Our Chief Ed thinks that Audi has gotten it right with the facelifted Audi A3. While it has less power, it has no less soul
Singapore – The facelifted Audi A3 has finally made it into Singapore. Just a year ago I took Audi’s smallest sedan for a spin around Bavaria’s B-roads, and thought that it was quite brilliant.
But perhaps with less power produced by that 1.5 litre mill, the new A3 does pale a little when compared to when it was first introduced here in 2021. Back then, the original 1.5 litre four-cylinder mild-hybridised engine produced 150hp and 250Nm. While the numbers ensured that the then A3 easily had sufficient grunt-on-tap, rising COE prices did not do the premium compact any favours.
In reaction, many brands naturally found it beneficial to field cars which complied with the Category A COE power ceiling. Of the German “Big Three”, BMW got innovative with their small X1 SUV, where they fielded a “powered down” Singapore only sDrive16i variant. Perhaps this was the best demonstration of how competitive and price-sensitive Singapore’s premium compact sector really is. With the A3, Audi’s initial response to this COE hike was with a 1.0 litre three-cylinder variant.
A Cleaner Exterior
With the new car, changes to the exterior are quite subtle. For those less familiar, they’d need a second take to notice the difference. Audi has notably tidied the A3’s exterior by reducing the amount of frosted chrome. There is a new-wider grille which gives the car added road presence, and the logo, which used to sit within the grille has been “pegged”, just below the edge of the bonnet. For an added dash of personalisation, Audi have also allowed for a little customisation, with three new lighting signatures for the A3’s daytime driving lights.
A Well-Sorted Interior
Well, there was nothing broke to fix in the first place. The A3’s interior has largely been untouched, save for the only notable exception of the shift-by-wire gear selector. Over here, they have replaced it with the one from the e-tron GT. Wooo… now you have bragging rights.
The infotainment’s interface, which is the simplest among its competition, is also the easiest to navigate. Like its peers, the infotainment has voice-activated controls, but it is not as comprehensive. Over here, it is all business, as it does not even tell jokes.
After spending a considerable amount of time in the A3, during my recent Audi Fuel Efficiency Challenge – where I was in one of two teams of four, vying to win the said competition, I would dare say that the A3’s interior is ergonomically brilliant, and also has the best fit and quality among its peers.
Leg and headroom, which it shares its floorplan with its VW Golf cousin, are also well-sorted for both front and rear occupants. With a 425 litre boot, it sits between the BMW 216 Gran Coupe’s 430 litres, and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Saloon’s 420 litres.
Decent Grunt, Splendid Drive
In this lower state of tune, the 1.5 litre four-cylinder puts out 114hp and 220Nm. While it is nothing much to shout about, it actually is quite adequate (though I am spoiled by the higher tuned version). The 1.0 it replaced, which produced 108hp and 200Nm, did have a few many drawbacks than I would have liked.
On a side note, sister company Volkswagen, did field a prefacelift Golf with a Cat-A COE version of this engine; where it produced about 130hp and 200Nm. While it provided the VW with decent performance, I noted that the engine did suffer from a few flat spots during acceleration.
Back in the A3, the 1.5 litre in this re-worked iteration has less power but more torque. The tweak is for the purpose for improved efficiency, and more importantly, improving drivability. The latter quality is evident during heavier acceleration, where delivery somewhat mirrors that of the 150hp variant, albeit noticeably with less urgency. Over here, it takes an additional 1.5 seconds to reach 100km/h.
With all that out of the way, I feel that the lower-tuned engine more-than-easily holds its own, be it cruising in the KPE, or when “opening up” on the North-South. The engine also has the same fuel-sipping tech as with the pre-facelift. The 48V Mild-Hybrid (MHEV) system plays a key role in the car’s stellar fuel economy. Under acceleration, the system’s belt alternator starter (BAS) kicks in, where it delivers a small boost of 12hp and 50Nm, to help the engine bring the car to speed. The MHEV architecture keeps all the car’s vitals alive, permitting the engine to “sleep”, whenever you lift-off the accelerator; while allowing you to glide over considerable distances.
The second part of the “fuel sip tech”, is the engine’s cylinder on demand (COD) system, which deactivates two of the four cylinders when cruising. It does this without you noticing, meaning in short, you are at times driving on just 750cc. Put your foot back down, and you’d not even realise that you’re back on four cylinders.
On roads like the KPE tunnel, I quickly found joy in capitalising on its downward sloping stretches, where I could simply lift-off, and let gravity do its job. In two combined driving runs, I averaged 19.2km/l under rush hour traffic, and 24km/l with less vehicles.
While this A3 is equipped with a less expensive torsion-beam rear suspension, it does handle with plenty of confidence. You can sink the sedan into a bend, with near sports car-like agility. It feels nothing short of accurate, with handling probably bettered only by BMW’s new 116 and 216 Gran Coupe.
The only time I noticed the rear-end showing its traits, was when taking the car around bumpier corners, where the rear tends to skip over rougher surfaces; however, the small sedan remains predictable, and the suspension communicates well-enough.
This is in my opinion, quite the brilliant drive. Sure it has lost some grunt compared to when it was first introduced, but it certainly hasn’t lost any of its soul.
Text & Photos: Clifford Chow
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Brilliant drive | I still like more performance |
| Quality interior | Rear suspension does take away some of that refinement |
| Excellent fuel-saving tech |
2025 Audi A3 Mild Hybrid 1.5 TFSI S tronic
| Drivetrain | Petrol-electric mild hybrid |
| Layout | 1,498cc, inline 4 |
| Power / torque | 114hp / 220Nm |
| Transmission | 7-Speed Dual-Clutch |
| Efficiency | 16.1km/l |
| Fuel Capacity | 45 Litres |
| 0-100km/h | 9.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 201km/h |
| VES Band | B |
| Dealer | Audi Singapore |
| Price | S$216,999 with COE and VES |
| Verdict | The new Audi A3 drives brilliantly, while MHEV tech keeps fuel costs low. A great first impression for new customers to the brand. |
