Audi A3 Sportback hatchback - Practicality & boot space

Shifting trends mean Audi no longer sells a three-door A3, so the five-door Sportback is now the standard car, with a four-door saloon version set to follow later.

Audi A3 interior space & storage

The latest model is slightly longer and wider overall, and the benefit of this is slightly more headroom and legroom front and rear. There's plenty of room with four passengers but the middle seat isn't as comfortable, so is best reserved for short trips only. The Audi’s ISOFIX points – which are neatly concealed behind plastic covers – are easy to find and use, so fitting a child seat is a doddle. Optional front passenger seat ISOFIX points mean the A3 can be made even more family-friendly, too.

Boot space

While passenger space is boosted slightly, boot space remains unchanged at 380 litres behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,200 litres when they're folded down. That’s more than the boot space of the Mercedes A-Class and on par with that of the BMW 1 Series, but the A3’s lower loading lip and large tailgate make it more easily accessible.

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In the plug-in hybrid, though, overall boot space is reduced to 280 litres due to the car’s battery; the boot floor is raised to accommodate it. This is pretty poor for a hatchback of this size – it’s a compromise that’s much more apparent than in rival plug-in versions of premium hatchbacks such as the DS4, which offers 110 litres more than the A3. Even the more budget-friendly Skoda Octavia offers a 450-litre boot with the same plug-in hybrid setup.

Towing

A removable towbar with a 13-pin socket, that can swivel up behind the bumper when not in use, is available as an official accessory for around £800. The A3 Sportback can make a surprisingly good tow car, with even the 30 TFSI petrol rated to tow a 1,500kg braked trailer, climbing to 1,800kg for the diesel engines.