Used 2022 Audi A3

The 2022 Audi A3 premium compact sedan enters a new generation for this model year. Like the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the 2022 A3 caters to those who want most of the features and class of a large luxury sedan — such as style, tech, equipment, and refinement — but in a smaller package.

That said, the 2022 Audi A3 and S3 are slightly longer, wider, and taller than before, and they also have more horsepower and torque. The A3 now has a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that adds power during take-offs and improves fuel economy significantly.

The 2022 Audi A3 and sporty S3 variant are on sale now. At some point in the summer of 2022, look for the potent Audi RS 3 with 401 horsepower to arrive.

KBB’s Andy Bornhop had a chance to drive the 2022 Audi A3 sedan and the S3 in the mountains above Denver. Reports Andy:

The 2022 A3 is quiet, refined, and roomy for its class. With a 10.1-inch touchscreen and an optional 12.3-inch digital gauge package, the updated interior looks great, as do exterior styling updates highlighted by a new honeycomb grille and revised hood sculpting.

But at these Colorado elevations, this compact Audi A3 sports sedan with 201 horsepower doesn’t feel especially quick. It’s adequate, that’s about all. Audi says the A3 hits 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, which feels about right.

In the new A3’s favor is a new 48-volt mild-hybrid system whose torque helps the S3 make light work of mountain grades. The standard new hybrid system operates seamlessly and requires no action from the driver. It uses an electric motor within the transmission’s bell housing to add 12 horsepower and 37 lb-ft of torque, boosting the power at launch while also improving this Audi’s fuel economy significantly.

The front-drive 2022 Audi A3 is rated at 29 mpg city/38 mpg highway/32 mpg combined, whereas the 2020 equivalent (there was no 2021 Audi A3) achieved 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway/30 mpg combined.

Much more powerful (and fun) is the new 2022 Audi S3. While this sport-tuned model may not have the nifty mild-hybrid system of the A3, the all-wheel-drive S3 does have the familiar turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that puts out 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. This means there’s no lack of power in the S3, which hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and has sport seats and a chassis tuned to complement the added power.

In addition to cross-drilled 14.1-inch front brake rotors and a ride height lowered by 0.6 of an inch, the most notable update on the new 2022 S3 is its standard adaptive sport suspension, which Audi says works more effectively than the magnetorheological active dampers used on the previous S3.

In the twisties above Denver on varying types of pavement, the S3 Quattro underscores Audi’s claims. Aided by the new suspension, the 2022 Audi S3 responds beautifully to driver inputs and feels totally composed in high-speed bends. And fortunately, this prowess on curvy roads doesn’t come at the expense of ride quality, which remains good even with the aggressive low-profile Bridgestone summer tires on 19-inch alloy wheels.

To please enthusiast drivers, Audi fits the S3 with a stability control system that can be switched off full or into a less intrusive sportier mode.

The new 2022 Audi S3 just works. It’s quick and sporty — with precise, progressive-rate steering and a dialed-in suspension –  yet totally luxurious and comfortable. There’s not much rear legroom when the front seat is all the way back, though. Lastly, while decelerating in the Dynamic driving mode, the burbles and pops of the S3’s turbocharged engine serve as a nice little aural reminder from Audi that internal combustion isn’t done yet.

Compared with its predecessor, a small increase in dimensions has resulted in almost an inch more headroom up front and a little extra shoulder room. Not that the third generation was cramped in this area.

The wheelbase stays the same, so if anyone found the rear quarters too small before (35.1 inches of rear legroom), that won’t seem any different this time around. That’s still better than the A-Class and 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Up at the business end of the new A3, the dashboard and instrument cluster are enlivened by a new 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital driver display. It’s generally a high-class, high-tech environment. This cabin could easily look the part (if it was scaled up) in something bigger and more expensive, like the Audi A6.

The new A3 is slightly longer, wider, and taller than before. Most of the time, we’re talking fractions of an inch. Only the length gets on the other side of the decimal point, stretching 1.6 inches to make 14.8 feet in total. Trunk space stays the same — just about enough for three sets of golf clubs.

Any accusations of blandness leveled at the old A3 don’t apply to the new model. This one looks like an Audi from the future. It’s also more aerodynamically efficient than before. The coefficient of drag is an impressive 0.26, aided by a paneled underbody and smoother mirrors.

An optional Black Optic package is available for both the new A3 and the S3, bringing a black roof and black exhaust tips. The S3 has a standard quad exhaust system as well.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
The A3 skipped the 2021 model year, when most vehicles in Audi’s portfolio gained an updated infotainment system called MIB 3. Unsurprisingly, it’s better and faster. Ten times faster, apparently, and compatible with Amazon Alexa. An on-board digital assistant is activated by saying: “Hey, Audi.”

AUDI DESIGN
Each beholder sees their own version of beauty, but it can be argued that Audi design is influential. Just look at Hyundai’s output. Even though the A3 is Audi’s most affordable new car, the company hasn’t skimped on the style we’ve all come to know and appreciate. Which is exactly how it should be.

A lively luxury sedan scaled down to city-friendly size, the 2022 Audi A3 comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats (with lumbar),  four USB-C ports, and 3-zone automatic climate control. Safety technology includes automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high beams.

The excellent Virtual Cockpit configurable digital driver information display is standard, measuring 10.25 inches on the diagonal. A 12.3-inch version, the Virtual Cockpit Plus, is also available. The standard infotainment system comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, customizable user profiles, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration.

The 2022 Audi S3 has its own set of features that include all-wheel drive, adaptive sport-tuned suspension, run-flat summer tires, full LED headlights, LED interior lighting, Park Assist, sport front seats covered with diamond-stitched Nappa leather (also heated/8-way power-adjustable, but with greater lateral support in anticipation of higher cornering speeds) and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

The midrange S3 Premium Plus model comes with adaptive cruise control, anti-theft alarm, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, and a wireless charging.

The upcoming Audi RS 3 will up the sporting quotient with extra power, a more aggressive suspension, a bold new body, and a torque-splitter clutch system that’s more effective than a typical limited-slip rear differential at directing torque to individual rear wheels.

A $1,900 Convenience Package for the standard front-wheel-drive (FWD) 2022 Audi A3 Premium includes an anti-theft alarm, Park Assist, power-folding mirrors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. This A3 also is available with a $1,650 Black Optic Sport Package that includes 18-inch alloy wheels and sport suspension.

The A3 Premium Plus can be ordered with the same Black Optic Sport Package and a $2,250 Technology Package that includes the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, navigation, Traffic Sign Recognition, and a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system.

The top Prestige trim already has most of the available extras (plus a head-up display), so the only notable option is the Black Optic Sport Package.

Options on the 2022 Audi S3 Premium include the Convenience and Black Optic packages above,  19-inch alloy wheels with summer tires, a $1,100 S Sport Package, which includes the adaptive suspension and red brake calipers, plus a $1,250 Nappa leather upgrade.

The Audi S3 Prestige caps the lineup with the same two packages available on the S3 Premium. Its standard equipment list also includes luxuries like birch interior trim, head-up display, matrix-LED headlights (with animation), and headlight washers.

We expect the new 2022 Audi RS 3 to be available with Nappa interior leather and new RS Runway instruments that display values in the opposite direction and in a fashion that looks a bit like an airplane runway — with the highest speed in the foreground and lowest in the background. The digital gauge package also includes displays for g-forces, lap times, and acceleration.

Other RS 3 options include high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes and an RS sport exhaust.

The 2022 Audi A3 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 201 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. A 7-speed dual-clutch automated transmission sends power to the front wheels — or all four when Quattro all-wheel drive is ordered.

In the Audi S3, a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine develops 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. A 7-speed dual-clutch automated transmission is standard, as is all-wheel drive.

When the Audi RS 3 model arrives in summer 2022, it will be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine producing a mighty 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

It mates to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the rear differential is replaced by what Audi calls a torque splitter. This new feature uses multiple clutch discs on each rear axle, which allows the outside rear wheel to transmit more torque in corners to improve vehicle agility and tighten the cornering line. The RS 3 also has a controlled drift mode in which all the available rear torque is sent to only one of the rear wheels.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (A3 40 TFSI)
201 horsepower @ 4,200-6,000 rpm
221 lb-ft of torque @ 1,450-4,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 29/38 mpg (FWD), 28/36 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (S3)
306 horsepower @ 5,450-6,500 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-5,450 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/32 mpg

2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 (RS 3)
401 horsepower @ 5,600-7,000 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 2,2500-5,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy (estimated): 18/27 mpg