Audi’s smallest sedan is playing catch-up to newer models in the company’s lineup with an update that brings revised styling outside and the company’s new “Virtual Cockpit” screen inside. We only have information about the European-spec models at this point, but we’re told that these changes largely will be confirmed for the U.S.-spec A3 when Audi USA announces 2017 model details later this year. (Audi also revised the high-performance S3, which we’ve covered in a separate story.)
Slight Sharpening
The most noticeable visual change is up front, where the new A3 gets a reshaped single-frame grille that matches the form of the slightly larger and freshly redesigned A4’s mug. The A3’s more angular headlights and thinner LED taillights also mimic those of its big brother, making it even harder to tell these two sedans apart. Still, both look sharp, and A3 buyers surely won’t mind when onlookers mistake their car for a more expensive Audi.
Speaking of those headlights, Audi now offers its matrix LED lighting system on the European A3, although this system is illegal in the U.S.—for now. There’s a possibility that NHTSA will approve the technology next year; the matrix lights are able to actively shade and illuminate certain sections of road. If these lights do get the, er, green light, expect to see them offered here first on cars like the next-gen A8 and the R8 before making their way to the A3, though, in the interest of maximum marketing impact. Until then, xenon headlights are standard on the A3, with conventional LED lights available as an option.
Virtual Reality
While the A3’s novel headlight technology is an unknown for the U.S., its new “Virtual Cockpit” interior layout is a sure thing. As we’ve seen on the recently redesigned TT, Q7, and A4, this optional setup consists of a 12.3-inch TFT screen in place of a traditional instrument cluster to display all sorts of vehicle info, navigation displays, and other functions in a variety of configurations. The “classic” mode displays a large tachometer and speedometer to mimic analog gauges, while pushing a steering wheel button switches to “infotainment” mode, which incorporates a large navigation map along with audio functions and other info.
The instrument-panel screen might seem to render the 7.0-inch dash-mounted screen redundant, but Audi revised its MMI control interface anyway. Reorganized menu structures and improved voice command functionality aim to make the system easier to operate, while enhanced connectivity services enable more functions for the MMI smartphone app, such as transferring a calendar from a phone to the car. Otherwise, the interior also gets a new three-spoke steering wheel and a newly available massage function for the driver’s seat.
Powertrain Lineup
Information about the 2017 A3’s mechanical updates is a bit murkier, because the U.S. engine lineup differs significantly from the European one. The Euro A3 offers a range of gasoline and diesel powertrains from a 1.0-liter three-cylinder up to a 2.0-liter turbo-four, while the A3 we get is offered only with 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinders (the diesel-powered A3 TDI is on hold in America, for obvious reasons). Expect to see the A3’s two four-cylinder engines carry over for the revised U.S-spec A3; the 1.8-liter is offered with front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic, while the 2.0-liter comes standard with Quattro all-wheel drive and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Otherwise, there aren’t many changes to the A3’s modular MQB chassis, shared with the Volkswagen Golf and numerous other VW Group products. A Sport suspension option should still be offered, along with an S Line appearance package [pictured] that adds slightly more aggressive front and rear bumpers along with a few representative badges placed inside and out.
Likewise, pricing shouldn’t change much compared with the 2016 A3 that starts at $31,825 for the front-wheel drive 1.8T sedan—a bit removed from the sub-$30,000 price that Audi first advertised when the A3 went on sale here in 2014. The current A3 convertible, meanwhile, starts at $37,525, and tops out at $49,375 for a Quattro 2.0T Prestige model. We’ll report full U.S.-specific information on the 2017 A3 lineup as soon as it’s available.
