Audi A3 vs Vauxhall Astra vs SEAT Leon: Which Costs the Most to Maintain?
Ellie Dyer-Brown, 3 months ago
5 min read
- Audi
- Vauxhall
- SEAT
- Cost
- Maintenance
WhoCanFixMyCar reviews the maintenance costs of three popular family cars.
Choosing the right car is about more than the upfront cost - it's also worth considering how much money different aspects of maintenance will set you back. We thought we’d look under the bonnet and see for ourselves, comparing three popular family cars: the A3, Astra and Leon.
Contents
Methodology
The data in this guide is from 2023, and all prices are averages from quotes provided on the WhoCanFixMyCar platform. We selected four maintenance categories for comparison - full and interim service, MOT and aircon regas - and three popular family cars with comparable running costs.
After finding out the average price for each model in these categories, we added them together to determine the total annual cost.
Average maintenance costs
| Vauxhall Astra | Audi A3 | SEAT Leon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full service | £191.67 | £193.72 | £189.69 |
| Interim service | £135.09 | £136.89 | £134.46 |
| MOT | £43.51 | £43.52 | £43.18 |
| Aircon regas | £67.22 | £70.03 | £80.61 |
| TOTAL | £437.49 | £444.16 | £447.94 |
Cheapest overall: Vauxhall Astra
According to our data, the cheapest model to maintain is the Vauxhall Astra, with an average annual maintenance cost of £437.49. It might have been around for a long time, but the Astra still keeps up with the best of them, offering great all-around value.
Find out about common problems with the Vauxhall Astra.
Cheapest for servicing: SEAT Leon
Despite winning overall, the Astra was beaten in several categories by the SEAT Leon, including servicing. The Leon's total average servicing cost is £324.15 - £2.61 cheaper than the Astra. And this isn't the only area where the Leon reigns supreme; it also has a five-star review from WhatCar?, beating the Astra's three-star rating.
Most expensive for servicing: Audi A3
It's no surprise that Audi's stylish A3 model didn't do particularly well against the Leon and Astra. Affordability isn't the German brand's M.O., but it excels in many other ways. The A3 is the most expensive car for an MOT - by just one penny - and has the highest total servicing costs, coming in at £330.61.
Learn about common problems with the Audi A3.
Whether you drive a Vauxhall, Audi or SEAT, WhoCanFixMyCar can help you find affordable car repairs and maintenance from local garages.
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Written by Ellie
Ellie is WhoCanFixMyCar’s Content Writer. She has a BA in English literature from Durham University, a master’s degree in creative writing, and three years of experience writing in the automotive industry. She currently drives a Suzuki Swift.