Audi A3 Sportback vs BMW 1 Series

Behind all the excitement surrounding the newly arrived brands at the 2025 Singapore Motor Show, these two long rivals sat, available for all to compare.

Long bastions of the premium compact segment, the two we have gathered here today (besides the Mercedes-Benz A-Class) have long offered local buyers the opportunity to drive something with a premium badge at more accessible prices, while keeping their motoring costs relatively low thanks to their right-sized engines.

If you can't be bothered with the hassle that comes with an electric car or don't want something from a new-to-you brand, there's a high chance that these both will end up in your short list of potential new cars. But which is the better option?

The Audi A3 has received a new logo, grille, and redesigned head lights in this update, while the BMW 116 also gets a larger grille that sports horizontal and diagonal bars

Stunning design

Let's start things off with the BMW 116. Decked out in M Sport trim, BMW's new entry-point now looks definitively sporty - a result, no doubt, of the fact that its front section has been lowered, even though the car now actually stands 25mm taller than its predecessor.

It's a new look that is overall pleasing on the eye. The new head lights may not be to everyone's taste, but sure are a better fit than the oversized ones utilised by this 116's predecessor. Although, if I may be so cruel, the car does look like it has a pair of not-so-flattering incisors from certain angles.

The Audi A3 Sportback comes with 17-inch rims as standard while the BMW comes equipped with 18-inch light alloy wheels

Not that the Audi A3 Sportback is without its own blemishes. Emerging after a refresh, this updated iteration has received a new grille that to my eyes, protrudes outwards and captures too much attention - at the risk of making the car look like a bona fide member of the Cyprinidae family.

Still, look away from the details and you'll note it has a form that is equally elegant as it is brimming with intent, thanks to its prominent waistline and sizeable rear bumper.

We found the Audi's infotainment system easier to get familiar with, although the BMW's impresses with the wide range of colours and drive modes

Space aplenty

And there's plenty else that captures the eye in the cabin of this premium hatchback.

It may be four years since we first got behind the wheel of this generation of the Audi A3, but it still looks futuristic and feels decidedly premium. Everything in here just feels like it has been triple-screwed in place, and the switchgear all deliver satisfying tactility, responding to your prods with affirming clicks.

The BMW 116, in contrast, has shed its physical buttons for its air-conditioning settings, opting instead to bury them within its new 10.7-inch Control Display - a move that demands greater accuracy of said finger prods if adjustments must be made when on the move.

The cabin of the Audi A3 still looks futuristic despite its age, while the cabin of the BMW 116 stands out with its unique backlit trim pieces and air-conditioning vents

Having said this, there's plenty to excite those more visually oriented here as well. Note, for example, the deployment of some attractive backlit aluminium trim pieces, as well as the intriguing gill-like air-conditioning vents at either end of the dashboard.

Ease of use? The 10.1-inch infotainment unit in the Audi A3 has the one in the BMW beat when it comes to intuitiveness.

The neat grouping of the various options and the uniformity with which the sub-menus are presented (comprising chiefly of horizontally stacked rows accompanied by a graphic) in the Audi's system beats out the BMW's wide mix of layouts, while the unruly array of tiles available on the BMW's main menu feels only barely controlled by the fact that they can now be filtered via new sub-headers.

The boot of the Audi A3 Sportback and the BMW 116 both offer 380 litres of space

Accomplished drives

But get behind the wheel of either one of these hatches and it's the BMW that feels keener on getting you where you need to be.

While the Audi A3 here puts out a respectable 114bhp and delivers a total of 220Nm of torque, the BMW 116 has it just about beaten thanks to its 121bhp output alongside a peak torque of 230Nm.

On the road, the difference is palpable. Driven at the sort of half-throttle work that most commuters will do on their daily commutes, the BMW delivers keen throttle response that makes every drive a delight. 

The Audi A3 feels the more settled of the two over bumpy roads but the BMW 116 has a more eager drivetrain

BMW states that the anti-roll bar mounts, dampers, and the geometry of the front wheels have been revised for this iteration of its hatchback, and the upgrades can be felt - the 116 exhibits eager turn-in, and there's a decent amount of feedback going from those front wheels back to the one grasped by the driver.

The Audi A3 Sportback, meanwhile, exhibits a more relaxed demeanour. Its 1.5-litre unit feels just a touch less eager and comes paired to a seven-speed transmission that feels more hesitant to execute downshifts next to the BMW's.

Still, there's plenty that impresses here in the A3. Insulation from the engine feels greater in the Audi, and the noise floor in its cabin feels substantially lower as a result. And for those eyeing long hours behind the wheel, the ride in the Audi A3 feels the more settled of the two.

You really can't go wrong with either of these two if you're looking for your next premium compact hatchback

Which to get?

At $223,888, the BMW 116 is asking for a fair bit more than the $215,999 that the Audi A3 wants you to part with (all prices as of 29 March 2025 and inclusive of COE).

That difference should be well worth it if you're looking for a premium compact hatchback that can also thrill if you do decide to take the scenic route. And there's also the fact that it feels the more modern car when you're diving through its infotainment system or simply admiring its dashboard.

But for those who prefer to take the straight-forward route and seek comfort above all from their compact premium car, the Audi A3 is sure to be a better fit. If only something could be done about that grille…

Looking for more comparison articles? These cars might also interest you...

The Volvo EX30 and Smart #1 electric crossovers duke it out here!

But perhaps you'd be more interested in seeing how the BMW X1 matches up against the Mercedes-Benz GLA?

Or you might want to see how the Mercedes-Benz C180 will fare against the BMW 318i here!