Jacked up! Updated 2024 Audi A3 headlined by Allstreet crossover to help fill the void left by Q2 small SUV

Audi has revealed the updated A3 hatchback and sedan, along with a new bodystyle called ‘Allstreet’, reminiscent of the lifted ‘Allroad’ variants of its larger models.

The current-generation A3 has been around since 2020, and this update retails much of the underpinnings and the 1.5-litre ‘35 TFSI’ turbocharged petrol engine currently available in the model here in Australia.

The European market will get a version with 48-volt ‘mild-hybrid’ and a seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox - it’s yet to be confirmed if exactly the same drivetrain will come to Australia. Europe also gets a diesel version with the same 110kW output and transmission, though more “gasoline and diesel versions” will join the line-up later, Audi says.

Stephan Fahr-Becker, Audi Team Leader Exterior Design, said the team was set the goal of making sure the new variant, the A3 Allstreet, “stands out from the rest of the A3 family”.

“The aim was to use specific design elements to emphasise the vehicle’s higher ground clearance even more clearly,” said Fahr-Becker.

To achieve this, changes from the Sportback hatch include the octagonal radiator grille sitting higher, looking more like an Audi Q model, while grooves in the front lip, and a more rugged rear bumper were added.

The A3 Allstreet’s ride height is 15mm higher than the A3 Sportback, with larger 17-inch wheels (over the hatch’s standard 16s) adding to create a 30mm higher ground clearance.

Essentially, it seems with the demise of the Audi Q2, as lifted version of the A3 is here to try to fill some of that compact but high-riding demand.

Sets of 18- and 19-inch wheels are optional for both versions of the A3.

For the A3 Sportback, and the sedan which joins it, a new design for the grill (or “frameless Singleframe” as Audi calls it), plus new intakes, bumpers, and finishes for the trim are available.

Four different daytime running light (DRL) light signatures are able to be chosen for the new A3, a novel new addition able to be activated from the cabin, where new sleek design elements like an almost-flat gear shift selector and a refreshed dash are found.

A 10.1-inch touch display for the multimedia and a new screen for the Audi virtual cockpit are joined by a wireless phone charger and two USB-C charging ports in the front, with two in the rear.

Audi says its ‘comfort functions’ like adaptive cruise assist, high-beam assist and two-zone air conditioning can be purchased “for one month, six months, one year, three years, or permanently, depending on the customer’s individual needs” - a move that could cause a stir.

With order books opening this month in Europe, the facelifted A3 should be launched in Australia later in the year, with local details to be confirmed closer to the date.