Used 2009 Audi A3 Consumer Reviews

Think it over

When I first bought this car I loved it! It is fun to drive, the stick shift is fast and with a few modifications this car can look nice. Good gas mileage, good sound system. I really like everything about this car except. It has given me so many problems. My car is only two years old now with 40,000 miles and currently in the shop again. My battery has gone bad after only two years! Unbelievable! I replaced the starter in the car twice, once at 8,000 miles and another at 20. Don't know how long Audi will cover it but I think there might be a bigger problem causing it. I also replaced the stereo system because of a malfunction and the windshield wiper sensor (hazard with no ww in the rain

Fast, Fun, Reliable, and Comfortable!

I have owned an Audi A3 for three years, and appreciate it more and more each day I drive it. The turbocharged 2.0T engine is very zippy and the short-throw 6-speed manual transmission makes driving the A3 particularly fun, but what really sets the car apart from its competition is its fantastic handling. The car loves curves and the tires stick to the road like glue. From the moment the car accelerates onto an onramp, the solid feel of Audi's suspension and quiet cabin give the passenger a sense of confidence at highway speeds. Even after three years of daily driving, nothing has broken on my A3 and its been to the shop only for its regularly scheduled and warranty-covered maintenance.

A3 Is my bad boyfriend

This car is all I ever wanted, fast, fun, charming, you don't see as many of this on the streets so it is even more unique. I call it my bad "boyfriend", I am so in love with it, I can't move forward to another car and I know the car is a lot of trouble. In a year in half that I have owned it, it had 2 problems, one with gas sensor and seal and today I am having jerking transmission and the dealer does not want to recognize it. I have read forums and a lot of people have experienced the same issue with the same dealer's answer. Buy it, you will love it, but be careful it can break ur heart when you start having mechanical issues. I still love it even that is problem car!

Re-Review to BAD

I posted a review after I bought my Audi last August raving about it. I now wish to retract my raves! The ride and fun level are all great...but I am burning thru a quart of oil about every 1000 - 1500 miles! I can't even make it to a regular oil change without the light coming on or me putting oil in it sometimes twice. Terrible! I am dumping this thing before it dies on me. I drive 120 mile a day and can't risk being left on the side of the road, Audi care or not! I am going back to a Honda or Toyota...loved both! Too bad, such a beautiful car.

A GTI in a suit

I needed to replace my 11 year old TT roadster with a larger car. I was looking at 2-3 year old A4 Avants but they were too expensive. Last week I bought an A3 used with 30k on the odometer. I just finished a 1000 mile road trip in 100+ degree heat at an average speed of 85 mph without a single problem. Great power from the 2.0 turbo that emits a wonderful snarl when you floor it and the dual clutch transmission is an able dance partner in the twisties. The dual zone AC kept the cabin of my black on black skyroof equipped A3 cool and comfortable while we cruised through the Mojave desert and the engine temp needle never budged past the middle of the dial. Great little car!

Looks good but constant minor issues

My 2009 Audi A3 driver side door does not work with the fob. The other doors work fine. The shop says the door lock actuator needs to be replaced total cost $750! The low oil light keeps on popping up. I have not gotten an estimate and will wait until my 105k maintenance. The car looks and drives well. Also, the MPG is pretty good even on Premium gas. However my old and ancient Camry seems to have less constant minor issues.

Quattro for life

Bullet fast. Sticks to the road like glue. Modern interior design. Awesome sound system. Torque and horsepower to spare. Quattro all wheel drive. This car is worth every penny, and is truly a driver's car. The A3 3.2 is a total blast to drive. Spent the better part of 1 year comparing the A3 3.2 Quattro to the IS 250 AWD, Infiniti G35, Acura TL, and the BMW 325xi. The Audi is the thinking man's BMW, whatever that means. Gas mileage not all that great, but nobody buys a 250 hp v6 for the gas mileage... you buy it for the big grin it puts on your face when you hammer the throttle. I love this car, go buy one now!

Car is sharp looking, when it's not in the shop!

Grandson took out his first loan to buy this car just before graduating.Dealer mechanic says,"got just 1 thing to fix on the engine. The dealership says "we'll pay a $1000 , you pay a $1000.Ok, did that. Drove the car for an half hour or so, light comes on again. Found a bit of oil leaking, not much, not even on the floor. The last two months the car has been in the shop more than on the road,& his money has ran out & he's 3 payments in to the bank. The last visit to the Audi dealer tells him to offload the car, it needs a new engine. There were metal shavings in the oil pan when drained? 90,000 miles, & $10,000 later ,he's screwed! Still owes the bank the money, can't drive the car, & still has his first years college to pay for! Hell of a lesson to learn! They say German engineering is the best?

Most FUN car EVER!

In my years of owning different cars, one car stands out as the most practical, the most fun, and provides the most absolute joy when driving. That one car is my 2008 Audi A3 3.2 Quattro with DSG. I have gone from (in order of ownership) 87 BMW 325iC to 99 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro to 02 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro to 05 Audi S4 Cabrio to 08 BMW Z4 Coupe (Sunday car) and 08 Audi A3 3.2 Quattro DSG (everyday car), owning the last two the same time. I was a bit torn deciding between the Z4 and A3 before I moved to Chicago. I decided I just need one car so I had to sell one of the two. Needless to say, I sold the Z4 and decided to keep the A3. Sure the Z4 was sexier, faster, and just had more prestige maybe for the lack of a better word, but overall, I simply thought the A3 was just the car to keep. I am glad I did. I didn't want to regret giving up the A3 again. Rewind back to 2009, I actually owned a 2007 A3 3.2 Quattro DSG in 2007. After two years, Audi offered to buy it back from me, so I did sell it to Audi. It was a mistake because I really missed that car shortly after. And in the U.S. production stopped that year. So I went looking for another but none available -- not the A3 3.2 Quattro. So for some time I had the 08 BMW and I got myself a Subaru Tribeca as my everyday car. By chance I went looking for another A3 again in 2012 and found my now 08 Audi A3. Hallelujah! This Audi A3 is pure joy to drive. I have gotten out -- without digging around the car first -- of 19 inches of snow here in Chicago in the Blizzard of Super Bowl 2015; I have taken corners in this car that I probably would not dare take in any other car; I have gone up a circular freeway on-ramp at high speed enough to scare (and impress) my friend while he hung on for dear life to the "Oh Sh!+" handle; I have passed many cars on an uphill climb without the engine gasping for air. And what's another thing that makes this car such a delight to drive? It's that buttery and silky smooth dual sequential gearbox (DSG). Whether I'm driving in automatic mode, or sport mode, or manual with the option to switch gears with the stick or paddle shifters, the double-clutch transmission is so silky smooth and quick shifting up and down. Of course, when down shifting it may not feel smooth as the engine will roar down-shifting at high speed, but that engine sound sure is music to my ears. I know there are other cars that can outperform this car out there. But for the what I get out of this 5-door hatchback -- 250 HP, 255-lb torque, DSG transmission, just to name a few -- there's no other car out there for me. I can now and honestly say, "I love this car!"

a year and 30k miles in my A3

I bought my 09 A3(2.0T w/S-tronic) in July 2012, with 51k miles, now has 81k miles. MPG has actually gotten better, and I routinely get over 30 commuting to work(22 miles one way). Had to replace the electronic throttle, but other than that, I've spent $2.5k on regular maintenance--tune up, oil changes, brakes, tires. The seatbacks came unglued, so i simply super-glued them back together, with no issues. The armrest also came undone, but to replace the top portion, it will cost me $200, so that will also be super-glued back. I will consider the 2015 A3 when it arrives, though i'll also be cross-shopping with the Volvo V60(soon to arrive), and the new GTI.

Nice ride, but it will cost you

Akin to what another reviewer described - the A3 is a great driving car, too much fun (as evidenced by multiple speeding tickets). But... I've gotten to know my service dealer a little too well. Driver's seat fell apart - warranty-covered fix. Fuse box melted - warranty covered that. It's a turbocharged car, so you have to replace the spark plugs every 30k mi. It didn't help that the injector coil also went out on me. Ugh. Now at 80k miles, the engine light is going on, and there's no identifiable reason. The engine was cleaned out (pistons), various valves and manifolds were replaced, yet after $900 in repairs, it's still messed up with the engine light brightening my interior lighting. The 25k/50k/75k services at the dealer ran about $500-$700. Oil changes run $100. Premium fuel. No off-dealer maintenance shop will replace the transmission fluid as that's Audi special. My next car will be a Mazda - all the same driving fun, with less costly repairs.

Not Reliable...Never Again!

Just after warranty, the manifold went bad. The injectors went bad. After five years of ownership the main engine seal and the oil separator went bad ($2,000) and the fuse housing under the hood melted ($675). I have been driving for 32 years and I have gotten bad gasoline with this car twice. Never before in 32 years has that occurred. The car is over engineered and too temperamental. VW's I've owned were also unreliable. If you have plenty of money and time to spend at the shop, you may consider this a fun car.

Fun to drive. Poor to maintain.

We bought 2008 A3 in 2015 with only 27000 miles on it. It is FUN to drive! It feels like a race horse wishing to run! This thing is made for highway driving. It's ability to accelerate and maneuver is the best I have ever felt. That said, it is annoying to drive in city. The least little bit of pressure on accelerator causes it to jump, sometimes too far too fast! It is very uncomfortable / awkard to get in and out of, and I am an average size American guy (5'8, 200 lbs). The worst aspect is the inability to find qualified, reliable mechanics who are willing to work on the vehicle. I have owned Ford, Isuzu, Honda, and Toyotas. I never had an issue with find qualified mechanics with those brands. Here, it took awhile to find one outside of a dealership. Audi has a management software that few mechanics have access to, and I live in south Florida, not middle of nowhere Montana, North Dakota, etc.! Also, due to low profile, going over any railroad tracks or potholes can be annoying at best, or expensive at worst. We went over one, and fractured the radiator support, which needed to be replaced. I saw later that it was made completely of plastic! How cheap! A front-end structural support made of plastic, how cheap on Audi!

Problems with Audi

With only 5,000 miles on my brand new A3, the power window is broken, the power seat for the driver is broken, and now the transmission is giving problems. I will never buy another Audi again. This is the most problamatic car I have ever had, worst than the old Ford Explorer. I am going to ask for a refund.

Overall a great car

I test drove many vehicles for about 6 months. Between them were BMW 328x & 335x, Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti G35x and Lexus IS 250 AWD. Audi A3 overall had all the features that I wanted, AWD, cargo flexibility, compact size, powerful engine and a good level of luxury. The A3 is impressive the way it handles. Coming from a previous S4 I was worried that the car wouldn't satisfy me but it has proved me wrong. I like this vehicle more and more as a continue to drive it.

Simply well done

It was at the Atlanta Auto Show that I fell in love with the Audi A3. My current car due end of its lease was a 2006 VW Touareg. A wonderful SUV yet it was not something I would ever get again unless diesel was offered. Simply put, small engine pulling around a heavy car. Out of all the cars I saw that day, I decided the A3 was the one. Next day I leased a metallic grey pearl, open sky, premium package, and s-tronic automatic. The 2.0 engine, I believe, coupled with a flawless DSG will allow this car to drive well beyond 100,000 miles. The Open Sky, while novel, and great if rear passengers are present, is very hot in the summer.

I would buy it over and over again

After the fuel crunch I decided to get rid of my Mercedes E-500 AMG. I looked for fun, reliability, some luxury, good dealer service and a car that was practical. And I found all of it in the A3. Tried the 3.2 version and it ws not much better. I love driving and commuting on my A3. Nothing fails and if you go on-line you can find a few "easter-eggs" that Audi engineers left as a gift in hiding. It handles like a sports sedan and hums like a sprts car. It is just the perfect car for the person with a few bucks, without the need to be a show-off.

Great car

This is my forth Audi. I've had two 5000's an A6 quattro and now this 2008 A3 2.0T 6A. My wife drives it most of the time. We both love it. Have 11700 miles on it. No trouble at all. I highly recommend the ca.

Gets in its own way

This is a great car if you like going to the dealer. Mechanically, it is perfect but the build quality is a disaster. Handles great, fast, average over 30 mpg in a mixed commute. Easy to park in the city. All of the doors have been taken apart for wiring harnesses being out of the clips. The radio was a mess. Seat belt receiver replaced, etc. Now I have 2 mystery rattles, the drivers door handle and an exhaust rattle.

Before I purchased my A3, I had been longing for an Audi for quite some time. Dealer made the new A3 more financially attractive than a low-mileage A4 from the prior model year. I have not regretted my decision and now have ~17,000 mi. on the car. No major mechanical problems. No quality issues except for poorly tracking sun-roof shade. The engine is peppy. There IS turbo lag, contrary to what some critics have said, but the torque band is band is broad and smooth once it is engaged. DSG works nicely and allows driver to drive all speeds in manual fashion. Lovely steering wheel. Intuitive gauge placement. Supportive seats, although more side bolstering would be nice. Love the QUATTRO.

King of the Mountain

Considering how many times a season I head up to the ski slopes here in Colorado a 4wd hatchback was a must. Coming from a Subaru family I started my search there, but was put off by the WRX's insatiable need for speed.. however thanks to this site I stumbled upon the Audi A3 and haven't looked back since. I'm able to hold highway speeds in the worst snowstorms and the A3 doesn't even wiggle when charging through the midlane muck. Weaving in and out of traffic while pulling up I70 is a breeze, one swipe of the paddle shifter and I'm gone. But more-over, its the fit and finish that has won me over, everything is just as it should be and that coupled with the handling is pure eloquence.

Buy this car now.

Great car. Driver's car. Not floaty like IS 250 or G35. Very responsive, fast, engine has a very nice growl to it. Quattro is unmatched, do the research. 3.2 liter engine + Quattro = 0-60 in 5.9 at least. Tons of great standard options such as autodimming mirrors, bose upgraded audio system, rain sensing wipers. I love this car.

Don't buy

So much for German engineering; they have not discovered aluminium. All the interior design is in plastic with silly parts that break and are not covered by the warranty. I used the back seat arm rest once and it broke; I plugged an ipod in the cigarette lighter and it broke; the two moon light roof hatches broke; the bolt that holds the spare tire broke, etc. In addition, the car gets a check engine light every six months (and deal with the service people.) It's the only brand that charges for rental car while on service, contrary to what they said at purchase.

Love Love Love It!

I had to get a 4 door b/c I was pregnant but I wanted as close to a sports car w/4 doors as possible. After much research and reading, I found the A3. I am a true car junkie- grew up reading my dad's car mags & this car does everything I need it to and more. I have the S-Line & although I got the automatic instead of manual trans (hard to shift & find binkies), it is a blast to drive! The acceleration esp when you go to pass is amazing- put your foot down &/or downshift & it just goes! I know it's a little small (I'm 5'2") but my 6' husband & tall step kids all fit w/my Britax car seat. I love the hatch & when the time comes, I'll just get another one!

One of the worst Audi models I’ve had.

I’ve driven mostly Audis ever since my first Audi 5000 s. By far, this is one of the poorest quality made and designed. I’ve owned the old school 5000 and 200, A4’s, A6’s, 100’s, and now an A3. This ‘entry level’ is plagued with broken wires in the door looms, faulty ignition switch, faulty steering lock mechanism, faulty water pump housing which is made of fragile plastic, faulty dsg system, faulty timing chain issues which Audi/VW had a class action against and settled, faulty gaskets. Basically everything that can go wrong with an ice car, this Audi A3 has it, like it’s the first car Audi ever made. Absolutely appalling how the quality has drastically been overlooked. I had a 1999 Audi A4 which was much more reliable and quality built and drove well over 300,000 kms. Only good thing about this A3 is the fuel economy and it’s quick off the line. Also, the stereo is horrid in terms of sound quality, it must’ve been designed by a tone deaf individual. I’m sure it’s great when it’s a new car, like most cars. Do not buy this car used unless it the mileage is under 80,000 kms.

Great car, poor execution of technology

I just picked up my car last week. Having driven VW for over 15 years in the 80's and 90's, I knew exactly what to expect. The engine is amazing, the S-tronic (DSG) transmission is fabulous, mileage has been great right out of the box. I am left scratching my head trying to figure out how a $34K car can be missing so many things that were on my $23 Kia three years ago! Auto headlamps, auto-dimming rearview mirror, integrated garage door opener, remote starting available (it's not!). Also, no memory positions for seats & mirrors. These are items that you shouldn't even have to talk about in 2009! A great car; highly recommended IF you can deal with these oversights from Audi.

The big little German

I've had this car now for a few months and am still impressed. I reviewed all the others in its class with extensive test drives for its competitors. The package is unmatched - performance, looks, build quality. This is the sexiest wagon on the road bar none. Strong selling points were: Great gas mileage 26/31 (actual). Adaptive lighting - to be able to see that deer around the corner before you hit it. DSG - Audi Innovation. Super smooth - six speed. Speed sensitive steering - No other car in its class has this. Overall, very few do. Easy steering in the parking lot that tightens as you go faster. Blue Sky package. Top notch audio - stock system rock too. Price/performance

I Love This Car!

This car is an absolute riot! The A3 is truly an Audi, truly a German automobile. One might be inclined to assume that the bottom-of-the-line Audi is just that, a tepid facsimile of the brand. On the contrary, the A3 possesses all of the presence and character of a complete European luxury machine. I continue to be amazed with the build quality. The driving experience is just phenomenal. The engine note is something that must be experienced; you'd never guess a small five door could sound this wonderful. I could gush unapologetically about the car for far more than 700 characters so I will conclude with this summation: This car is sick!!!

Loving It For 2 Months Now

Picked up an '09 A3 2.0T Quattro DSG in January. Now that it's broken in & I've started pushing it, I'm very impressed with the performance. The auto shift is flawless & returns decent fuel economy (about 22mpg in city so far), but when pushed (or in Sport mode), this car can go. Punch it when you need to pass & you're smoothly up to 80+ before you know it. Exterior & interior fit/styling have been excellent w/ no issues to-date. The only minor flaws I've come across are the floor mats (not very wear or stain resistant), how the bright yellow passenger airbag off indicator stands out from the rest of the dash lights, & the lack of small storage compartments for coins or other.

Excellent, Fun Car for the Money!

This is a great car, and I have had plenty to compare it to. I also own a Prius, which I kept, but I wanted a "fun" car, and I got that. I know everyone raves about the automatic, but frankly I love the stick shift. It is very responsive, and once you get use to the great distance the clutch goes in (I am only 5'4") shifting is very smooth! I have an hour drive to and from work everyday, and this has made it a pleasure!

Perfect City Car; Compact Luxury.

After years with an A4 Avant, this has not been a step down at all! I figured I would be sacrificing space and luxury for MPG and the convenience of a compact, but not really the case; roomy interior and meticulous detail (I could live without the carbon fiber trim look, however). Way easier to park in the city, better mileage, and far quicker than the A4. Overall, if you don't need the Quattro I can't see a reason to get a new A4 Avant when this option is out there.

Awesome car

This is an awesome car and fun to drive. Would recommend this over 3 series any day. Shifting is really smooth and the acceleration is great, got upgraded stereo and S-line package and I feel it was worth the money... stiffer seats/suspension. Heated seats work great and the AC cools down nice and quickly.

Fun Fast Practical - One Package

Satisfaction on a car purchase is all about previous experience and expectations. Previous: I've owned BMW's (328is, 528i). Mercedes (E350), Lexus (GX470). Love the tightness of a German car, combo sport and luxury. Need: I drive 15k/year, mostly highway with some 2 lane windy roads. My 528i had 160k miles, facing $5k on brakes, airbag sensor, struts, etc. I was also getting about 23mpg. Wanted something fun, fast with good mpg and room for family (wife, 2 girls). Enter A3: This car is about as perfect (based on my expectations/needs) as one can get. It is tighter than the BMW's, fast and fun. 30mpg - driven hard. Sunroof, stereo, leather seats, bluetooth all create luxury feel.

1-Year Update on A3 2.0T DSG

I'm nearing 1 year of ownership! Haven't put on many miles (13k), but most were hard miles through Boston. Car was outstanding in the winter, traction control and stability performed very nicely. I was considering the Quattro when I bought it, but now I'm glad I didn't spend the extra 8k, it's not worth it. No mechanical problems to speak of. I found out that a golf bag won't fit in the back without putting the seat down. Maybe time to upgrade to an A4 Wagon? If only it had the A3 interior. Oh yea, and for those confused by the fact you can't tilt the windshield wipers up in the winter before a storm, turn the car off then hit the wiper lever, they come half way up!

2008 A3 2.0T (DSG)

uses way too much oil! I am afraid to drive it a considerable amount of distance.. I check the oil one day, and although remarkably dirty,its full. The next day I drive it 100 miles give or take.. when I get home I have NO OIL, and there was no alert telling me that the oil is low!!I have taken it back to my Audi dealership 3 times and it is going back for #4. One more chance!otherwise this is a great car. I'd rather not sell it because of the poor treatment that I receive at the Audi dealership that I use. Come on Audi. Once we buy your car - we are family! Service Managers need to treat us better!! Audi drivers want performance,high quality, and 6 star treatment!!! thanks!

Sports Car plus

I wanted a sports coupe, but couldn't live without a backseat and some cargo space. The A3 completely fits the bill. Great engine; amazing transmission; handles like it's on rails. Small size makes it tossable and zoom with an efficient engine, but the A3's real secret weapon is the practical space. Audi doesn't want you to know this, but the back seat in the A3 is bigger than that in the A4. My kids love it! True, it is not a bargain, if you price things on a per-inch basis, but if you value things because of how good they are, not just how big, you will love this car.

Love the A3!

This is my 7th Audi including A4s and a TT. I love this car! The 2.0 engine is a tremendous improvement over the old 1.8. The A3 is quick, has great handling, is nicely appointed and is a kick to drive. New car pricing is a bit hefty, but I bought mine at the end of the year and saved a lot. In '08, if you wanted AWD you had to buy the 3.2L engine, and the price got pretty high. I understand that they are working on the pricing issue for '09. My wife has an Acura MDX, but now she's borrowing the A3 whenever she can grab it.

Why didn't I buy one sooner?

Having been a BMW loyalist the last 8 years, buying a hatchback from Audi was a huge leap of faith. It was, however, the best decision I could have made. If you don't get silly with some of the options, this vehicle provides the optimum balance of performance, fuel economy, prestige, utility, and comfort. There are plenty of other cars that do each of these better, but the whole of the A3 is greater than the sum of its parts. Taking off ramps at 25+ MPH gives me the same giddiness as my last BMW did. It turns heads, and the interior is extremely well thought out. The trunk holds a lot of space, the mileage it gets is quite respectable, and it turns heads wherever I drive.

Tire noise destroys a good relationship

I had read other reviews that indicated tire noise could be a problem, especially with the Pirelli P6 tires. I thought I had escaped that fate as the first year was great; lot's of fun to drive, average 32.5 mpg overall, reasonably peppy and good brakes and handling. After the 16,000 miles service and tire rotation the tire howl began. I returned to Audi service who tell me that alignment and suspension are in spec and the tires are cupped which is causing the road noise. The noise has only gotten worse. Plenty of tread left but unless the Pirelli tire dealer I see Saturday does something to adjust this, I will have to report to Audi and Pirelli that they have lost a customer for life.

Just bought this car and its a blast!

We came on the lot looking for an A4 and drove off with this one instead. The baseline A3 is pretty boring, but the S-Line is amazing! The Blue Sky package makes this car look very unique. Also got Sirius radio with the Bose audio package. The sound couldn't be any more clear. We'll follow-up if anything bad happens, but so far so awesome! If you go to Audi of Tysons Corner, make sure you ask for Ron! Very cool guy and extremely low intensity.

Great Improvements Made for 2009

We've had our A3 for about 3 weeks and love it. We custom ordered it in June. The car is similar to previous 2008 models except almost all the suggestions from previous years have been implemented. It now has modern interior materials/buttons, sporty front end like the A4. Mirror turn signals, and AUX input for the iPod, nicer computer in dash etc. The stereo also plays MP3 discs. Ours has bluetooth as well which is now part of the S-line pkg. For those thinking of getting a GTI, please drive the A3 too. It is not that much more money but is a much better car. There are also a couple of new colors which some people might prefer.

Dream Drivetrain Finally Available

I've had my eyes on this car since it first made it to the US for the 2006 model year, but was always frustrated by the lack of availability of the 2.0T with quattro. I was looking for a great car to downsize and go more fuel-efficient without having to sacrifice. When I found out that the 2.0T was going to be available with quattro for 2009, I placed an order in June and have had my car for 2 months now. Couldn't love it more. It is a blast to drive and makes you want to drive more. The engine is peppy and very refined for a 4-cylinder turbo. The handling is firm and sporty. The ride is remarkably composed for a small car and firmly planted. Oh, and it looks great inside and out.

Fun and Style

Purchase my A3 six manual with convenience pkg, cold weather, sky, Sport pkg, titanium pkg. I think is worth every dollar spent. Fast, solid and very comfortable to drive. Got 2000 miles and I love it so far, is fast, great in snow, cornering, steering and brakes, sound Bose system is superb, is the best car I ever bought. Who needs memory seats? How many times you use them? Is built right !

Fun, Practical, and Cool!

Having driven my A3 for 7+ months now, I am very happy with this purchase. My previous car was a Subaru WRX, which made me consider what I would give up in performance with an A3. Well, now I realize that for 99% of my driving, the Audi provides more than what I need. (That 1% is pushing it beyond my comfort zone anyways.) The A3 gives you refined power and handling. It is a smart blend of style and practical considerations in a sports sedan. It has been a very responsive, comfortable, and rewarding driving experience.

Great car

Bought '09 A3 quattro s-line with DSG. Options not chosen are sport package and audio package. Too much money for 6-disc and sport sport package includes things I do not want to pay for. Great car, but 6-disk should come standard for $40K. Quattro is seamless. Performance is very good but so far gas mileage is not what I expected - but only have 5500K so far. Hope it gets better with time. Quality of materials is good but fear that paint is not up to Canadian winters (or summers). Already have chips and scratches. No USB connections.

Nice compromise between GTI and BMW 3

My Audi A3 6MT is a blast to drive. It has mostly every feature I could ever want. It gets great mileage, is comfortable, fun, sexy. If you're looking at a cheap BMW 3 series, but don't want to spend $38K to get the options you want, but don't want to settle for a VW, then this is the car for you. Audi really knows what they are doing!

Best deal for your money

I live in San Francisco and the A3 is the perfect size to park anywhere. Gives great gas mileage and takes off quick without the whiplash. I love the smooth transmission. One down fall would be the temperature controls. The knobs take awhile to adjust the temp. You have to turn it click per click or hold it a while to go from cold to hot. But other then that I love my Audi A3.

Entry Level Luxury

A well conceived vehicle. Lots of utility with a great mix of style, luxury, comfort, sport and utility. Perfect for people who live in large urban cities.

3rd audi

Went to my local dealer and drove a 2009 A3 2.0 quattro with bluetooth, open sky, and satellite radio. Even though I thought I wanted a manual again I got such a good deal plus really wanting quattro I bought the 09. The DSG transmission is growing on me. I have always maintained my Audi's and never had any reliability issues other than normal wear and tear items. The A3 is well built and is versatile. It is a perfect car for running errands in town but also does well on longer trips.

Not worth the money

Needed a hatchback for our big dog. At least got that goal accomplished. Other than that: short gear ratios (2,500 rpm at 60mph) ruin the gas mileage. No fun at all on highway / interstate. What is the point putting the GTI gearbox (built for 16 year olds) in an Audi? Same audience? Car seems to have some kind of slope sensor. Transmission doesn't shift up when going up hill. Car runs uphill at 3,000 rpm and need shift manually i.o. to save gas. DSG transmission is nice but hypersensitive. It's a roller coaster ride when car is cold. A/C has a mind of it's own and takes a scientist to operate. Blower keeps changing speed. No homelink. No self-contained sun visor upgrade available.