• Boot capacity better than hatchback A3
• However, boot isn’t as wide or long
• Middle rear seat space could be better

How much space is there?

Good news – despite being the junior Audi saloon, there is more than enough room for a small family. Up front, there’s plenty of elbow space for both passenger and driver to sit comfortably. It’s not all that different to the regular hatchback A3, meaning headroom is ample for everyone.

14

Legroom for rear passengers is helped by sculpted front seats, though it’s not the roomiest for taller occupants. There’s still plenty of rear headroom despite the sloping roofline.

But like most other small-ish cars, legroom for the middle seat passenger isn’t great.

Boot space and storage

The saloon is 6.5 inches longer than the hatchback. This results in a boot that measures in at 425 litres – exactly the same as the previous A3 saloon. More importantly, that’s 45 litres more than the A3 hatchback. However, the hatchback has a wider opening, and the rear seats can be folded down too. This makes the hatchback a lot more practical for carrying things like bikes.

Storage space is adequate. The door bins are capable of carrying a litre bottle of water. Cupholders in between the driver and front seat passenger fold out, so it doubles up as a general cubby and a cupholder.

Plenty of space for phones in the centre console too. Most phones will fit in the car’s wireless charging section too.

Is it easy to park?

The A3 Saloon is 4,495mm long, 1,816mm wide, and 1,425mm high. Parking sensors are standard, but a reversing camera is only available as part of the optional Technology Pack. It’s a box worth choosing as it also adds a useful head-up display.

The A3 is generally an easy car to park with good visibility for a saloon. Just watch for kerbs with the largest alloy wheels as they have very little tyre profile and are susceptible to being dinged.

Safety

• Not officially tested by Euro NCAP
• Hatchback A3 gets five stars
• Assistance systems work well without being overly nannying

Officially, the A3 Saloon hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP. However, the hatchback version has been and it scores a full five out of five rating.

All A3 models come with Audi’s pre-sense front collision warning systems, along with an automatic braking system that has both pedestrian and cyclist detection We find Audi’s systems particularly intuitive and subtle in implementation. Rarely does the software tug hard at the wheel – it’s all mostly smooth.

Adaptive cruise control is included as part of the optional Technology Pack, while the expensive Technology Pack Pro brings Matrix LED headlights and rear cross traffic alert.

The two rear ISOFIX points include covers that don’t need to be removed (so can’t get lost), while there’s another ISOFIX point up front.

Watch the A3 Sportback Euro NCAP crash test video