Import an Audi A3 from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
The third most imported model from Japan in 2025 and the most common premium one. German-built, so it pays the 10% duty.
The A3 Sportback is the premium hatch in the Japan-import statistics: 2,043 arrived between January and September 2025 according to Cartell. The appeal is the usual one, low mileage and a full specification, plus a higher OMSP that makes the VRT line bigger in euro even when the percentage is modest.
Built in Germany, so 10% duty applies. The older 8V cars carry NEDC figures that Revenue uplifts; the 8Y has WLTP figures.
- Customs duty
- 10%
- Built in Germany, so the EU–Japan rate does not apply.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 17.5% to 20%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €13,489 to €26,682
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 120, 128, 140 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 120–140 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 8V Sportback 1.4 TFSI, 60,000 kmPetrol | ¥900,000 | €15,000 | 114 NEDC → 140 → band 14, 20% | €14,189 | €13,489–€14,089 | Open |
| 2019 8V Sportback 30 TFSI, 40,000 kmPetrol | ¥1,400,000 | €21,000 | 126 → band 12, 17.5% | €18,617 | €18,302–€19,142 | Open |
| 2021 8Y Sportback 30 TFSI, 25,000 kmPetrol | ¥2,200,000 | €28,000 | 128 → band 12, 17.5% | €25,982 | €25,562–€26,682 | Open |
- 2016 8V Sportback 1.4 TFSI, 60,000 km: European 1.4 TFSI figures were around 114 g/km NEDC, which Revenue uplifts to about 140 g/km. Price and value are assumptions.
- 2019 8V Sportback 30 TFSI, 40,000 km: Late 8V cars carry WLTP figures in the mid-120s; price and value are assumptions.
- 2021 8Y Sportback 30 TFSI, 25,000 km: A WLTP figure around 128 g/km for the 8Y 30 TFSI; price and value are assumptions.
VRT and the OMSP
Sold new here throughout, so the OMSP is well established, and because the OMSP is higher than on a Golf or Polo the VRT line is bigger in euro even at a similar percentage: about 17.5% of €21,000 is over €3,600.
Older 8V cars carry NEDC figures that Revenue uplifts before banding, which pushes a 114 g/km car into the 20% band. Late 8V and all 8Y cars have WLTP figures and band lower.
NOx levy
Euro 6 petrol A3s certify low NOx, so the levy is small with evidence and €600 without it. Avoid the diesels unless NOx evidence is in hand: the default without it is €4,850.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Not Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate does not apply: 10% customs duty is charged on the customs value (car, Japan-side fees, freight and insurance), and VAT is then charged on top of the duty. Returned-goods relief only covers goods coming back to the EU within three years, so it does not help with a car exported new years ago. Budget for the 10%; the calculator applies it automatically from the VIN.
Built in: Germany (Ingolstadt), with some 8Y cars from Győr in Hungary. Not Japanese-built, so the 10% duty rate applies.
Insurance
A mainstream premium model here, so insurance is straightforward. Japan-market trims map to Irish SE, Sport and S line equivalents; disclose that it is an import.
Generations
- 8V (2013–2020): Sportback with the 1.4 TFSI (later 30 and 35 TFSI badges) and the seven-speed S tronic. Figures are NEDC for most of the run, WLTP for the last cars.
- 8Y (2021 on): 30 and 35 TFSI, with WLTP figures around 125–135 g/km.
Before you bid
- Japan-market infotainment units carry Japanese maps and menus; budget for a replacement head unit or live with it.
- Dry-clutch seven-speed DSG gearboxes in the smaller petrol engines have a history of clutch and mechatronic repairs; ask for the service record and a cold-start test drive.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
- The radio needs a band expander for Irish FM (Japan uses 76–90 MHz) and the navigation unit is in Japanese; most buyers fit an aftermarket head unit.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- Cartell (SIMI data via Autotrade.ie) counted 2,043 A3s imported from Japan between January and September 2025, third behind the Golf and the Polo.
- German premium marques made up 63% of Japan-sourced imports in 2025, easing to 59% in the first half of 2026 (DoneDeal Cars analysis reported by RTÉ, September 2026).
- We have not yet captured audited auction prices for the A3. The scenarios use assumed prices; replace them with a real listing in the calculator.
Questions people ask
Do I pay customs duty on an Audi A3 from Japan?
Yes. The A3 is built in Germany (some in Hungary), so the EU–Japan agreement does not apply and 10% duty is charged on the customs value, with VAT on top of it.
What VRT band is an A3 from Japan?
About 17.5% of OMSP for a car with a WLTP figure in the mid-120s, and 20% for an older 8V whose 114 g/km NEDC figure uplifts to about 140. The worked scenarios show the euro effect, which is larger than on a Golf because the OMSP is higher.
Is a Japan-market A3 the same as an Irish one?
Mechanically yes, built in the same plants to European specification. Trim names, infotainment maps and the radio band are the Japan-market differences.
Can I insure a Japan-market A3 in Ireland?
Yes, as a normal A3. Disclose that it is an import and expect the insurer to rate it as the equivalent Irish trim.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real A3
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.