Audi A3. Compact and comfortable
Audi A3 is a compact C-class car from the German automaker Audi AG, belonging to the Volkswagen Group. It has been producing since 1996 to the present days. 3 generations have already been released, and each of them has a restyled version. The first generation was produced from 1996 to 2003, the second generation was produced from 2003 to 2012, the third generation which appeared in 2012 was restyled in 2016, and the fourth generation of this small family car came into the world in 2020. You can purchase both the third generation, which went through restyling in 2016, and the fourth generation of Audi A3 2020 in Cabrio, Sedan, and Hatchback 5-doors in the Israeli market today.
Audi A3 is a reliable, beautiful and fast car that enjoys well-deserved recognition. Throughout its history, Audi A3 has received many awards such as Golden Steering Wheel from ‘Bild am Sonntag’ and Auto Trophy from ‘Autozeitung’. Three times it was the Best Car according to the readers of the German ‘Auto Motor und Sport’ magazine. It was twice Car of the Year in Brazil and South Africa. Moreover, it was awarded as the World Car of the Year in 2014.
The long list of awards is well-deserved, Audi A3 combines compactness, efficiency, rapidity, comfort, provided by an impressive range of options, and the last but not least is safety. This is confirmed by the Euro NCAP test in 2012: the overall safety rating of the Audi A3 for an adult passenger was 95%, 87% for a child, 74% for a pedestrian, active safety - 86%.
The first generation
The first generation was produced from 1996 to 2003, and restyled in 2000. The first A3 – a front-wheel drive 3-door hatchback – was designed on the Volkswagen platform - PQ34. The fourth-generation Golf was then assembled on the same platform. The 5-door hatchback came on the market in 1999, and a 4WD version and a ‘charged’ modification - Audi S3 - appeared at the same time with it.
The second generation
The second generation was produced from 2003 to 2013, having gone through restyling twice - in 2004 and 2008.The second A3 moved from the fifth generation Golf to the new PQ35 platform, became larger and more spacious and got new options. At first, a 3-door version appeared, then a 5-door A3 Sportback was produced, and a convertible with a cloth roof appeared in the lineup in 2008. The assembly of the convertibles was carried out by the Hungarian representation of Volkswagen.
The third generation
The third generation of Audi A3 has been produced from 2012 to the present days; however, in its restyled version of 2016. The third A3 was based on the universal MQB platform. It made the car more dynamic, safe, and steerable. The safety of the third Audi A3 generation was rated with a maximum of 5 points by Euro NCAP crash test in 2012: the overall safety rating of the Audi A3 was 95% for an adult passenger, 87% for a child, 74% for a pedestrian, and the active safety is 86%. The exterior of the third A3 became more aggressive and sporty. The car has looked smarter. Its body lines took an especially expressive shape. As the result of the restyling in 2016, the Audi A3 got not only a new appearance, but also richer equipment, modern technologies and a revised engine range.
The entire Audi A3 family has been upgraded in the spring of 2016. Restyled models got not only a new appearance, but also richer equipment, modern technologies, and a revised range of engines.
The fourth generation
The fourth generation of Audi A3 came into the world in March 2020. New Audi A3 combines compactness, efficiency, rapidity, and comfort, provided by an impressive range of options. Audi A3 of the fourth generation has lost its 3-door version for the first time in history. A3 is available in sedan, convertible, and 5-door hatchback ‘Sportback’ modifications now. You can distinguish the Audi A3 of the fourth generation from the third generation by new headlamps with characteristic branches at the bottom and slightly extended grille. Plastic overlays on the bumper, imitating the air ducts, catch the eye. New A3 became longer and wider, and the trunk volume was increased from 340 to 380 liters. However, the interior of A3 is hard to recognize! The new 10.1-inch display fits into the front panel, is slightly turned to the driver and already available in the basic set. There is a new virtual dashboard with a 12.3 inch screen. A projection display is alsoprovided.
