Audi A3 hybrid running costs, insurance, warranty & tax
As with all plug-ins, the A3 TFSI e will be most beneficial to company-car users; the financial case for private buyers is less clear-cut
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service interval | Annual company-car tax cost (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-26 | 3yrs / 60,000miles | 1yr / 9,300 miles | From £555 / £1,111 |
Company-car tax is where the A3 TFSI e makes a real difference to running costs: In S line trim with 18-inch wheels, it sits in the 12% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band. Downgrading to Sport specification (or just choosing 17-inch wheels on the S line) reduce that to 8%.
Otherwise, road tax, insurance and servicing costs aren't much different to a regular petrol or diesel-engined A3. Private buyers need to think about their usage pattern: if you can charge up at home and mostly stick to short local runs, then you'll save big on fuel. Those regularly doing long runs may still be better off with a conventional diesel or petrol, especially when you factor in the higher up-front cost of the hybrid.
Audi A3 hybrid insurance group
There's a small variation in insurance ratings between the available trim levels for the A3 TFSI e, with the entry-level Sport in group 24, S line in group 25 and the S line Competition in group 26.
Warranty
Audi's standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty cover looks a little stingy next to the five or seven-year cover offered by less prestigious brands such as Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and MG, but it does mirror the typical duration of a finance agreement or company-car term. Mercedes and BMW also cover their cars for three years, albeit with no mileage limit.
Servicing
Audi offers pay-monthly service plans with a 0% interest rate to help customers spread the cost of essential maintenance. At the time of writing, a plan covering the first two services for an A3 TFSI e S line costs just over £22 per month for two years.
Two types of service schedule are used: Fixed (every 9,300 miles or 12 months, whichever comes sooner) and Flexible (up to 18,600 miles or every 24 months, whichever comes sooner). If you tend to drive longer distances on motorways and main roads, Audi recommends Flexible, while Fixed is aimed at low-mileage drivers who do more city and local driving.
Road tax
As a hybrid, the A3 TFSI e gets a £10 discount on annual road tax (VED), so you only need to pay £145 per annum after the first year. Be careful about adding too many options, though (especially to the S line Competition), as a list price of more than £40,000 means an additional road-tax surcharge of £335 in years two through six of ownership.
