Audi S3 review

Is the Audi S3 a good car?

If you’re after a performance car with all-weather capability and relatively subtle looks, then the Audi S3 could be for you. It has evolved over time, but the basic formula of a compact body, turbocharged petrol engine and four-wheel drive has remained unchanged since the original arrived in 1999. It’s not the most engaging hot hatchback on the market, but it delivers strong, fuss-free performance in a package with a premium edge and practicality that makes it a good all-rounder. As a result, it’s a great choice for buyers in need of one car that can turn its hand to multiple situations.

How much does the Audi S3 cost?

The S3 has been part of the Audi line-up for 25 years. And while the original was a three-door hatchback that eventually spawned five-door, saloon and even convertible variants, all versions have kept the same format of a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine connected to a quattro all-wheel-drive powertrain. The current car is the most powerful S3 ever, and it comes in saloon or five-door Sportback guises.

The fourth-generation S3 that arrived in 2020 was subject to the same updates as the rest of the A3 range that took place in 2024. There’s a new nose, more intricate LED lighting and a revised interior that help make the car more appealing than before, while its performance has also been enhanced.

The most recent update saw prices rise, too, with the S3 Sportback hatch now coming in at around £47,000, although this has the Black Edition styling pack fitted as standard. The powertrain consists of a 328bhp/420Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the VW Group’s ubiquitous EA888 unit), a seven-speed twin-clutch S tronic gearbox and quattro four-wheel drive.

The S3 Sportback is a subtle performance car, but you can be even more understated by choosing the S3 saloon instead. The four-door model has the same powertrain as the Sportback, so it’s just as quick, matching its 0-62mph time of 4.7 seconds, but the notchback shape helps it deliver better claimed fuel economy, at 34.4mpg.

The S3 saloon is slightly more expensive, though, carrying a premium of around £1,200 over the Sportback, while the boot is compromised by its narrow opening.

Audi S3 history

Ever since the original S3 arrived in 1999, it’s offered a tempting mix of performance and premium quality in a compact package that has been snapped up by buyers. It’s also a good way to show how the class has evolved.

The first model was a three-door hatch with 207bhp and 270Nm of torque from a 1.8-litre turbo engine connected to a manual gearbox. Fast-forward to today, and the car is a five-door (or saloon), there’s a seven-speed twin-clutch auto instead of a manual, and it has an extra 121bhp and 150Nm on tap. It’s also around 100kg heavier.

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Fans of fast Volkswagens and Audis will be familiar with the EA888 code, because that’s the number carried by the group’s excellent 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. It can be found in the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Volkswagen Golf R, Cupra Leon and even the Porsche Macan, as well as the Audi S3. 

Here it’s tuned to make 328bhp (up from 306bhp pre-facelift), which puts it ahead of the BMW M135 by 32bhp, and is 26bhp more than the Mercedes-AMG A 35, too. There’s an extra 20Nm of torque (now 420Nm) on tap, and this combination means the S3 can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. That puts the S3 ahead of the BMW in a straight line, but is level pegging with the Mercedes. As with those two rival cars, the S3 has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Power is sent to the road via a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch automatic gearbox that’s connected to a Haldex-style four-wheel drive system. A new addition is a torque splitter sourced from the flagship RS 3 that can distribute power between the rear wheels, enhancing cornering ability in the process. 

Other updates include stiffer suspension components, optimised steering and revised electronics that are all designed to improve the new S3’s driving experience. The latest enhancements have largely been successful, although the trade-off is a slightly firm edge to the ride and handling balance.

As soon as you drive away, it’s clear that there’s a sporty edge to the S3’s character. The ride is on the firm side, thanks in part to suspension that’s 15mm lower than the standard A3’s, so every lump and bump in the road can be felt. But the fast, direct steering does at least mean the S3 is agile and manoeuvrable, while standard-fit front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera help you to position the car precisely.

The engine is responsive, courtesy of the maximum 420Nm of torque being available from 2,100rpm. The motor is quite tuneful for a four-cylinder unit, and we prefer the actual sounds from the exhaust over the synthesised engine note that’s piped into the cabin when Dynamic mode is selected. This is supposed to replicate the five-cylinder warble of the even-faster RS 3, but it doesn’t quite deliver the same throaty growl that the real-life 2.5-litre unit makes.

At higher speeds on twisty roads the S3 delivers confidence-inspiring grip and stability. Traction is strong even in slippery conditions, while the firm edge to the ride is perfectly suited to quick direction changes and sporty driving.

Although the seven-speed gearbox offers crisp shifts without having to lift off the throttle, in Dynamic mode these can shunt home with quite a thud in the back. If you’re in a sporty mood, then we’d recommend sticking with the manual-shifting mode, because while Sport mode holds on to the revs for longer, it’s not as precise as taking full control.

Audi has added a Dynamic Plus setting to the Drive Select menu, which deactivates the stability control system completely. Even without this electronic safety net, you need to be pushing very hard to unsettle the car, and you’re more likely to find the limits of the chassis on a track than on the road.

At least the brakes will be up to the job of getting the S3 slowed. The 2024 update saw new 357mm vented and perforated discs added, which are also thicker and feature bigger two-piston brake calipers that grab a larger surface area for stronger deceleration.

That rigid chassis and stiff suspension conspire to make the S3 a car that’s not at its best when cruising at motorway speeds. The ride is stiffer than you’ll find in rivals, and when combined with a bit of a droning engine note in top gear, the car can become tiring on longer journeys.

If you’d like to boost cruising comfort, adaptive dampers are available, but only if you upgrade from the standard S3 to the top-spec Vorsprung edition, which costs around £5,500 extra. This also adds matrix LED lights, carbon trim and electrically operated memory seats.

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Prices for the Audi S3 are high, starting from around £47,000 for the Black Edition and rising to more than £52,000 for the Vorsprung version. However, all cars are well equipped – if you want to get the cheaper BMW M135 up to the same spec you’ll more than cancel out the price difference between it and the S3 just by adding extra packs.

Running costs for the Audi are equally pricey. Official fuel economy is rated at 33.2mpg, while we managed 31.5mpg during our time with the car – not a bad figure when you consider the kind of performance on offer. A 55-litre fuel tank means a range of 380 miles is possible at our test economy.

You’re looking at road tax costing £600 for the first five years you pay it, courtesy of the S3’s high price tag. However, the surcharge also applies to its main rivals. 

Company-car tax is also steep, thanks to the S3’s high P11D price and its top-tier emissions banding. A plug-in performance hybrid such as a Volkswagen Golf GTE will make more sense for business users, who will sacrifice some speed for smaller outgoings.

Our sample quote for the S3 was slightly less than for an M135, despite the latter being in a lower insurance band – Group 29, compared with Group 33 for the Audi.

Predicted residuals of 52 per cent are better than they are for the S3’s closest rivals from BMW and Mercedes, and are well ahead of the similarly configured Golf R, too.

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There’s lots of dark plastic in the cabin, which is broken up by shiny piano-black inserts on the centre console and dash, while silver trim is kept to a minimum. A new addition is a fabric strip across the passenger side of the dashboard that gives a sporty feel and breaks up the darkness a little. 

A new toggle drive selector has been added to the centre console, which is flanked by a red-ringed power button and a controller for the stereo. The latter is a bit of a reach away and fiddly to operate on the move; thankfully, the steering wheel has proper buttons instead of touch-sensitive controls, so is easy to use.

While the darkness in the cabin means it can feel a bit claustrophobic, there are no issues with the way everything is screwed together. The plastics are only scratchy in lower areas, while there are no squeaks or rattles anywhere.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Audi’s MMI Nav Plus infotainment system features a 10.1-inch touchscreen that includes app functionality along with the usual suite of navigation, Bluetooth, USB and wireless connectivity. A wireless charging pad comes as standard, while there are four USB-C sockets on offer, two up front and two in the rear.

The white-on-black displays feature thin fonts, while the screen resolution isn’t quite as sharp as it is in a BMW. But otherwise Audi’s MMI system is a decent set-up. 

The screen is 10.1 inches across, but although that’s smaller than the M135’s 10.7-inch display, the S3’s climate controls are in a separate binnacle below the main screen. There are shortcuts down the side of the display, but scrolling through different menus and pinching to zoom on the navigation screen is tricky when on the move.

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The sports seats up front are finished in soft Nappa leather with diamond facings for the centre sections. We’d like electric adjustment at this price (it’s only available on the pricier Vorsprung version), but they’re figure hugging and comfortable, with plenty of adjustment on offer.

There’s a large glovebox, and a wallet-sized drawer is located below the headlight controls to the right of the steering wheel. The door bins are decent, with an angled section just ahead of the armrest where taller bottles can fit. In between the seats are the central cup-holders, which are set back a little, so taller bottles might get in the way. The wireless charging tray is deeply recessed, so there’s no chance of your smartphone falling out.

The large sports seats up front limit legroom in the back, while the transmission tunnel for the quattro system means foot space for the middle seat is restricted. The seat is a bit of a perch, too, although elbow room across the back seats is good. 

The three-zone climate control system offers separate temperature settings for the rear cabin, while two USB-C sockets are available to charge devices. The rear door bins match the fronts, with a short armrest making space for taller drinks bottles inside.

A low loading lip and level boot floor means that lifting items in and out is easy, while the wide opening is also handy. Unfortunately, the location of the quattro system beneath the floor means there’s no hidden storage below, but a 40:20:40 split-folding seat creates a large, flat cargo area in two-seat mode. If you want to tow, you’re out of luck – the S3 isn’t rated to pull a trailer.

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Audi finished a disappointing 27th out of 32 manufacturers in the 2024 Driver Power ownership survey – behind arch-rivals BMW in 14th and Mercedes in 25th. The A3 didn’t appear in the top 50 model rundown, but the A1, A4 and A5 all finished in the lower half of the table.

There are plenty of safety features on board the S3, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning, collision-avoidance tech, road-sign detection with speed warning and driver-tiredness alert. A head-up display helps keep your eyes on the road, too.

The three-year/60,000-mile warranty that comes as standard with all new Audis can be extended by 12 or 24 months at extra cost. These put respective mileage limits of 75,000 and 90,000 miles on the car, though.

Audi offers service plans that are tailored to the age and mileage of your car. From new, servicing can be added as part of your finance package, while a quote of £665 for four years of maintenance is reasonable for the class.

Audi S3 alternatives

A direct rival for the Audi S3 is the latest BMW M135, and we tested them against each other in 2024. In that test, the BMW wasn’t as fast as the Audi, but it edged ahead for driver involvement, and it wasn’t as expensive, either. Another option is the Mercedes-AMG A 35, which follows the same formula, while the Volkswagen Golf R uses the same running gear as the S3. A recent facelift for that model boosted its user-friendliness, and just like the S3 it’s available in two body styles, albeit an estate instead of a saloon.