Used 2018 Audi A3 Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Not bad but maintenance costs are rising...
Mark, 07/12/2022
updated 07/14/2023
2018 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium Plus 4dr Sedan w/Prod. End 6/18 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I like the look and the handling of this car. I have had the S-Line Premium Plus since new - almost 5 years now. Had multiple recalls on the passenger airbag, but all done FOC by Audi even if a bit annoying. As per a couple of other reviews, the shift is jerky especially when cold and when the AC is on. Had a VW CC previously with the same jerky transmission ....seems Audi/VW can't get an auto transmission to shift smoothly in low gear. However, when accelerating the shift is very smooth indeed. I'm now starting to run into maintenance issues and the first one was the water pump - also mentioned in another review. Once the water pump goes the thermostat (installed next to the pump) also tends to go out (they are plastic...) so I had both replaced together per the repair shop recommendation. Audi wanted over $2100 to do the job but I found a 5* local place on Yelp and they did the job for $1200. Not cheap. The guy told me the A3 water pumps go out 'like clockwork' around 5 years old. Mine has 65k miles. So if you're looking to buy used be aware of this issue....and be sure you can find a good shop to do your repairs or you'll be paying (high) Audi prices...! Overall the car has served me well for the 5 years I've driven it. I hesitated over a 3 or 4* score but opted for the 4* in the end as I do enjoy driving it and I like the looks of the S Line. Hope this helps someone who is researching the vehicle. Update July 2023. Have been driving the car now for 5-1/2 years. To make a long story short the mechatronics unit on the gearbox failed at about 76k miles. I had to have it towed to the dealer. They tried to get some warranty from Audi USA as they considered this to be an exceptional failure at that mileage but Audi corporate wouldn't agree to a single dollar. Cost to replace the mechatronics unit including labor is $4k. This has colored my opinion of Audi and I'm no longer a fan. Reducing my rating to 3 stars.
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Fun to drive, comfortable and good economy!
Pete, 07/07/2019
updated 01/08/2020
2018 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium Summer of Audi 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This is a good car if you like a car with good handling, good performance, an upscale feel and look, and good economy on regular gas. The quattro has more horsepower but the FWD has plenty of go.
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2018 Audi A3 for sale near you
3 of 19 listings
- 2.0 TFSI Premium SedanMSRP: $14,80032 mi away
- 2.0 TFSI Premium SedanMSRP: $18,99032 mi away
- 2.0 TFSI Premium Plus ConvertibleMSRP: $20,75023 mi away
See all 19 listings
Will never get another Audi
Astian, 10/05/2018
2018 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium 4dr Sedan w/Prod. End 6/18 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
18 of 26 people found this review helpful
I’ve only had the car for 6 months and within 3 months I already started having problems with the Bluetooth/ apple carplay. The Bluetooth would just say “unavailable” and refuse to turn on or work at all, also the car randomly “unrecognizes” the key fob and won’t start. The seats (unless you opt for the sport seats) are extremely uncomfortable, and the start/stop system does not work properly. Sometimes the car will actually turn off completely and I have to put the vehicle in park and press the button to turn the car back on. The sunroof also makes a loud creak when opening it. But the dealer can never “reinact” the problem so they just do a “software update” and had me back the keys. I’m so glad I’m leasing this vehicle and not buying. Never have I had so many problems with a brand new vehicle. This will be the last Audi I ever drive.
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Very nice car with reliability issues.
Tom B, 07/22/2021
2018 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium Plus 4dr Sedan w/Prod. End 6/18 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
When I began considering Audi I was unaware of the A3, thinking the A4 was the smallest sedan Audi offered. I was pleasantly surprised and initially loved my purchase. The car is nice to look at, handles well, has good punch to the engine and interior appointments are very nice. BUT, reliability is killing my joy for this car. In the 3 years I've had it the water pump failed, the main computer failed (Audi couldn't even figure out how to fix this, and they just reset it to factory defaults after a week of trying to troubleshoot why the car would not start with push button), thermostat failed, couple of other issues that kept the car in the shop for a couple of days each time. A3 has had three recalls while I have owned it (3 yrs), two of which Audi says they are not even fixing now. Warranty is running out in a couple of months and I reluctantly am looking at other brands. I want to like the Audi enough to keep it, but almost $3000 for a 2 yr extended warranty, with the issues I've had, just doesn't cut it. Going to take that money and use it for a down on another brand. Pity, as I really like the Audi styling. CR says the A4 and A5 have better reliability, but I like the size of the A3. Guess I'm headed to a BMW 2 series.
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What a Shame
CBFARCH1, 09/05/2019
2018 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 4dr Sedan AWD w/Prod. End 6/18 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 8 people found this review helpful
I absolutely love the look of this car and it handles fantastic at highway speed, but sadly, it gave me problems since the day I drove it off the lot 2 years ago and I'm about to trade it in for a different German make. First off, this is NOT meant to be a city vehicle and the ride on bumpy city streets destroys the car and the interior rattles like crazy as a result. It is maddening for me and not what I expected from a "luxury vehicle". I have to turn the radio up to drown out the noise. Next, the moon roof area squeaks and rattles after every rain. Only after rain! Next, when the engine is cold the transmission shifts into gear REALLY HARD. Like whiplash hard. Why? Audi could never explain this. Next, one of my vents would blow ice cold while the others blew hot. Sometimes I had to turn the temp all the way up to get any heat at all. Finally, my experience with the dealership service department at multiple locations was horrendous in acknowledging any of these issues. The response was either "it's normal" or they would replace something completely random under warranty to justify their time spent "troubleshooting".
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