Used 2016 Audi A3 for SaleNationwide

How much does the 2016 Audi A3 cost?

Prices have softened 8.55% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 556 listings available, which gives you a modest amount of inventory to compare before you buy.

Is the 2016 Audi A3 a good car?

Generally — the 2016 Audi A3 earns a 4/5 user rating and a 7.83/10 expert rating. The standout strength is Look and feel at 9/10.

The A3’s appeal is strongest if you want a compact luxury car with a classy interior, a well-sorted chassis, and an invigorating drivetrain. It also adds everyday convenience with standard reversing camera, parking sensors, and heated washers and mirrors, while the available S Line appearance package gives you a more aggressive look without giving up usability.

32.9% of listings are priced as good or great deals, so you have some room to shop selectively.

Is the 2016 Audi A3 reliable?

Owners rate it 4/5, a solid signal of long-term satisfaction.

The A3’s reliability story is helped by its polished chassis and the sense that it was engineered to feel refined rather than fragile. The drivetrain is described as invigorating, and the car’s overall package emphasizes usability alongside style, which is a good sign for everyday ownership.

The standard maintenance and feature set also helps reduce the feeling that you’re buying a stripped-down luxury car. For used buyers, the main long-term risk is that higher-mileage examples may show the usual wear associated with premium features and more complex equipment.

What should I look for when buying a used 2016 Audi A3?

At 55.9% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially on cars with prior damage or higher mileage. Focus on body condition, panel alignment, and how well the car’s electronics and convenience features operate, since this model leans heavily on premium equipment.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base Premium trim gives you luxury basics like leather, power seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 10-speaker stereo, while higher trims add more convenience and upscale equipment. The Premium Plus trim adds 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, power for the front passenger seat, keyless entry and ignition, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, making it the best-value choice for many shoppers.
• Powertrain: You can choose among three engines, including a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with more power and less lag, and a 2.0-liter turbodiesel option with strong torque and impressive efficiency. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are both available depending on engine and body style.
• Safety package: Audi Pre-Sense with collision-avoidance braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise are part of the available driver-assistance suite. The base Premium trim sacrifices lane-keep assist, so check carefully if that feature matters to you.
• Infotainment: The standard MMI interface is paired with a 10-speaker stereo, while the available upgraded system adds navigation, voice controls, configurable digital gauges, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were coming the following year, so make sure the features you want are actually present.
• Fuel efficiency: The 1.8-liter engine is rated at 27 mpg combined, while the 2.0-liter turbocharged setup can return 26 mpg combined in the convertible and 36 mpg combined in the turbodiesel sedan.

Which 2016 Audi A3 trim should I buy?

The 2016 Audi A3 is offered in 3 trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige.

Here's the short version:

• Premium: This is the entry point, but it still gives you a legitimately upscale cabin with leather, power seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 10-speaker stereo. It makes sense if you want the lowest starting price and are willing to add features selectively.
• Premium Plus: This is the best-value trim for most shoppers because it adds 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, keyless entry and ignition, and a power front passenger seat. It also gets you closer to the richer equipment mix that makes the A3 feel like a true luxury car.
• Prestige: This is the most fully equipped version, with the most advanced tech and driver-assistance content, including adaptive cruise, Audi Pre-Sense with collision-avoidance braking, lane-keep assist, and the available Tech package. Choose this if you want the most complete A3 experience and are willing to pay for it.

The safety package is strongest on the Prestige trim, while the base Premium trim misses lane-keep assist.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2016 Audi A3?

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully and still find worthwhile listings.

• Deal availability: 32.9% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 556 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 8.55% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 55.9% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $10,793, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2016 Audi A3's resale value?

The current average of $11,036 sits slightly below last year's $12,067.

That softer pricing suggests the market has cooled a bit, which can help you buy more confidently now but may also limit upside if you plan to resell soon. If you’re a future seller, condition and equipment will matter more because buyers will likely compare your car against a fairly broad pool of similarly priced listings.

Vehicles with solid owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2016 Audi A3 safe?

The 2016 Audi A3 earns a five-star overall rating from government crash tests, with four-star ratings in frontal impacts.

It earns an 8/10 safety score from our experts.

The A3 includes Audi Pre-Sense with collision-avoidance braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise, along with standard stability and traction control, 4-wheel antilock discs, parking sensors, a reversing camera, and a full airbag suite. Sedans can also be fitted with rear side airbags.

One caveat is that the automatic braking system was noted to have a false activation in testing, so you should pay attention to how the driver-assistance systems behave during a test drive.

Should I buy a 2016 Audi A3 or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2016 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2016 if:

• 32.9% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 55.9% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 8.55% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4/5 — a solid satisfaction signal.
• Audi added standard reversing camera, parking sensors, and heated washers and mirrors for this year.

Consider the 2015 if:

• At $9,812, the 2015 costs less than the current year's $11,036 average.
• It stands out as a stylish, premium-feeling compact luxury car with broad appeal.

The bottom line: If you want the better-equipped version of this A3, the 2016 is the smarter target because it adds meaningful standard convenience features and still sits at a softened price point. If your priority is spending less up front, the 2015 is the better value path, especially if you find one in strong condition.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 29, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.