Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Audi A3 Sportback (2013-2020) - Reliability and Safety

A five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating and excellent Driver Power showing make the A3 Sportback an attractive proposition

Reliability and Safety rating

3.8

How we review cars
Find your Audi A3
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Audi A3 finished an impressive 27th out of 200 cars in our Driver Power 2015 satisfaction survey – way ahead of the Mk2 version, which came 180th. That made the car the third-highest ranking Audi in the poll; only the Q3 (14th) and the A5 Sportback (26th) finished higher in the chart. Unsurprisingly, the A3 Sportback’s highest category score came in the build quality section of the survey; owners ranked it a superb sixth here.  

Advertisement - Article continues below

The MQB chassis underpinning the car is used widely in other VW Group models, where it has proven reliable. The same goes for the engines, which have no known weaknesses – although the recent emissions scandal will have tarnished Audi’s brand image in the eyes of some consumers. 

Euro NCAP awarded the Audi A3 a full five-star rating in its independent crash tests, and there’s a whole raft of safety systems to help prevent accidents. These include a lane departure warning system, optional adaptive cruise control, hill-hold assist, and a ‘Pre-Sense’ programme that tensions the seatbelts and closes the windows if the car enters a skid. There’s even an optional self-parking system to ease the A3 Sportback into tight spaces.

Warranty

Audi supplies the car with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which includes unlimited mileage cover for the first 24 months. The 60,000-mile cap takes effect in year three. If you want to extend the warranty to either four years and 75,000 miles (capped in years three and four), or five years and 90,000 miles (capped for the final 36 months of the warranty), Audi will charge you £245 or £545 respectively. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

e-tron Sportback

2023 Audi

e-tron Sportback

44,384 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £23,700
View e-tron Sportback
ZS ELECTRIC

2020 MG

ZS ELECTRIC

24,494 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £11,000
View ZS ELECTRIC
Defender 90

2025 Land Rover

Defender 90

15,622 milesAutomaticPetrol5.0L

Cash £89,000
View Defender 90
Polo

2020 Volkswagen

Polo

32,886 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,200
View Polo

The advanced lithium-ion battery on the e-tron model comes with its own, separate eight-year/100,000-mile manufacturer cover. However, one caveat is that Audi will not replace the unit within the warranty period if its capacity degrades by between 10 and 30 per cent, as the manufacturer says this is normal wear. 

Servicing

The A3 Sportback is now available with fixed-price service deals such as Audi Complete, which should help to keep maintenance bills in check. Depending on how you drive it, the company recommends two service schedules: if you cover less than 10,000 miles a year and do lots of shorter journeys, it says the car will need a minor check every 9,000 miles or 12 months and a major service every 19,000 miles or 24 months. Drive more than 10,000 miles with lots of motorway use, and a flexible maintenance programme is brought to bear.

One note of caution about the A3 Sportback e-tron: it’s not sold or maintained by every dealer in the Audi network. Only 34 specialist centres across the country are set up to handle the plug-in hybrid, so check carefully that you live close to one of these before placing your order – or at least keep in mind that you may need to travel.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,295
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £18,185Avg. savings £3,831 off RRP*Used from £9,900
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,915Avg. savings £1,803 off RRP*Used from £18,900
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £2,598 off RRP*Used from £7,649
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

EV affordability alarm! Running costs are £6k higher than for petrol cars, say car clubs
BYD Atto 3 - front cornering

EV affordability alarm! Running costs are £6k higher than for petrol cars, say car clubs

Running costs for car share club EVs are £6k higher than ICE equivalents according to new data
News
8 May 2025
Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change
Protyre area manager Simon Hall inspecting a Vauxhall Corsa's tyre

Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change

The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories
News
12 May 2025
Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future
Mazda MX-5 EV exclusive image - front

Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future

The next Mazda MX-5 roadster is set to be offered as a pure EV, and our exclusive images preview how it could look
News
10 May 2025