We Spotted The Current A3 With A Brand-New Interior

The Audi A3 and quicker S3 models just got a big refresh for 2025. The German automaker changed up the styling of the smallest car it sells in the US on the outside. On the inside, the design stayed the same, but Audi used nicer materials.

So why is Audi driving around near the Nürburgring in Germany with a new S3 right now, and why is the interior all covered up? Thanks to the magic of long lenses, the CarBuzz spy photographers have captured the reason: Audi is updating the interior.

It’s Only A Year Old, But It’s Already Time To Change

The first sign that something is up in this Audi is just how covered up the interior is. Normally, we would expect it to be completely uncovered once a car is on sale. If there are some little changes, like a new screen, then the camouflage is more reserved.

This car, though, has its entire dash covered and a hood over the gauges complete with a plastic “window” to make sure the cluster is hidden. Even the steering wheel has the camouflage treatment. That’s a lot of camo for a minor update. That’s because this isn’t a minor update.

The steering wheel, for a start, is brand new. The delightfully compact airbag of the current car is gone, replaced with something much larger and boxier. The controls on the wheel are also new. The set of buttons, scroll wheels, and other physical controls have been put in the bin, and have been replaced with haptic touch and swipe controls. We know how everyone loves haptic controls. Yes, that was sarcasm.

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It’s the same look we’ve seen in other Audis, including the A5 and A6. Which, according to our spies, is a strong hint about the rest of the car’s interior.

The right-hand side of the dash is visible, and it shows just enough to make it clear that this is a new dash panel. Look at the 2025 dash from the same angle and the vent is obstructed by the shape of the dash. Here, it’s not.

Audi’s oddball vent to the right of the instrument cluster is also gone. If it were still there, Audi would have a mesh piece (like the one on the far right) for airflow. This dash-cover camo appears to be hiding a two-screen integrated layout, just like the one in the aforementioned A5 and A6. For reference, we’ve included photos of the new A5 immediately below.

Will The Tiny A3 Get A Passenger Screen?

This is an entry-level model, so even in range-topping spec, it probably won’t offer a passenger screen like other Audis. We’re not even sure if there’s enough room for one.

As a sign of how much Audi is changing the interior of this car, even the door cards have been revised. The pull handle is a new color and looks to have a new shape. We think we can see some other changes, but it’s tough to confirm from this angle.

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We’re not sure why Audi would update the A3 and S3 again so quickly, but there are some possibilities. One is that a new electric A3-sized car is set to launch next year. This could actually be a development mule for that car. Or, Audi could be planning to electrify the current A3 and wants it to have cabin tech as up to date as the power system. Two A3-sized cars with two different interiors isn’t exactly efficient, either, especially for a company struggling with sales and the slow uptake of EVs.

It could certainly explain why the A3’s 2025 facelift changed the materials on the dash but not the dash itself. This was a cheaper stop-gap while it got the new-new one ready and worked out the bugs in the VW Group’s Cariad software division.