2008 Audi A3 Consumer Reviews

Fun, Practical, and Cool!

Written by: youngmc8 on 11/29/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

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.

Favorite Features

DSG transmission with shift paddles - you gotta try these!

Suggested Improvements

A solid, instead of mesh, inside sunroof cover for those hot sunny days.

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Love the A3!

Written by: BobJ on 11/15/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

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.

Favorite Features

Great handling, 2.0L engine, interior design.

Suggested Improvements

Offer an affordable Quattro version with the 2.0L engine.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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This is one bad little car

Written by: puroman on 10/31/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

First road trip with the car using sport shifting with the dsg and was completely gobsmacked by the performance of this car. Goes like stink, handles the curves like it's nobody's business and that transmisssion is without a doubt the best in the world and worth the extra cash. Throw the back seats down, throw the dog in, and off you go. Lots of room for two with luggage and that's all you need. Gas mileage is superb for a car with this performance. Too bad is has to be high test but you can't get everything. Ipod setup is easy but info on instrument panel could be a little more informational and clearer. But just go drive (faster if possible) you will love this car

Favorite Features

DSG, performance, gas mileage, exterior styling especially the front

Suggested Improvements

Wish the open sky opened a bit more. Maybe if the back moon roof opened

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Excellent, Fun Car for the Money!

Written by: ASM on 09/05/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)

Review

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!

Favorite Features

Styling, manual shift, great pickup, the hatch back (I can fit tons in this car for its size), great sound system.

Suggested Improvements

More features should come standard, rather than as "options", more storage, move the cupholders so large drinks don't inhibit the manual shift.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Sports Car plus

Written by: philsoc8 on 08/03/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

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.

Favorite Features

Transmission, engine, handling, drivers seat

Suggested Improvements

More options should be standard.

4 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Great Car!

Written by: Bzk on 07/15/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

After owning several Audi vehicles, I can say that i'm a big Audi fan. So, when it was time to change my car again, I took to my local Audi dealer for my base model A3 with DSG. This car is great and I saved a good amount of money by not choosing many costly options. I'm pretty much happy with all standart equipment such as dual A/C, great stereo, excelent transmission, well designed and built interior and exterior. If you want a Audi vehicle, beware of costly options. This car can go well over $30k with a few check marks on the option list. Oh, did I mention how great the gas mileage is?

Favorite Features

Exterior and Interior design and built quality. Great engine 2.0t and DSG transmission. Excelent stereo!

Suggested Improvements

Standart Ipod and/or usb connection. These days, everybody carries a ipod or usb key. It would be nice to just plug in without costly ipod kit.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Overall a great car

Written by: N. HERNANDEZ on 06/09/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 3.2 quattro 4dr Wagon AWD (3.2L 6cyl 6A)

Review

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.

Favorite Features

Smooth power and great transmission. The ride of the vehicle is sporty but not punishing. Flexibility of the cargo space. Size of the car is excellent since I live in NYC.

Suggested Improvements

Xenon lights should be standard at this price. Paddle shifters shouldn't turn with the steering wheel. Fuel mileage could be a little better. Touch screen navigation would make this car perfect.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Nice compromise between GTI and BMW 3

Written by: Jay on 05/31/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)

Review

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!

Favorite Features

Bluetooth, clutch/shifter feel, acceleration, seats, stereo (std)

Suggested Improvements

6 disc in dash changer, better Ipod integration

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

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The big little German

Written by: Jos G on 04/28/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

Review

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

Favorite Features

DSG, adaptive lighting, Speed sensitive steering, Blue Sky system, iPod adapter, speed adaptive audio (compensates for road noise), fuel efficiency, Sweet looking wagon.

Suggested Improvements

iPod adapter - would love to be able to fully browse content with steering wheel controls. How about track name in the heads up display and on the radio as well from the iPod. That would be nice.

13 out 13 people found this review helpful

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Why didn't I buy one sooner?

Written by: slushbox on 04/21/2008

Vehicle

2008 Audi A3 2.0T 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)

Review

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.

Favorite Features

The crash test safety ratings, S-Line Package suspension, Open Sky system, and torque in 3rd gear.

Suggested Improvements

More standard features, or more features added to Premium & S-Line packages.

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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