This is our best look yet to the facelifted compact hatchback
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by Thanos Pappas
March 10, 2023 at 10:39
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by Thanos Pappas
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It seems that Audi engineers forgot to add the typical camouflage wrap on a prototype of the facelifted A3 Sportback before they took it for a spin on the snowy roads of Northern Europe. The snow is melting and winter tests are nearly over for the updated version of the compact model which is expected to debut in 2024 at the latest.
The latest prototype is a regular five-door Sportback painted in a very nice shade of green. A small amount of black tape on the bumpers, the covered Audi emblem, and the red tape on the taillights are the only things preventing us from seeing the facelifted A3 in its full glory.
Despite the tape, the design of the new front bumper is pretty obvious, with a slightly wider grille, and slimmer intakes. The four-ring emblem has moved upwards, interrupting the chrome finish around the grille, while the headlights got fresh LED graphics, highlighted in earlier spy shots. At the back, changes are more limited, although the covered taillights are hiding changes in the LEDs and the lower portion of the bumper has also been redesigned.
We have yet to see the interior but it is safe to assume that Audi will upgrade the infotainment, and offer more ADAS and additional trim options for the upholstery. The current model features a 10.1-inch touchscreen on the dashboard, and a digital instrument cluster measuring up to 12.3 inches which could be carried over in the facelift.
Engine options are also expected to be carried over with small changes and a greater focus on electrification. The recently updated 1.5 TSI Evo2 will certainly be among the options in mild-hybrid form, while the plug-in hybrid e-tron might also gain a revised setup. The performance-focused S3 and RS3 models with the four-cylinder 2.0 TSI and the five-cylinder 2.5 TSI respectively will also be included in the facelifted range.
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Note that the 2024 Audi A3 made its spy debut in November 2022, although back then we only saw the S-Line trim of the sedan. This was followed by spy appearances of the entire S3 and A3 range in 2023, with the prototypes retaining a similar amount of camo.
The current fourth generation of the Audi A3 was introduced in 2020, even though it arrived in the US for the 2022 model year. The facelifted model will likely debut next year, alongside the upcoming Allstreet bodystyle variant featuring plastic cladding and higher ground clearance.
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