It seems German luxury in very small packages is exactly what America wants right now. Not only is Mercedes’s baby four-door coupe, the CLA-Class, selling like hotcakes, so is its rival from Audi.
Recently released data from Audi USA shows 2,452 A3 sedans were sold in June and 7,735 units for the whole year (as a 2015MY, it's only been available for a few months).
Just as interesting as the quantity is the kind of people who are buying them. Audi sales executives told Edmunds that many of the new buyers are trading in Hondas and Toyota. Since the A3 can cost as much as $40,000 with options, we’re guessing that means Camry and Accord owners, not Corolla and Civic ones.
If you do have a mid-size Japanese sedan and want to go German, know that there could be a waiting list. 2,452 vehicles in a month is just a drop in the ocean right now, but once supply picks up and Audi
One thing Audi seems to have that Mercedes doesn’t is diversity. While the CLA is available in just one flavor, CLA 250 with a a 2-liter turbo, the A3 already has two engine choices, 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TSI with quattro, with more to come. A 150 hp TDI clean diesel will be available as a hatch, joined by the A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid with 200 hp, which is expected to arrive next year.
Also poised to hit American dealerships are the A3 Cabriolet, which can’t be rivaled by any Mercedes model, and the S3 performance sedan.
Just as interesting as the quantity is the kind of people who are buying them. Audi sales executives told Edmunds that many of the new buyers are trading in Hondas and Toyota. Since the A3 can cost as much as $40,000 with options, we’re guessing that means Camry and Accord owners, not Corolla and Civic ones.
If you do have a mid-size Japanese sedan and want to go German, know that there could be a waiting list. 2,452 vehicles in a month is just a drop in the ocean right now, but once supply picks up and Audi
One thing Audi seems to have that Mercedes doesn’t is diversity. While the CLA is available in just one flavor, CLA 250 with a a 2-liter turbo, the A3 already has two engine choices, 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TSI with quattro, with more to come. A 150 hp TDI clean diesel will be available as a hatch, joined by the A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid with 200 hp, which is expected to arrive next year.
Also poised to hit American dealerships are the A3 Cabriolet, which can’t be rivaled by any Mercedes model, and the S3 performance sedan.