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Audi A3 Cabriolet Review and Prices

The Audi A3 Cabriolet is the drop-top version of the A3 saloon. Its main rivals are the BMW 2 Series Convertible, the Vauxhall Cascada and the VW Golf Cabriolet. The Cabriolet is one in a range of A3 models such as the two-door A3, the practical A3 Sportback and the all-rounder A3 Saloon.

Buy or lease the Audi A3 Cabriolet at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £22,860 - £39,410
Carwow price from
Used
£11,350
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wowscore
8/10
This score is awarded by our team of expert reviewers after extensive testing of the car

What's good

  • Quiet roof-down drive
  • Strong choice of engines
  • Classy cabin

What's not so good

  • It's not cheap
  • Cramped back seats
  • Dull drive

Find out more about the Audi A3 Cabriolet

Is the Audi A3 Cabriolet a good car?

The Audi A3 Cabriolet is called a four-seater but the tight seats in the back mean it may be better thought of as a 2+2 – adults will not want to spend any time in the back if they can help it. Up front, though, things are just swell, there’s plenty of space to stretch your legs and you get to enjoy Audi’s peerless build quality. The fabric roof means you also have a reasonably sized boot to fill.

Despite the loss of a hard-top roof, the A3 Cabriolet does a good job of minimising the inherent shakiness of cars of this type, although you’ll still notice it on really rough roads. It’s not the most inspiring of drives, much like the hatchback the convertible offers neutral, safe handling rather than anything too exciting.

Engines are also shared with the ‘hatch. You can choose from a variety of petrol and diesels and all offer relatively cheap running costs. The 1.4-litre turbo petrol is quick, cheap to run and doesn’t suffer from the diesel models’ clatter. For these reasons, it is the pick of the range.

The A3 Cabriolet trades some practicality for a generous portion of style

Mat Watson
Mat Watson
Carwow expert

Entry-level cars come with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, DAB digital radio for the eight-speaker stereo and air-conditioning. In 2016 standard equipment grew to include auto lights and wipers, xenon headlights and cruise control

The A3 Cabriolet marks a significant improvement over the old model, and ranks as one of the finest non-sporty convertibles you can buy for under £30,000.

As long as you don’t expect sportscar-sharp handling, and don’t regularly transport six-foot folk in the back then you won’t find a real rival with the same quality feel. The closest competitor is Volkswagen’s Beetle Cabriolet, but that can’t match the A3’s equipment offering, refined driving experience or premium look.

How much is the Audi A3 Cabriolet?

The Audi A3 Cabriolet has a RRP range of £22,860 to £39,410. The price of a used Audi A3 Cabriolet on Carwow starts at £11,350.

What's it like to drive?

The A3 Cabriolet rides well for a car that’s had its roof structure removed, although you do still get some movement through the chassis over bumpier roads.

 

The A3 is a nice car to drive in isolation but, if you wanna have fun – you want a BMW 2 Series

Mat Watson
Mat Watson
Carwow expert

The A3 Cabriolet is available with three diesel and three petrol options, which pretty much cover all the bases when it comes to offering fuel economy and performance.

In the Convertible model, the 150hp, 1.4-litre petrol seems to be the way to go – with the roof down it’s easier on the ears than the diesels and doesn’t pump out quite as many noxious fumes. It’s a clever engine, with the ability to turn off half of its cylinders off, when they’re not needed, to save fuel. You’ll struggle to notice when the systems working but it helps the 1.4 return fuel economy of 56.5mpg, despite it having a heady top speed of 138mph. It’s this mix of power and performance that makes it preferable to the less-economical 2.0-litre model.

 

If you really want to limit running costs only a diesel will do and, with fuel economy of 65.7mpg, the 1.6-litre diesel is the cheapest of the lot to run. But it’s also quite slow – somewhat at odds with the sporty-convertible theme. That can be rectified by choosing one of the 2.0-litre models which get from 0-62mph in 8.3 (150hp) or 6.8 seconds (184hp).

However, the ride quality depends on which suspension setup you order. Sport and S line trim levels come with firm springs that lower the car by 15mm, but also make the ride pretty harsh. Even on these trim levels, though, you can opt for the softer SE setup at no extra cost. If you plump for the 296hp, four-wheel-drive S3 Cabriolet you get Audi’s Magnetic Ride that lets you tune the car to your liking.

Few will find the A3 Cabriolet an exciting car to drive fast around corners, but in its role as a warm-weather cruiser, not many cars equal it for the money – the A3 is quiet, even with the roof down. There’s an optional wind deflector that reduces wind noise even more, but it sits across the rear seats, turning the A3 into a two-seater.

What's it like inside?

The rest of the Audi A3 line-up has been praised for bringing a high-class feel to the entry-level premium car market, and the A3 Cabriolet shares that quality.

Audi A3 Cabriolet colours

Solid - Amalfi white
Free
Solid - Brilliant black
Free
Solid - Brilliant red
Free
Solid - Ibis white
Free
Metallic - Condor Grey
From £500
Metallic - Dakar beige
From £500
Metallic - Ice silver
From £500
Metallic - Liquid blue
From £500
Metallic - Meteor grey
From £500
Metallic - Monza silver
From £500
Metallic - Sphere blue
From £500
Metallic - Tungsten grey
From £500
Pearl - Aruba blue
From £500
Pearl - Deep green
From £500
Pearl - Deep sea blue
From £500
Pearl - Garnet red
From £500
Pearl - Glass blue
From £500
Pearl - Misano Red
From £500
Pearl - Phantom black
From £500
Metallic - Dakota Grey
From £510
Metallic - Scuba blue
From £510
Metallic - Volcano red
From £510
Pearl - Meteor grey
From £510
Metallic - Beluga brown
From £525
Metallic - Floret silver
From £525
Metallic - Glacier white
From £525
Metallic - Lotus grey
From £525
Metallic - Monsoon grey
From £525
Metallic - Mythos black
From £525
Metallic - Shiraz red
From £525
Pearl - Daytona grey
From £525
Metallic - Cosmos blue
From £550
Metallic - Nano grey
From £550
Metallic - Tango red
From £550
Special solid - Vegas yellow
From £550
Audi Exclusive - Custom
From £2,400
Next Read full interior review
Buy or lease the Audi A3 Cabriolet at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £22,860 - £39,410
Carwow price from
Used
£11,350
Ready to see prices tailored to you?
Compare used deals