Each of the three German brands brings something decidedly different to the table.
Opt for the shapely Mercedes-AMG CLA45 and you'll get manic power delivery and gobs of less-than-refined personality.
The BMW M2, on the other hand, is positively sublime—but it's only available as a coupe.
Nobody else offers quite as much punch in a small car, but the Acura ILX is nicely balanced and became more powerful last year.
The Volvo S60 is a size class above the Audi S3, and its Polestar variant is a lot more expensive, but it may be worth a look.
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 2017 Audi A3Browse Used Listings |  2017 Acura ILXBrowse Used Listings |  2017 BMW 2-SeriesBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA ClassBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Volvo S60Browse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | ||||
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If you can live with its tiny rear seat, the 2017 Audi S3 is an absolute hoot to drive. |
The 2017 Acura ILX isn't long on glamor, but it's a focused and comfortable compact sedan on the first rung of the luxury ladder. |
The 2017 BMW M2 works hard to keep things simple, and to keep its price under control—and to bring back some of the driver’s seat sensations that have gone missing in other recent M cars. |
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is a sharp-looking sedan that washes its hands of back-seat space, and stuns us in CLA45 AMG trim. |
The 2017 Volvo S60 is a solid alternative to those tired of the German sedan game. It's not as flashy, but it is more sensibly priced. |
| MSRP From | ||||
| $31,200 | $27,990 | $33,150 | $32,400 | $33,950 |
| Gas Mileage | ||||
| 19 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy | 25 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy | 18 MPG City / 35 MPG Hwy | 23 MPG City / 36 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | ||||
| Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 |
| EPA Class | ||||
| Subcompact Cars | Compact Cars | Subcompact Cars | Subcompact Cars | Compact Cars |
| Style Name | ||||
| 2.0 TFSI Premium FWD | Sedan | 230i Coupe | CLA 250 Coupe | T5 FWD Dynamic |
| Drivetrain | ||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | ||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | ||||
| Cabriolet | Sedan | Coupe | Sedan | Sedan |
| Transmission | ||||
| Auto-Shift Manual w/OD | Auto-Shift Manual w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Auto-Shift Manual w/OD | Automatic w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
| 2017 Audi A3 vs. 2017 Acura ILX | 2017 Audi A3 vs. 2017 BMW 2-Series | 2017 Audi A3 vs. 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA Class | 2017 Audi A3 vs. 2017 Volvo S60 | |
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