Audi A3 vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Audi A3 starts from $54,800 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class opens at $48,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz A-Class the more affordable entry point by $5,900.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $60,280 and $53,790 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Audi A3 by roughly $1,855 in fuel alone.

Both the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 89% for the Audi A3 and 96% for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Audi A3 packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Audi A3 and 7 in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

The Audi A3 features a 10.1-inch touchscreen, while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class gets a 10.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Audi A3 stands out with heated front seats and power tailgate that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Audi A3 uses a Petrol MHEV producing 110kW and 250Nm of torque, sent through a s tronic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.1 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class responds with a Petrol making 100kW and 200Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The Audi A3 has the clear power advantage at 110kW vs 100kW. In the real-world sprint, the Audi A3 is 1.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Audi A3 measures 4,343mm long on a 2,636mm wheelbase, 76mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class at 4,419mm (2,729mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 325L in the Audi A3 and 370L in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, giving the Mercedes-Benz A-Class a 45L advantage.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class leads with a 1,800kg braked capacity vs 1,200kg. That 600kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,539/year for the Audi A3 and $1,910/year for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. That is a $371 annual difference in favour of the Audi A3.

Estimated annual total: $1,539 (Audi A3) vs $1,910 (Mercedes-Benz A-Class). The Audi A3 saves you roughly $371 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Audi A3) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz A-Class). Both match on warranty length.