Audi unveiled the new 2021 A3 Sportback back in March of this year, but seeing as the sedan is the only A3 model currently on sale in Canada, we had very little reason to get excited about the new compact luxury hatch. We now have reason to get excited about the new A3, however, as Audi has just pulled the wraps off the sedan version, which should go on sale in Canada sometime next year.
In Europe, the new 2021 A3 Sedan will be offered with four different gasoline engine options. These will include a turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder, a turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder, both available with a 48-volt mild-hybrid variant. The 1.0L models are good for 110 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque, while 1.5L models make 150 horsepower and 155 lb-ft. The output for mild-hybrid models remains the same. It's not clear what engines will be offered on North American-spec models.
Paired with both engines will be a seven-speed automatic transmission. Only front-wheel-drive models will be available from launch, with Quattro all-wheel-drive models set to join the range at a later date, Audi says.
Moving inside, the Audi A3 Sedan adopts a look similar to other new Audi models like the E-Tron. Sitting front and centre is a 10.1-inch display, which can only be operated by the touchscreen or voice command. That means Audi has done away with the rotary dial controller seen in the outgoing A3 – a change that some current A3 owners may have to get used to if they switch to this model. Joining the standard 10.1-inch display is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. An even larger 12.3-inch digital driver's display is also available.
Passengers will have a tad bit more room than before, too, as the A3 Sedan is a bit wider and taller than the model it replaces. Audi also managed to find an extra 60 litres of trunk capacity, giving this compact four-door some added practicality. Road-trippers and cottagers rejoice!
Like the interior, the exterior has taken on a look similar to other new Audi models, too. With prominent wheel arches and "shoulders" and a pinched-in lower half, the A3 Sedan follows a new Audi design philosophy intended to accentuate the wheel arches. The front is typical Audi, though, with a wide single-frame grille, large side air inlets, and LED headlights. The rear features pointed LED headlights and an integrated duckbill spoiler element in the trunk lid.
The 2021 Audi A3 Sedan will go on sale in Europe this fall with a price tag of 25,900 euros. It's not clear when the compact luxury sedan will go on sale in Canada, nor how much it will cost, but we expect it to launch sometime in early-to-mid 2021.
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