If you’re looking for a small car that’s big on luxury, an Audi A3 might be up your street.

A classic hatchback with added style

Launched in 1996 to rival the VW Golf, it’s consistently in the top 10 most popular cars in the UK. Most people will recognise their classic hatchback shape, but they do also come in saloon and cabriolet versions.

With their extra touch of class and styling, Audi A3s tend to be more expensive than other small cars – and they cost more to insure too. The priciest models are way up in insurance group 46 (out of a possible 50). That puts them in the same league, insurance-wise, as some Range Rover Sport models. Fancy.

Audi insurance groups

First, here's a quick insurance groups explainer:

The cheapest A3s are in insurance group 14, which is still a lot higher than the most affordable Ford Focuses (group 6) or VW Golfs (also group 6).

Insurance groups can have a big impact on the price you pay for insurance. Cuvva’s free car insurance group checker lets you find the insurance group of any car in the UK, just by typing in its reg number. Keep it handy if you’re in the market for a used car.

Some of the cheapest A3s to insure

• A3 1.6 litre S Tronic 3-door (2003-2012) - Group 14
• A3 Sportback 1.6 litre Special Edition 5-door (2004-2013) - Group 14
• A3 hatchback 1.2 litre TFSI SE 3-door (2012-2018) - Group 14
• A3 Saloon 1.6 litre TDI Quattro Sport 4-door (2013-2020) - Group 15

Some of the most expensive A3s to insure:

• S3 Cabriolet TFSI Quattro S Tronic 2-door (2013-2016) - Group 42
• RS3 Sportback 2.5T FSI Quattro S Tronic 5-door (2011-2012) - Group 42
• S3 2.0 litre Cabriolet TFSI Quattro S Tronic (2014-2020) - Group 46
• RS3 2.5 litre TFSI Quattro S Tronic 5-door (2013-2020) - Group 46

Breaking down the costs

At the high end of the A3 market, a powerful 2019 A3 Sport 2.0 TFSI 5-door costs just shy of £25,000, with insurance starting from £736 (when paid upfront for the year). This could rise even higher for young or first-time drivers, people with driving convictions, or anyone living in a high-accident or high-crime area. Unmarried drivers tend to pay more too.

More pocket-friendly in the Audi A3 insurance market is a 2008 A3 Sport 1.6 litre 3-door, which comes at a bargain price of £1,500, with policies starting from £553. (This is based on a 35-year-old woman driver paying a £500 voluntary excess, so not the riskiest driver profile, by car insurance standards.)

For a good middle-range option, there are lots of A3s in Group 25, like a 2014 A3 1.4 litre TFSI SE 3-door, which costs between £8,000 and £10,000, on average, with insurance from £570. If you want to feel the wind in your hair, a 2017 A3 Cabriolet 1.4 TFSI S Line 2-door comes in around £25,000, with insurance from £641 and up.

A box-fresh 2021 Audi A3 is priced around £27,764, but will drop in value quickly. In just five years it will lose more than half of its value. At 10 years it will be worth £4,016 and at 15 years just £1,278.

Shopping around for a new insurance deal every year is one way to make sure your insurance costs change as your car value does.

Shop around for the best insurance deal for you

Bottom line? Audi A3s are popular for a reason. They look great, handle well, and are mega reliable – giving them wide appeal. At their more expensive price point, they might not be for young or first-time drivers, but they are always something to aspire to.

Car insurance without the nasty bits

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