Models · Audi
Audi A3 8V buying guide
The third A3, built from 2012 to 2020 as a three-door, five-door Sportback, saloon and cabriolet, with a facelift in 2016. It's a well-built car with a wide range of TFSI petrol and TDI diesel engines.
The versions
- Petrol: 1.0 TFSI three-cylinder 116PS, 1.2 TFSI 105PS, 1.4 TFSI 125PS, 1.4 TFSI with cylinder on demand 150PS (replaced in 2017 by a 1.5 TFSI 150PS), 1.8 TFSI 180PS and 2.0 TFSI 190 to 220PS
- Diesel: 1.6 TDI 105 to 116PS and 2.0 TDI 150PS and 184PS
- 6-speed manual, or 6 or 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic
- quattro four-wheel drive on some 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TDI versions
- Three-door, five-door Sportback, saloon and cabriolet; plug-in hybrid e-tron versions exist but aren't covered here
What to check on a 8V A3
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
Recall work
What to look for: Ask an Audi dealer, with the chassis number, whether all recall work has been done, and look for it in the history.
Why it matters: Recalls on this A3 include rear hub carriers on some cars built in August 2017, rear head restraint welds on some cars built from May to September 2018, and campaigns covering the ABS and stability control, the starter motor, the passenger airbag and an engine belt pulley. Most have been done by now; a car with them all completed is the simple choice.
S tronic behaviour and servicing
What to look for: Do plenty of slow work: pulling away gently, creeping and reversing. Changes should be smooth and drive should engage promptly. Look for gearbox oil and filter changes in the history.
Why it matters: The S tronic needs its oil and filter changed at regular intervals, and a car with records of that and smooth low-speed behaviour is the one to choose.
Bucking at low revs (1.5 TFSI, 2017 to 2020)
What to look for: Drive gently in a high gear at around 1,200 to 2,000rpm. The car should pull smoothly. If it bucks or kangaroos at low revs, especially pulling away from cold, note it.
Why it matters: The 1.5 TFSI evo is the same engine used across the Volkswagen Group, including the later A1. It shuts down two cylinders under light load, and on earlier cars the switch back can cause a jolt. Revised software resolves most of it, and an Audi dealer can confirm from the chassis number whether it has been applied.
Also in the full guide
- Water pump and coolant leaks
- The pop-up infotainment screen
- Alarm, locking and phone connection
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 8V A3
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Audi.