Used 2012 Audi A3 Premium Plus S for sale 

The Audi A3 is offered as a single standalone trim as standard and gets additional packages to choose from and add more functionality and creature comforts to the car. The A3 is available with two engine options, a gasoline and a diesel-powered unit, both of which offer great fuel efficiencies and there is also an option for the Quattro AWD with the A3. 

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There are no trims to choose from but the optional packages have to be chosen smartly as it would otherwise lose the affordability factor of the car. The AWD is also a must-have as the Quattro system adds a lot more practicality when driving in adverse weather conditions.

The 2012 A3 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit as standard which produces 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. There is also a turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine on offer that is rated at 140 hp and 236 lb-ft and both these engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The base gasoline engine gets an option to choose for 6-speed manual transmission. There is also AWD available with the gasoline engine with only the automatic transmission. 

The performance is pretty solid with the base engine of the A3 and the more expensive Acura TSX wagon is slower off the line as compared to the Audi A3. The Volvo XC70 is the priciest one amongst the three and has much higher power and torque figures which results in quicker acceleration performance.

The Audi A3 is pretty efficient as well as the EPA rates the base gasoline engine for 24 mpg of combined city and highway driving while the diesel mill is rated for a whopping 34 mpg. The 14.5-gallon fuel tank is smaller than expected and thus has a pretty limited driving range of about 400 miles when cruising on the highway. 

The Acura TSX wagon is marginally more efficient than the Audi A3 and also employs a much larger gas tank, thus providing a solid 500 plus mile highway cruising range. The Volvo XC70 on the other hand has the highest fuel consumption and despite having a large fuel tank capacity, the driving range is only marginally better than the A3.

The cabin of the A3 is pretty classy and feels upmarket as one would expect from a German carmaker. There are plenty of premium elements into the car alongside a few hard plastics, but the textured finish to the plastics helps it blend well with the cabin. There is also plenty of space on offer for all occupants but the headroom at the rear might be a concern for taller passengers. 

The Volvo XC70 has a much more spacious cabin while the cargo capacity is almost double that of the A3. the Acura TSX wagon has a more spacious front seat and also has a much larger cargo capacity than the A3 wagon, but is slightly lower than the XC70’s luggage capacity.

• Power front driver seat w/4-way pwr lumbar
• Split-folding 60/40 rear seatback 
• Leather seating surfaces
• Tilt & telescoping 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Red ambient LED lighting in headliner

How is the 2012 Audi A3 Wagon’s infotainment system?

The navigation system is a handy add-on to have in the A3, but the lack of touchscreen capabilities and making use of the touchpad which is located awkwardly on the dashboard, make reaching it difficult while on the move. Placing it on the center console would have made it a lot more convenient. 

• Audi MMI system w/built-in navigation system
• Concert AM/FM/MP3 stereo system
• 10-speaker audio system w/subwoofer
• 140W amplifier
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Bluetooth phone connectivity

The new Audi A3 wagon has a quintessentially Audi look with the large vertical front grille flanked by slim and diamond-shaped studded daytime running lights with neat and smooth flowing lines that give it a very European feel. It looks more like an extended hatchback rather than a sedan with an extended roof and that may be a world for the appeal of the car.

The Audi A3 is substantially shorter than the other two wagons here and if that wasn’t evident from the interior space, the exterior table makes it crystal clear. The A3 does not have much ground clearance while the Volvo exceeds all the expectations in this regard but also weighs a lot more than the other two cars.

• Xenon plus self-leveling headlamps
• Front fog lights
• Power body-color mirrors w/integrated LED turn signals
• S line front & rear bumpers
• S line roof spoiler
• 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels

German manufacturers have become synonymous with high-quality products and German cars are also considered as one of the safest cars as well. Although the NHTSA is yet to test the 2012 A3 it has been chosen as the ‘Top Safety Pick’ by the IIHS for performing well in the crash tests conducted by them. The list of available safety though isn’t that long and most of them have been listed below.

• Impact protection w/reinforced high strength steel/aluminum cross members, reinforced bumpers, rigid occupant cell
• Electronic stability program
• Driver & passenger front dual-stage airbags w/passenger sensor
• Driver & passenger seat-mounted side airbags
• Front & rear head curtain airbags
• Tire pressure monitoring system

The Audi A3 offers a value-for-money prospect in the luxury wagon segment. Although it lacks space that most other options capitalize on, the high efficiency and high-quality cabin on offer with the A3 add more value to the car. Add to that the diesel engine option and it becomes a very rare offering in the segment which makes it the obvious choice for diesel buyers.