A3 Sedan

Make
Audi
Segment
Sedan

Last week, we got our best look yet at the all-new Audi A3 as spy shots emerged showing an uncamouflaged prototype. The headlights were missing and most of the car was covered by a sheet, but the front fascia and side profile were still visible. This has enabled Kolesa's Nikita Chuyko to produce some renders to show us what the new Audi A3 will look like when the covers eventually come off.

As expected, the new A3 will borrow styling cues from its larger A4 sibling. Kolesa's render shows the new Audi A3 with the A4's wider grille and restyled headlights, while the LED running lights feature a horizontal strip and three vertical elements.

At the back, the rear lights also have a more complex shape than the current compact sedan. Expect the design changes to be evolutionary, rather than revolutionary.

The current Audi A3 has been on sale in the US since 2015, so the compact sedan is due for an update. Audi claims the new A3 will be better than its predecessor in every way to help it fight the new Mercedes A-Class Sedan. The compact sedan will be built on Volkswagen's MQB platform that underpins the new Golf, which should significantly improve the ride quality, and boast a more premium interior with high-quality materials and tech you would expect to find in more expensive luxury models.

Engine options will likely carry over, but the new A3 could get a slight power boost. In the US, the current Audi A3 is offered with a 2.0-liter turbo-four producing either 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque, or 228 hp and 258 lb-ft, sent through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Audi's Mercedes A-Class rival is expected to debut at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show as a hatchback, but it will only be offered as a sedan in the US. More powerful S and RS models will also join the lineup, with rumors suggesting the new S3's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder's output will increase from 292 hp to 300-320 hp.