Audi A3 Sportback hatchback - Reliability & safety

Despite being an all-new model, the A3 is based on underpinnings and engines that are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, so we wouldn't have expected any major reliability upset, although Driver Power owner verdicts appear to contradict this. In terms of safety, however, the A3 does reasonably well – it scored five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Audi A3 reliability

The Mk4 Audi A3 came 59th out of the top 75 models in our 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, with a below-average score for reliability, but it’s not charted since. When it did feature, owners were most impressed with its engines and gearboxes. However, interior comfort and the infotainment system weren't highly praised.

Audi as a brand performed poorly in the latest 2023 Driver Power survey, coming in 30th place out of 32 manufacturers, behind all of its direct rivals. Reliability across the board for Audi was slightly better than average, with around 23% of respondents reporting a fault in the first year of ownership. Mercedes performed worse in this area, with 28% of owners reporting a fault in the same time period, while just 22% of BMW owners reported the same.

Safety

The A3 is a key seller for Audi, so it’s a good job it was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP score. The A3's Volkswagen Golf sister car already achieved a top safety result, with impressive scores across the board, and the A3 received 89% for adult occupant protection.

New safety features also made their debut in the A3, including Car2X technology that can communicate with local vehicles and infrastructure (where supported) to warn the driver of hazards, traffic and even how long it will be until a traffic light turns red or green.