2016 Audi A3: MPG and fuel economy

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2016 Audi A3. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2016 Audi A3. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

How the 2016 Audi A3 compares

The 2016 Audi A3 returns 27 combined MPG. Cars in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year average 28.2 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 4%.

The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 2016 model year is the BMW i3 BEV at 124 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Audi A3 alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2016 model year (across all classes) returns 25.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2016 model year is on its own page.

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 555.6 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Year-over-year MPG for the Audi A3

The EPA has rated the Audi A3 across 17 model years, from 2006 Audi A3 through 2024 Audi A3. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

The 2006 Audi A3 returned 25 MPG. The most recent 2024 Audi A3 returns 32 MPG. That is an improvement of 7 MPG over 18 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.

Compare against other Subcompact Cars for 2016

If you are cross-shopping the 2016 Audi A3, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The BMW i3 BEV leads this group at 124 MPG, 97 MPG ahead of the 2016 Audi A3.

Specifications

The 2016 Audi A3 runs a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (am-s6), sending power through front-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class

Subcompact Cars

Engine

1.8L 4-cylinder turbocharged

Transmission

Automatic (AM-S6)

Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Fuel type

Regular

Annual petroleum use

11 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2016 Audi A3

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2016 Audi A3.

• Is the 2016 Audi A3 fuel efficient?

  It is in line with the rest of the class. The 2016 Audi A3 returns 27 combined MPG, and the average car in the Subcompact Cars class for the same model year sits at 28.2 MPG.
• What MPG does the 2016 Audi A3 get?

  The EPA rates the 2016 Audi A3 at 27 combined MPG, 23 MPG in city driving, and 33 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
• How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Audi A3 per year?

  The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,200 for the 2016 Audi A3. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
• What fuel does the 2016 Audi A3 use?

  The EPA lists the 2016 Audi A3 as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
• Has the Audi A3 become more fuel efficient over time?

  Yes. The first EPA-rated Audi A3, the 2006 Audi A3, returned 25 combined MPG. The most recent 2024 Audi A3 returns 32 MPG, an improvement of 7 MPG over the run.
• How much CO₂ does the 2016 Audi A3 emit?

  Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 328 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 4,920 kilograms of CO₂.
• What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2016 Audi A3?

  City driving returns 23 MPG and highway driving returns 33 MPG, a gap of 10 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
• What engine is in the 2016 Audi A3?

  The 2016 Audi A3 has a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement.
• What transmission and drivetrain does the 2016 Audi A3 have?

  The 2016 Audi A3 comes with a automatic (am-s6) transmission and front-wheel drive.
• How does the 2016 Audi A3 compare to the best car in its class?

  The most efficient car in the Subcompact Cars class for the 2016 model year is the BMW i3 BEV at 124 combined MPG. The Audi A3 returns 27 MPG, a gap of 97 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.