# Audi A3 2015 vs current Audi A4



## UGA1988 (Jul 24, 2014)

I am new to the world of Audi. Last year I saw the ads for the MB CLA and thought it would be a good fit for me. After a few test drives I decided the CLA was not for going to work for me. About that time I heard about Audi bringing a car to the market to compete with the CLA called the A3 sedan.

After learning more about it by visiting this form and going to the Audi opening night back in March I thought this could be a car I could buy. I really liked it. However, I also took a test drive in an A4 Premium Plus and liked that model, too. When I price out the A3 Prestige and the A4 Premium Plus there is about a $900 cost in difference. The A3 is smaller and fun to drive while the A4 is more of a laid back sedan with an outdated console compared to the A3 (I like the new MMI features and mechanics and clean look of the A3 console). Either car would be the nicest car I have ever owned.

What I am asking is that while I am posting this in the A3 forum, I am sure many of you have driven the A4 platform and have a good feel for it. Also, why would someone move down from the A4 to the A3 besides moving to a slightly smaller car? My instinct is to wait until Audi displays the next generation A4 before making any decisions, although I am not sure when that will be. The A3 has the newest and coolest technology compared to the A4, but surely that will be uploaded to the A4 at some point. I am asking you folks the questions since you are the actual drivers and have nothing to sale and actually seem to know what you are talking about. 

My questions:
1.	The A3 backseat is a little cramped (nothing like the CLA!), is that not a concern for you buyers? 
2.	Dan Halen has said the A3 has the 3rd generation of the DI engine and has a much better oil separation system which should reduce the carbon build up seen in older DI engines, even though only time will tell if that is true or not. What are your thoughts and really, how bad is carbon build up and how long does it take to accumulate in the current A4? The idea of spending thousands of dollars every so often to clean out the engine concerns me. 
3.	I think the outside and inside rear view mirrors may be a little small, what do you think?
4.	I really do not like the mesh cover for the sunroof, which is very subjective. Are you folks OK with it and it there any way to get a 3rd party market solid panel to replace it?
5.	I like the black interior but the titanium leather really lights up the cabin. Is anyone going with the lighter leather and a black headliner? Or is it all black for most of you?
6.	Are there any quirks about owning an Audi or dealing with an Audi dealership I should know about?
7.	Are most of you going to buy or lease your vehicle? 
8.	Which do you think most people will driver longer (I owned my last car for 11 years), the A3 or the A4?
9.	I hear HomeLink will be coming to the A3, is that for sure? Are there any other additions to the A3 that is rumored to be coming in the next 12 months?
10.	Will the A4 come with adaptive cruise control with stop and go? Also, does only the A4 Prestige come with active lane assistant or does the Premium Plus come with it, too? The website is a little confusing.
11. Does anyone with the inside track know any real information about the next generation A4 besides what information is on the internet, which is not much currently.

Thank you for your opinions in advance.


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## lovei27 (Jul 13, 2014)

UGA1988 said:


> I am new to the world of Audi. Last year I saw the ads for the MB CLA and thought it would be a good fit for me. After a few test drives I decided the CLA was not for going to work for me. About that time I heard about Audi bringing a car to the market to compete with the CLA called the A3 sedan.
> 
> After learning more about it by visiting this form and going to the Audi opening night back in March I thought this could be a car I could buy. I really liked it. However, I also took a test drive in an A4 Premium Plus and liked that model, too. When I price out the A3 Prestige and the A4 Premium Plus there is about a $900 cost in difference. The A3 is smaller and fun to drive while the A4 is more of a laid back sedan with an outdated console compared to the A3 (I like the new MMI features and mechanics and clean look of the A3 console). Either car would be the nicest car I have ever owned.
> 
> ...




Hey mate , 
I owned a a4 b8 2011 model before i bought the a3 sedan ... and so far i love the change .. a4 had a bit of issue of drinking up too much engine oil and it was asking for oil refill every 2 months ... 
other than that i never had problem with it .. i went to buy MERCEDES CLA even put up a deposit cuz everyone was selling the standard a3 .. not the options i wanted it with then suddenly i got a call from my
audi dealer that they had a car with exaxctly the options i had .. and thats when i ditched the cla as i realised the interior built quality and the mmi feature the drive handling and 19 inch wheels option in the audi
was way better .. mercedes looks out of sort with a massive body and small wheels .. and it's only a 1.6 l turbo the cla 200 m talking about .. had the car for 2 months and its just too much fun to drive ...
i v got the comfort pack sunroof technik pack 19inch wheel s line body kit and s line interior flat bottom steering wheel s line seats .. with all those options if you gonna get on the next a4 b9 which is coming 
late 2015 .. u will be looking at a big price difference .. a4's are now cheap as they are trying to clear the stock before the new ones comes ...

hope that helps


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## UGA1988 (Jul 24, 2014)

Thanks for the feedback, Lovei27. 
I had forgotten about reading how the A4 seems to use a lot of oil. 
Good point on the future A4 price being raised.


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## lovei27 (Jul 13, 2014)

UGA1988 said:


> Thanks for the feedback, Lovei27.
> I had forgotten about reading how the A4 seems to use a lot of oil.
> Good point on the future A4 price being raised.



no worries ... i d recommend getting a a3 , its a zippy little beast


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## Trumpet Rider (Apr 19, 2014)

Disclaimer: I don't have an A4, but a good friend does and I have driven it many times + test drove the A4 with the missus before deciding for the A3, and here are my comments:
- the back seats in the A3 are not that much more cramped than the A4. We're both rather short (me = 5'8") so the front seats are never very far back on their tracks, but with the seats set to my driving position, there is ample space in the rear seats of the A3 even for adult use -as long as they are not six-footers. Also, our kids are out of the house, so rear seat legroom/space not a priority for us. Your feelings re: rear seat leg room could be different a) if you are taller and b) how often you and/or yours will use the rear seats.
- Agree with you on the sunroof liner....still don't care for it, but it's a small shortcoming versus the other niceties in the interior which is more refined (read; modern, simple and less cluttered) than the A4's
- Yes, I too was struck by the smallness of the interior rear view mirror. That said, I find the outside mirrors adequate & the smaller interior mirror is growing on me....
- Car definitely is lighter on its feet than the A4
- Side by side to the A3, the A4 is looking dated, IMHO. 
- I believe the newness of the A3 style will make it hold its value better than the more dated A4.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

As much as people like to belabor the idea that the A3 encroaches on the A4, I maintain that they're two entirely different cars for entirely different purposes. The A3 has a transverse engine orientation, where the A4 has a longitudinal orientation. The A3 uses Haldex all-wheel drive, while the A4 uses a Torsen-based setup. Of the two, there's a general sentiment that the Torsen setup, with it's truly mechanical architecture, is superior. That's why you'll sometimes hear people proclaim that Haldex quattro is "fake quattro." I say that's largely a bunch of snobbery and nonsense as the Haldex product matures. There are some that will buy an A4 simply because it has "real" quattro; good for them, but there's much more to consider than that small detail.

The A3's size lends itself to a much more nimble-feeling car. It drives like a small car; the A4, not so much. The A4 is several years old in terms of platform and feature architecture. I don't think the A3 is cannibalizing A4 sales, and this is the only time that should be an issue- while the A3 and A4 are within a couple thousand dollars of each other as the A4 moves from B8 to B9. I think the cross-shopping between the A3 and A4 will almost completely disappear once the A4 is available in B9 form.

Yeah, the A3 is small with a "use only if no alternative exists" back seat, but I think that's what many of us like about the car. That's a positive attribute. We _want _small.

As for a couple of your points...

I didn't find the side mirrors to be that out of line. The shape is characteristic of what many manufacturers are doing these days- function follows form. Actually, if I had a mirror complaint, it would be about the size of the RVM... or maybe not the size as much as the surfboard shape that gives up valuable real estate. 

The moonroof... eh, the mesh cover bothered me at first, but I don't intend to care too much about it. It was done that way to reduce intrusion into the rear headroom. If a solid panel were used, the headliner would have to be that much lower. I suspect the mesh shade is on a roller.

If Audi made the S3 super sport interior available to us in grey, I'd likely opt for it. I like the sporting look of the all black interior, but I also like the contrast offered by the grey (with black carpet and headliner). A friend has a rare GLI- it has grey leather. The grey trim with the black headliner actually has a really neat look to it, IMO.

Homelink... nothing confirmed, but our grievances have been seen and are receiving attention.


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## melillobm (Jul 17, 2004)

UGA1988 said:


> I am new to the world of Audi. Last year I saw the ads for the MB CLA and thought it would be a good fit for me. After a few test drives I decided the CLA was not for going to work for me. About that time I heard about Audi bringing a car to the market to compete with the CLA called the A3 sedan.
> 
> After learning more about it by visiting this form and going to the Audi opening night back in March I thought this could be a car I could buy. I really liked it. However, I also took a test drive in an A4 Premium Plus and liked that model, too. When I price out the A3 Prestige and the A4 Premium Plus there is about a $900 cost in difference. The A3 is smaller and fun to drive while the A4 is more of a laid back sedan with an outdated console compared to the A3 (I like the new MMI features and mechanics and clean look of the A3 console). Either car would be the nicest car I have ever owned.
> 
> ...



1.	The A3 backseat is a little cramped (nothing like the CLA!), is that not a concern for you buyers? 
_
The backseat is a little cramped, but I've been able to fit some pretty big guys back there. I'm a pretty big guy myself so it fit four guys without complaints. I wouldn't be too worried about it._

2.	Dan Halen has said the A3 has the 3rd generation of the DI engine and has a much better oil separation system which should reduce the carbon build up seen in older DI engines, even though only time will tell if that is true or not. What are your thoughts and really, how bad is carbon build up and how long does it take to accumulate in the current A4? The idea of spending thousands of dollars every so often to clean out the engine concerns me. 

_haven't heard about this issue_
3.	I think the outside and inside rear view mirrors may be a little small, what do you think?
_inside rear view mirror is small, but I haven't had any issues with it and it is growing on me as well. _

4.	I really do not like the mesh cover for the sunroof, which is very subjective. Are you folks OK with it and it there any way to get a 3rd party market solid panel to replace it?
_I absolutely hated it at first, but then I realized it blocks as much light as all the other sunroof covers so it is now a non-issue. At first when I saw it, it was a drawback and now I think it's silly_

5.	I like the black interior but the titanium leather really lights up the cabin. Is anyone going with the lighter leather and a black headliner? Or is it all black for most of you?
_to me the grey interior looks a little cheap to me. I think it will not age very well and I've also seen older audis with the grey interior that has excessive wear showing on the lower part of the dash where people's legs rub up against it. Also the seats show creases a lot easier._

6.	Are there any quirks about owning an Audi or dealing with an Audi dealership I should know about?

_Not that I have run into yet. On my old A4, i realized that replacement parts are very expensive in general so if you think you are going to save money by repairing the vehicle yourself, you will, but it will still be significantly more expensive than other cars. I've noticed most of their systems are now closed though so both the dealership and you can't repair it, replacing is the only option (ie. transmission)_

7.	Are most of you going to buy or lease your vehicle? _I purchased mine because the lease monthly payment was within a few dollars of the purchase. I don't like the restrictions of the lease, although as a business owner, leasing it would have been more beneficial for me, but it probably wouldn't have been when I trade it in two years. _

8.	Which do you think most people will driver longer (I owned my last car for 11 years), the A3 or the A4?
_I realized that I was a guinea pig buying the first model and I've already had some issues with mine that we are not sure are Audi or other work that was done to the car's fault. I've also noticed a squeaking suspension on mine that is kind of annoying. My old A4 had the same problem, but it didn't show up until it had hit 200,000 miles._
9.	I hear HomeLink will be coming to the A3, is that for sure? Are there any other additions to the A3 that is rumored to be coming in the next 12 months?
_no idea_

10.	Will the A4 come with adaptive cruise control with stop and go? Also, does only the A4 Prestige come with active lane assistant or does the Premium Plus come with it, too? The website is a little confusing.

_ I don't see that option on the premium plus_

11. Does anyone with the inside track know any real information about the next generation A4 besides what information is on the internet, which is not much currently.

_The only thing I know is that it will have the pop-up MMI screen that is in the A3, but it will be a lot wider it looks like. Very sexy in my opinion_


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## A3_yuppie (Jun 5, 2006)

UGA1988 said:


> My questions:
> 1.	The A3 backseat is a little cramped (nothing like the CLA!), is that not a concern for you buyers?
> 2.	Dan Halen has said the A3 has the 3rd generation of the DI engine and has a much better oil separation system which should reduce the carbon build up seen in older DI engines, even though only time will tell if that is true or not. What are your thoughts and really, how bad is carbon build up and how long does it take to accumulate in the current A4? The idea of spending thousands of dollars every so often to clean out the engine concerns me.
> 3.	I think the outside and inside rear view mirrors may be a little small, what do you think?
> ...


I have a 2006 A3 and a 2009 A4 (both 2.0T), and I am waiting for my 2015 A3 (also 2.0T) to arrive.

#1 The backseat is quite cramped, and the trunk in the 2.0T is also very small due to the space taken underneath by the Quattro drivetrain. A downgrade in both aspects compared to either of my current cars.

#2 I have not checked; not sure I would dare to.

#3 Both the interior and the exterior rearview mirrors are small. On top of that, the rear headrests are much bigger than those on my current cars. There does not seem to be a simple solution for the interior mirror. Just like what I have done on my current A3, I plan to get the exterior mirrors for the European market, which have greater field of view. My A4 has exterior mirrors the size of Dumbo ears.

#4 The mesh sunscreen is why my wife chose the A4 sedan instead of the A4 Avant. My current A3 is one of the rare ones with no sunroof at all; weight is the enemy!  I too am concerned about the mesh sunscreen in the new A3, luckily I have covered parking both at home and at work.

#5 All black is cool but a little austere. Black headliner with light interior might initially seems "backwards," compared to most car interiors. I have a young son so no titanium seating surfaces for me.

#6 Budget more for maintenance and the car would reward you with an enjoyable driving experience. With Audi this aspect is definitely penny-wise, pound-foolish.

#7-#8 Buy if you plan to drive it for a long time, or will rack up high mileage.

#9 Using a regular garage remote is not the end of the world.

#10 I don't want adaptive cruise control unless the car can drive itself completely. IMHO it is one of those technologies that may give a driver a false sense of security and cause him or her to pay even less attention to driving, which is never a good thing.

The biggest difference between my two cars, other than size and weight, is the transmission: DSG in the A3; regular automatic in the A4. My A4 has 6 gears and the current A4 has 8 gears, but neither comes close to the DSG. IMHO, the DSG is the best automatic transmission available in any car that I have driven. I don't mind the size of the A4, and have considered waiting for the new one (which I understand would be lighter than the current A4) because it seems like a more "mature" and practical choice, but at the end of the day I need a DSG car.


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## sevenVT (Aug 18, 2004)

5’11 ~ 170 and I hate backseats (because it means I’m not driving.) The A3 backseat is as tolerable as any, I don’t think anyone 6’4” or over 240 lbs would want to be cramped back there for a road trip, but I’ve had multiple American adult sized individuals back there and heard only good things about ride quality and comfort. As long as you aren’t carpooling with a basketball team or your local teamsters, you should probably be ok.

The trunk is definitely limited space, but if you have no backseat passengers this becomes moot with the fold down seats. I’ve easily travelled with two pairs of skiis, a smallish dog, and 5 moderately packed bags. 

This car is perfect for a 2 moderate sized person lifestyle.

I leave the sunshade open, all the time. The light opens up the cabin very nicely, and since I’ve had a sunroof for 15 years, having the shade closed at this point just makes me feel claustrophobic.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Dan Halen said:


> As much as people like to belabor the idea that the A3 encroaches on the A4, I maintain that they're two entirely different cars for entirely different purposes.


I'm in complete agreement with Dan. Sales numbers, too, are demonstrating that the A3 is not cannibalizing A4 sales. That's impressive.

I drove a 2015 A4 with the sport and new sport plus packages and in that setup, the car pretty well matched the A3 in handling and improved upon it by feeling a bit better controlled and less brittle. That's not to say the A3 suspension is bad, just that the A4, with its slightly longer wheelbase and slightly more sophisticated suspension setup soaks up the bumps better. The A3, hauling less overall mass, does feel more nimble and quick for sure.

While numerically the A4 is not much larger on the inside than the A3, the design and layout, particularly of the roofline, make the A4 *feel* substantially more spacious. Door openings in the A4 are larger and there's slightly more leg and thigh room in the A4 as well. 

As far as appeal, my gut is telling me that the A3 is selling very well in urban areas, but less well in areas that aren't as trendy and traffic filled. In a conversation last week with a close friend who runs an Audi shop he said that after the initial pre-sold orders were gone the A3 has not sold anywhere near as fast as he expected it to. In comparison, I have an acquaintance at a Washington DC area dealer who cannot keep A3s on the lot. So, in the words of real estate agents everywhere: location, location, location.

Since I'm still an MT6 devotee for as long as I am able to be, the A3 is off my radar and an A4 MT6 with sport package is in my sights. Were the manual available in the A3, I'd probably have it over the A4.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Travis Grundke said:


> Since I'm still an MT6 devotee for as long as I am able to be, the A3 is off my radar and an *A4 MT6 with sport package* is in my sights.


That's far from a terrible place to be, IMO. While I call the A4 a barge and any number of other things, it's an incredible value right now with all of the standard kit it's seeing as Audi ushers out the B8 chassis.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Dan Halen said:


> That's far from a terrible place to be, IMO. While I call the A4 a barge and any number of other things, it's an incredible value right now with all of the standard kit it's seeing as Audi ushers out the B8 chassis.


Exactly. The sport package on the A4 completely transforms the car, much like the F30 320 and 328. It's worth the price of admission for the improved seats alone, since the stock units are completely flat.


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## UGA1988 (Jul 24, 2014)

Lot's of great feedback, guys!
I appreciate your time in answering me. 
I am still going to think about the 2 options, but I am leaning towards "go with the new".


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## jbradle7 (Sep 8, 2009)

My B8 has been a great car, it does everything I need it to do quite well... terrific AWD, sporty (with a few mods), plenty quick, room for my kids, fuel efficient. I can't say much bad about it, I've really enjoyed this car. 

Still I'm left wanting something a little smaller and more nimble, I'm anxious to place my order for a new S3.


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