Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi A3 hybrid running costs, insurance, warranty & tax

As with all plug-ins, the A3 TFSI e will be most beneficial to company-car users; the financial case for private buyers is less clear-cut

Overall rating

3.5 out of 5

Running costs & insurance rating

3.5 out of 5

Insurance groupWarrantyService intervalAnnual company-car tax cost (20%/40%)
24-263yrs / 60,000miles1yr / 9,300 milesFrom £555 / £1,111

Company-car tax is where the A3 TFSI e makes a real difference to running costs: In S line trim with 18-inch wheels, it sits in the 12% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band. Downgrading to Sport specification (or just choosing 17-inch wheels on the S line) reduce that to 8%.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Otherwise, road tax, insurance and servicing costs aren't much different to a regular petrol or diesel-engined A3. Private buyers need to think about their usage pattern: if you can charge up at home and mostly stick to short local runs, then you'll save big on fuel. Those regularly doing long runs may still be better off with a conventional diesel or petrol, especially when you factor in the higher up-front cost of the hybrid.

Audi A3 hybrid insurance group

There's a small variation in insurance ratings between the available trim levels for the A3 TFSI e, with the entry-level Sport in group 24, S line in group 25 and the S line Competition in group 26.

Warranty

Audi's standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty cover looks a little stingy next to the five or seven-year cover offered by less prestigious brands such as Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and MG, but it does mirror the typical duration of a finance agreement or company-car term. Mercedes and BMW also cover their cars for three years, albeit with no mileage limit.

Servicing

Audi offers pay-monthly service plans with a 0% interest rate to help customers spread the cost of essential maintenance. At the time of writing, a plan covering the first two services for an A3 TFSI e S line costs just over £22 per month for two years.

Two types of service schedule are used: Fixed (every 9,300 miles or 12 months, whichever comes sooner) and Flexible (up to 18,600 miles or every 24 months, whichever comes sooner). If you tend to drive longer distances on motorways and main roads, Audi recommends Flexible, while Fixed is aimed at low-mileage drivers who do more city and local driving.

Road tax

As a hybrid, the A3 TFSI e gets a £10 discount on annual road tax (VED), so you only need to pay £145 per annum after the first year. Be careful about adding too many options, though (especially to the S line Competition), as a list price of more than £40,000 means an additional road-tax surcharge of £335 in years two through six of ownership.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Nissan’s masterplan: 6 new cars by 2026, including next-gen Micra, Leaf successor and revamped Juke,
New Nissan Future models - Picture 1
News

Nissan’s masterplan: 6 new cars by 2026, including next-gen Micra, Leaf successor and revamped Juke,

Nissan has set itself a target of introducing 30 new models globally over within the next two years
25 Mar 2024
New Genesis Neolun concept paves the way for the GV90 SUV
New Genesis Neolun concept - picture 1
News

New Genesis Neolun concept paves the way for the GV90 SUV

With a host of new technology, the Neolun is the brands first step towards a full-size electric SUV.
27 Mar 2024
Rolls-Royce Spectre review: almost the last word in fully-electric luxury
Rolls-Royce Spectre - front tracking
In-depth reviews

Rolls-Royce Spectre review: almost the last word in fully-electric luxury

The Spectre is Rolls-Royce’s admirable first step into the world of electric cars, but it’s not quite perfect
26 Mar 2024