Used 2016 Audi A3 Convertible Consumer Reviews
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Awesome convertible - Tricky transmission*
Ron Nascimento, 01/13/2017
updated 07/17/2018
2016 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
This is my first Audi. I had a VW Polo before that I really loved and this Audi rides even better (sure more power, better transmission....). My biggest concern about this car is the transmission while maneuvering. most specifically when shifting from Reverse to Drive, it always makes a funny noise and you can feel that something went wrong. After a while you get used to it and if you are patient enough to wait 3 seconds it wont happen. I was really surprise that nobody reported this issue on the previous reviews. Different from what most people say about not using the back seat, I have a 19 months baby that loves to ride with the top down. Yes, space is limited but you have to keep that in mind and use a larger car on longer trips. The quality of the materials are SUPERB!! Everything is extremely easy to use and perfectly located. Driving it on back roads is an awesome and relaxing experience. The short wheelbase, powerful engine and excellent suspension makes you feel like you are driving a Formula 1. It hugs the asphalt on every curve and the feedback from the steering wheel is outstanding. This is my 2nd year with the car and I'm loving everything about it.
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Empty Nesters Love 2016 Audi Cabriolet
Nathan, 06/28/2016
updated 01/14/2022
2016 Audi A3 1.8 TFSI Premium Plus 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
23 of 26 people found this review helpful
Wife and I are "empty nesters," making the A3 cabriolet perfect for us. The ride is quiet, sufficiently powerful and "luxury smooth." The standard leather seats are very comfortable. The inside is laid out thoughtfully and everything is accessed conveniently. Car is quite handsome with top up or down and the convertible top is incredibly easy to operate in all respects. The Audi 3 seems to have all the latest technology---as much as I could possibly need and deal with. The ability to leave my iPod home and enjoy all my music from a custom-loaded, tiny sound card is just one of the many very nice little extras I discovered after buying this car.The windscreen is a great standard feature that is remarkably effective in minimizing the wind inside the cabin---wife thankfully no longer needs to put the windows up when the top is down in order to protect her hairdo. Only oddity is that power seats are not available at any price---no problem for us, though, since I am pretty much the only driver. The car is a bit pricey but the quality seems to be there and I've learned that you get only what you pay for. Thus, I'm confident this A3 cabriolet will be a durable and reliable car for us for many years to come. It is truly a pleasure to drive and I'm quite proud to be seen in it. Twenty Months Post Purchase: I’ve now owned this car for about 20 months and my opinion, above, is confirmed by my 20 months of ownership. One caveat to my opinion: My Audi is stored throughout the winter months. Therefore, my experience is based upon May through November driving, only. I can’t comment on winter performance. Also, the complementary service included with the purchase of this car is minimal, at least when I purchased it. Only the first oil change is complementary and prices for everything at Audi are quite steep, as they are with most Euro luxury brands. Nevertheless, all things considered, I’d buy this car again and continue to be very proud of it and pleased with it. Updating today, 7/2/2018, after two years and a few months of ownership. I store the car in winter and drive sparingly in summer. Thus, barely 5,000 miles on odometer. That said, no problems at all. Still enjoying the car very much. Totally reliable. Learning of its oddities, like when you drop the top, the windows automatically go up, not down! When you play music from the SD card, you have re-check the shuffle option every time you turn the engine off and re-start. You have to spend money to change the brake fluid after two years, even though you have only 4500 miles on the car? Other than such oddities, I'm perfectly pleased with the car and plan to keep it either until things begin to act up or the styling changes significantly. Rumor has it that this A3 cabriolet model and the A5 cabriolet will soon be discontinued and a new A4 convertible will replace both of them. My guess is that if this happens at all, it won't be for at least a few years. Then, I'll probably get the new model. But for now, I'm perfectly pleased with this beautiful red convertible. Updating in July 2019. Owned our Audi 3 for 3 years and 3 months, now. Still thrilled with it. Can’t be told from the 2019 model. Drives beautifully, though we don’t even have 7,000 miles on this car. It remains immaculate and nothing has had to be repaired. Actually, I prefer it to the new one as I prefer my two tone dash and trim—-newer models are all black. Also, the USB port on the newer models is on the dash. If you plug in, you have exposed cables all over the place. On mine, the ports are inside the elbow rest, where you stow the iPod and there’s no wires, no devices exposed, etc. My 2016 is much preferable to the newer models in that regard. Perfectly satisfied with this car and it’s holding its value reasonably well, too. I may keep it for the long haul—-15 years or more. Updating now—-January 2020. Still very pleased. Car is stored all winter so last year’s mileage was just a few thousand new miles. One or two minor, nuisance recalls but no mechanical problems. Checked out cars on the market to replace this one but there are none I like better or even as well for under $55,000. Will keep this Audi 3 at least for a while. The convertible model is now discontinued so mine will still look newish. Buying it in 2016 was a very smart move. I continue to enjoy the car and constantly get complements on it. It's now July 2020---into our fifth year of ownership. No problems. Car continues to drive like new and look like new, though only 8500 miles on odometer. Not thrilled that I have to change the brake fluid every two years---even after so few miles but they say that doesn't matter. It's matter of time that rules. Also not thrilled at high dealership fee for this service---went to independent guy who did it for half. Still very happy with this beautiful convertible though. I'd buy it again and plan to keep it for rest of my driving life. Starting year 7. No problems and still looks and drives like new. This one will someday become a classic car.
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Great Handing Good Acceleration with Good Mileage
BobMar46, 04/12/2019
2016 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Prestige quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Mine is a Prestige level Cab and I am basing my review on that. Handling is great. Mine has the sport package with larger wheels and tighter suspension. Steering is precise and gets more so with speed. Quattro makes a difference both on dry pavement and when winter weather is bad. When weather is good it largely eliminates torque steering under high acceleration that is an issue with most front wheel drive cars. Quality of materials inside is great. I particularly like the simplification of controls and lack of clutter. There is no inside gas cap or trunk release even. The former is not needed as the cover still locks when the car is locked. Lack of the latter makes it difficult for someone else not familiar with where to release the trunk to open it. I find the seats to be too hard. It is not an issue on normal drives but on longer drives the seats can become uncomfortable. That brings up one shortcoming. The Cab did not on this year have power seats. I am usually the only driver, so perhaps that is not as important to me as to others with frequent multiple drivers. In later model years they have corrected that. Music is important to me and the B and O sound system (standard on Prestige and optional on other trims) sounds great. It has a very natural sound and enough power that at 75 MPH with the top down still sounds clean and balanced. That said, sedans have a sub-woofer but the Cab does not. IMO it is not right to have fewer standards on a more expensive model. Nevertheless the cab has an amp with a channel for every speaker and each is balanced to the speaker and environment. This is the second best factory upgrade system I have heard. There are fewer choices on convertibles than there were before. One nice thing about German convertibles is the roll bar that will be deployed if the car senses a roll over. There are roll bars that deploy behind the rear head rests if that is sensed. I view that is important. Open air driving is fun in the right weather. But I do not want to do that without safety. From a looks standpoint, I have had more compliments from strangers on this car than any I have owned before. My wife, who thinks anything that will get you there that does not need repairs frequently, thinks my choice of cars is based on other people’s comments. It is not, but I still do like the compliments.
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Fantastic!
Carolyn, 11/08/2015
2016 Audi A3 1.8 TFSI Premium Plus S Line 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
13 of 21 people found this review helpful
This car is classy and so much fun to drive. The A3 is for someone who wants luxury and affordability.
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Love my Audi!
Talayna Marco, 07/28/2016
updated 02/02/2017
2016 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I absolutely love the way my new car hugs the road when I drive. It drives like a dream! The stereo is great too, I can hear it perfectly clear with the top down!
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Great but Place of CD poor
richard stevens, 10/17/2016
2016 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium Plus quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
0 of 10 people found this review helpful
CD should be like the A5. Putting it inside the glove compartment is poor. The blind or land change light is excellent !!!! The change to your songs is poor. This too should be put in your glove compartment not in the instrument next to your hand. That part should be open to keys etc. My A5 was far better !!!
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