Audi A3 Sedan 35 TFSI Mild Hybrid: A Proper Compact That Dares to Feel Big

There’s something stubbornly elegant about the way a classic notchback carries itself. In a world where hatchbacks and SUVs dominate showroom floors, the Audi A3 Sedan is a rare breed, quietly holding on to the grace and silhouette of a proper sedan, but scaled down to the dimensions of the compact class. We took the freshly facelifted 2024 Audi A3 35 TFSI to the Kasseler Kuppe, one of Germany’s most scenic and technically demanding ridges, to see if the mild-hybrid sedan could impress beyond just its looks.

Let’s talk about that drive.

Audi A3 notchback with coupé-like features

Approaching the Kasseler Kuppe with the A3 glinting in Tango Red, I couldn’t help but admire how Audi has nailed the proportions. It’s still unmistakably compact, at 4.50 meters, it’s a good 26 centimeters shy of the A4,but the lines are tight, crisp, and almost sporty. This isn’t your dad’s boring three-box sedan. There’s a whiff of coupé in the way the roofline gently bows down into the rear. You sacrifice some headroom in the back, sure, but gain a design that actually turns heads.

Walking around the car before the drive, it was clear Audi hasn’t merely added a trunk to a Sportback. The notchback is well-integrated, giving the A3 a clean rear end and surprisingly generous luggage capacity: 395 liters, plus extra stowage under the floor. That’s more than enough for a long weekend up north, camera gear, and even my tripod.

Inside, the A3 has evolved. The dashboard feels tighter and more premium after the update. Air vents now float neatly in rectangular housings, and the compact gear selector adds a touch of modernity. Ambient lighting flickers subtly during nighttime mountain stretches, and the three-spoke leather steering wheel feels satisfying in the hands.

But Audi hasn’t quite shaken off its budget demons: hard plastics still haunt the lower doors and the rear trunk lid feels tinny. You sense the Wolfsburg bean counters had a say here. That said, none of it creaked or rattled on the climb up the Kuppe. And that counts.

The 48-volt system works great

The real story, though, lies under the hood.

This 35 TFSI comes with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo petrol engine rated at 150 horsepower (110 kW), paired with a mild-hybrid 48-volt system. On paper, it doesn’t scream excitement, but it’s precisely this pairing that makes the A3 feel like a smart, real-world performer.

Climbing the tight, switchback-laden ascent of the Kasseler Kuppe, you quickly learn to appreciate how well the hybrid system fills in the blanks. Below 1,800 rpm, throttle response is calm, almost lazy, but as soon as you breach that threshold, a subtle surge arrives. The electric motor’s 50 Nm torque doesn’t kick like a mule, but it tugs the car along with a quiet insistence. There’s no hesitation, no drama, just smooth linearity.

What’s truly impressive is the coasting functionality. Lift your foot off the throttle on a descent, and the engine shuts down, completely. The A3 just glides. It’s eerie at first, especially on long straights, but once you realize how seamlessly the combustion engine wakes up again when needed, it becomes addictive. Fuel-saving without the sacrifice. This, Audi says, can shave about 0.4 liters per 100 km. And I believe it.

Even in the real world, the A3 returned 6.0 liters per 100 kilometers over 260 km of mixed driving, better than expected for a gasoline car on hilly terrain.

Great suspension, great handling

The Kasseler Kuppe isn’t your usual road test route. It’s a tapestry of long uphill pulls, quick direction changes, broken tarmac, and the occasional ridge jump that tests both chassis and stomach. That’s why it surprised me how composed the A3 remained.

Suspension tuning here is a sweet spot. Comfort mode irons out minor imperfections, letting you focus on the drive. Switch to Dynamic, and the A3 tightens up, not uncomfortably, but with the poise of something far sportier. Through a downhill left-right combination, the A3’s nose remained obedient. Progressive steering meant I didn’t have to throw in unnecessary input, just a flick of the wrist, and it pointed, gripped, and rotated.

Braking into sharp corners revealed just how confidence-inspiring the pedal feel is. Soft at the top, firm as you go, and absolutely no fade even after repeated stops. For a mild hybrid designed to sip fuel, it drives like something that secretly enjoys a bit of mischief.

One of the small things I appreciated was the start-stop system’s intelligence. At a red light, the car didn’t wait for my foot to move off the brake before reigniting. It sensed the traffic ahead and restarted the engine just in time for a smooth getaway. It’s a small detail, but it elevates the experience.

Audi A3 with a confident price

Let’s not pretend this is a budget buy. Audi wants at least €34,400 for the base 35 TFSI sedan. The one I drove, with S line interior, larger infotainment, ambient lighting, and a few choice extras, crept just shy of €50,000.

That’s premium territory for what is essentially a compact car.

But you’re not buying this with your spreadsheet. You’re buying it because it moves with purpose and elegance. You’re buying it because it feels grown-up and modern in a way few compacts do. And if you’re someone who wants the understated flair of a coupé with the utility of a sedan, well, you don’t have many options left.

Also Read

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Technical Specification

Technical info is taken directly from Audi’s official website to ensure it’s correct.

Conclusion

The Audi A3 Sedan 35 TFSI is a quiet return to elegance in the compact class. It doesn’t shout, it doesn’t scream, but it moves with a kind of poise that few rivals match. The 48-volt system isn’t a gimmick. It works seamlessly to improve fuel economy and driving finesse, especially on challenging terrain like the Kasseler Kuppe.

Audi still cuts corners here and there with interior materials, and yes, the price is ambitious. But in return, you get a sedan that looks sharp, drives better than it needs to, and reminds you that not every car needs to be an SUV.

If you’ve grown tired of high-riding crossovers and miss the charm of a good old-fashioned sedan, but don’t want to give up on modern tech, the A3 Sedan is one of the best remaining arguments in favor of keeping it low, clean, and classy.