Wow!, that is something I never thought I'd read, an OP trying to decide between 2 totally different cars (image wise).
On the one hand you have the Audi A3, a car bought by the image obsessed, a car which is literally just a more expensive golf, which in turn is just a more expensive seat leon/skoda octavia!. I'm not saying it is a bad car, but unless the quality of the interior or impressing your neighbours are your priorities, the A3 offers no more than the golf, leon or octavia.
Then you have the solid reliable hyundai i30, a car which does nothing particularly well, but nothing particularly poorly either. But, like the Audi, you also should be considering others, in this case the Kia cee'd as, under the skin, it is the same car. Though if you are bothered by such things, the Kia is generally regarded as being a more youthful and stylish car (Kia's head designer was poached from Audi).
Without knowing more about your requirements (petrol/diesel, manual/auto), it is difficult to make a call on this. I can tell you that regardless of engine/gearbox, it definitely wouldn't be the Audi for me. If I had to choose a VAG option, it would be either the leon or octavia.
But if you are thinking of petrol, I'd be looking at a mazda 3 or Honda civic. Both of which are more reliable than anything VAG, and more fun to drive than the hyundai or kia.
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