-Class sedan from its line-up so you’d be looking at whatever’s left in dealer stock.The Audi is $2400 dearer than the BMW. Their performance figures are similar, although the Audi gets 20Nm more torque and it’s one second quicker to 100km/h. Standard gear wise they line up pretty well.Equipment highlights include 18-inch alloy wheels, S line styling, keyless entry and start, heated electric folding, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, heated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, three-zone air-con, ‘MMI navigation plus’, digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10-speaker audio and a solid list of standard safety gear.Our test car came fitted with a panoramic sunroof ($2000), metallic paint ($1350), black exterior styling package ($1200) and the 'Premium plus package' ($1990) that adds a head-up display, privacy glass and Sonos sound system. That brings the price to $72,340.The current-generation Audi A3 landed in Australia in early 2022 but it benefited from a mid-life facelift in early 2025.Whether you opt for a sedan or hatch will depend on your own preferences and needs. I prefer the hatch design but the sedan tested here is handsome, if a little conservative. The optional black exterior styling package adds a sinister vibe. It’s sleek enough and the current Audi lighting design looks good, but it’s not breaking any rules.The A3’s interior is a mixed bag. The leather-appointed front sports seats look schmick and offer excellent support and comfort, while the three-spoke ‘S’ perforated leather steering wheel looks and feels perfect.I’m not sold on Audi’s current interior design. Angling the multimedia and central controls towards the driver is a good thing, but it creates this pointy centre element to the dash that results in a feeling of being hemmed in as a front passenger. The air vents have an appealing shape but there’s a lack of cohesion to the overall layout.The console design is functional with two cupholders, a small central bin, wireless charger and two USB-C ports, but the electronic park brake lives on a different panel to the gear shifter. BMW’s current set-up of having everything housed in the same section feels more considered.Audi gets a massive tick for keeping physical controls and buttons. The air-conditioning controls are housed conveniently just under the central screen and they are easy to use. Below that are buttons for hazard lights, the 'Drive Select' drive modes, auto parking and the idle stop function. Thank goodness you don’t have to trawl through a series of sub-menus to turn that off.The 10.1-inch multimedia screen looks small by today’s standards, but the system is mostly logical and easy to navigate. When Apple CarPlay is active, the Apple menu is displayed on the right of the screen, next to Audi’s in-house menu. It doesn’t take much to accidentally press the far right screen and end up in the wrong menu.Audi’s 12.3-inch ‘Virtual cockpit’ digital driver display is excellent and has for many years been one of the best in the business.One final gripe from the driver’s seat is the cruise control stalk on the steering column. It feels like an afterthought and it’s hard to see. Surely those controls would fit on the steering wheel?Rear-seat legroom is decent without being generous and there’s more than enough headroom for this 183cm (6.0') tall reviewer. Space across is okay but you wouldn’t want three adults back there.There are two more USB-C ports in the rear plus adjustable lower air vents and two map pockets. A fold-down centre armrest features two cupholders, while only narrow bottles will fit in the rear doors.The boot can swallow 425 litres and that increases when you lower the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats. The boot is long but has a high floor. There’s a temporary spare wheel hiding under that floor.On the road is where the little Audi sedan shines. For the most part.The new grade is powered by VW Group’s excellent 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine delivering 150kW of power and 320Nm of torque. It’s paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and drives all four wheels via Audi’s 'quattro' all-wheel drive set-up.There’s a lot to like about this powertrain, including the engine note. It sounds pitch perfect when pushed.Turbo lag is evident on take off and sometimes it’s more noticeable than others. But when you accelerate already on the move, it picks up speed rapidly. It’s so responsive.Sure, it’s not as punchy as an S3 or RS3, but for a non-performance grade, this 150kW A3 is plenty quick.Steering response is excellent. The A3 changes direction without hesitation, which is something of an Audi trait.The brakes are strong and the seven-speed transmission changes gears at just the right moment, although if you switch from 'Comfort' to 'Dynamic' mode, the transmission occasionally holds gears a little too long.Dynamic mode also improves response and makes the engine note a little shoutier.The A3 150kW TFSI sedan offers loads of grip which comes in handy in corners. It remains flat in tight bends and feels infinitely chuckable.The payoff is the ride quality which is firm, meaning you feel potholes, road joins and everything in between. It’s not busy, however. And it’s not so sharp that it’s a turnoff. Simply something to be aware of if you value comfort above all else.The grippy but low-profile Nexen 225/40/R18 tyres are partly to blame for this, as is the sportier suspension tune.It’s not the quietest cabin with some exterior noise like coarse chip road surfaces making their presence felt.On the plus side, the advanced driver assist tech is unobtrusive for the most part.My final fuel economy figure according to the trip computer was 7.7 litres per 100km, which is more than the 6.6L/100km official claim. In fairness, I could’ve reduced that figure if the A3 wasn’t so much fun to drive.