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We had the keys to the 2022 Audi A3 for a week, and here is what we thought of it.

The A3 has been known as the entry-level sedan for Audi buyers for a long time. In that time, it has earned quite the reputation for offering luxury at an affordable price.

But some people are hesitant to see if buying an entry-level luxury vehicle is worth it. They search the web near and far for the answer, and here it is. We used our list of things we learned to see if the A3 is worth it or not. Do you want to know? Let's go! What are you waiting for?

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As far as ride comfort is concerned, the ride comfort on the A3 is quite forgiving when it comes to going over the bumps and imperfections of the New Jersey roads. The suspension does not allow any discomfort throughout the A3 or upset the rest of the ride. As for the seats, they offer plenty of support for those long distant car rides to the beach or even just for the trip to the office.

The brakes have quite the bite and bring the A3 to a very quick stop if the need were to arise. Steering is light and nimble, but tight and aggressive when put into Sport mode. Speaking of Sport mode, when going into corners, the A3 really holds its own and makes sure it stays the course of where you're wanting to go. And for an entry-level luxury sedan, the A3 cancels out practically all road noise, making the drive as quiet as needed.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder under the hood of the A3 produces only 200-horsepower and is sent to all four wheels through its 7-speed S-tronic transmission. With our driving habits, we were able to achieve 26 miles per gallon. As performance goes for the A3, it has the guts to get up and go when needed, or just to have a little bit of fun.

Especially when put into Sport mode, the A3 is a fun car to put the pedal to the metal in and take on some tight corners. It hugs the road while clawing its way around the bend, not losing momentum while the engine roars in defiance of the G-Forces pulling at it. But mainly, the A3 is great to get for its fuel economy, especially in the times we are having right now with the prices of fuel.

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The exterior styling of the A3 is not only sleek, but it has curves and edges at the same time. The most prominent line runs along with the rear quarter panel, then eventually blends into the top of the taillights. The front fascia looks like it is being a bit judgmental with a laugh on its face towards anyone that goes past it. That is the demeanor it gives off.

Now for the rear, the A3 is not necessarily bland, but it is not that exciting to look at. Looking at the bigger picture, the A3 is not that big-looking of a sedan, but it is quite beautiful to look at from almost every angle. Especially the prominent line, as mentioned before. Cars that are made by manufacturers of luxury are supposed to be elegant looking as well, and the A3 checks that box.

The interior design of the A3 matches a bit of the soul of an early 2000s emo girl with some metal, plastic, wood, and leather trim. Well, except for some of that brown interior. One of the biggest features in the A3 is the gear shifter. To the wandering eye, it doesn't even look like the A3 has a shifter at all until you notice it in its place. Then even changing the gears seem a bit wonky. Almost light switch-like, changing gears means either pushing up the switch to go into neutral or further up for reverse and the same can be said for putting the A3 into drive, but the complete opposite. The only thing that makes sense at first is the push button to put the A3 into park. As far as cabin space is concerned, there is enough of it to fit adults in each seat comfortably and enough space in the trunk to fit a couple of suitcases for a quick getaway vacation.

What makes the A3 a little bit more characteristic is the ambient lighting at nighttime. The placement and color schemes available can only be described as one's personal aura. Customize the sections you're able to, and give off your own vibes with whatever colors you want and can display. To add to it all is the sound system that makes you feel as if you were listening to live music and being actually there in the clearest definition. As for visibility, there are not any issues with the A3 in trying to see other than your typical blind spots on the side of the car.

So, how much does this A3 cost? After adding it all up, the total price comes to $44,440. What does that get a potential customer? Well for safety, this A3 comes with 10 airbags that have an advanced protection system, ABS with brake assist, electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring system, rearview camera.

Also, there is Audi pre-sense front forward collision warning and avoidance assistance, LATCH system, lane departure warning system, rear cross-traffic alert, active lane assist with the emergency assist, adaptive cruise control, parking system with park assist, traffic sign recognition, child safety locks for the rear doors.

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For comfort and convenience, the A3 comes with heated powered front seats. The driver's seat only has a memory saver, multiple USB ports, a panoramic sunroof, three-zone automatic climate control, an infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, and agate gray fine birch wood inlays.

Not only that but let's not forget the Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound, auto-dimming interior mirror with compass, Sirius XM radio, wireless phone charging pad, sat-nav, ambient lighting, and Audi virtual cockpit. And last but not least, the digital instrument cluster, where you could view your speed and tachometer at the same time with the sat-nav in "satellite" mode while driving.

As far as safety ratings go, the Audi A3 has not been tested since 2019 and received the IIHS "Top Safety Pick" of 2019. From what we could tell, it looks as if nothing has really changed about the A3, but take that with a grain of salt. Standards are always changing so that means safety always should follow suit.

Most likely, the cause of the lack of testing is due to Covid-19 messing everything up these past couple of years. We are not saying to completely discredit the A3 by not being safe, it just has not been tested in a hot minute. But, as said, the formula has not been changed enough to have much significance.

From a vehicle perspective, the A3 is not missing anything to get you from A to B. It is also a plus that it gets you there in a comfortable manner. But there are a couple of things missing from the A3, especially for its price tag. The first thing that comes to mind is that the A3 is missing ventilated seats. Most vehicles over $35,000 have both heated and ventilated seats.

The next thing that comes to mind is that the price tag of the A3 is that the steering wheel is not heated either. Most cars over $35,000 have a heated steering wheel as well. Lastly, the A3 is missing heated rear seats. We get it, the A3 is an entry-level luxury, but it shouldn't feel like an expensive Honda. Heated seats all around should be a standard for entry-level vehicles.

What faults and/or problems does the A3 have? There aren't any we can come up with or think of. If there were any issues we had with the A3, it was adjusting to how the shifter works and getting used to it. That is all the A3 is about; getting used to the options we are used to using one way, use them in a new way.

For people just getting into their first Audi, setting up the sat-nav on the instrument cluster if they wanted to use that feature would be the first hurdle. More or less, it would just be getting used to accessing all of the information you can get into the cluster panel and not get a bit distracted or overwhelmed. Like all new technology, it will eventually become second nature. It will become as easy as changing from Facebook to Instagram on a smartphone.

So, is the A3 worth the money? In short, no, it isn't if you really cannot afford one. As there are a few drawbacks with the options it comes with, the price difference is not too great to justify, but it is not on the list thanks to its horrible warranties. Like a smartphone, it seems the A3 isn't built to last as long as one would like. A mere 4-year/50,000-mile warranty (whatever comes first) as a "New Vehicle" but still one must check out the booklet the A3 comes with to better understand what lies in store for a future owner. And the "best" warranty is the 12-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation.

Lastly, the 4-year roadside assistance coverage provided by a 3rd party supplier. It is a bit unacceptable for this to be what manufacturers of this caliber expect or to give, regardless of price. A 4-year warranty isn't as long of a given time when compared to the loan one will get (7-year average) on a new vehicle. And the shorter the loan, the more the monthly payments. It is ludicrous. So, only get one if you can really afford it. If not, go get a Hyundai.

Charles North VI is an automotive journalist as well as an automotive enthusiast. He enjoys road trips, be it near or far. He enjoys going to the track as well as working on his own cars. Or just carving mountain roads. Cars are his passion. You can find him driving around South Jersey, USA or in the Poconos in a personal car or press car.