The S3 has been a feature of Audi’s range for the past 25 years. It has always offered performance that can rival some of the finest hot hatchbacks on the market, but in a package that’s just as easy to live with as the A3 it’s based on. As such, the S3 is one of the classiest hot hatches on the market, and oozes premium character. Sitting one rung down from the range-topping RS3, the S3 focuses on offering a better blend of performance and everyday usability. There’s even the choice of traditional five-door hatchback or a four-door saloon body style.
The Audi S3 has always offered a more refined and classy take on the hot hatchback formula, and pulls off this character so very well. The key to its appeal is its blend of potent power, sophisticated quattro four-wheel drive system, and plush interior – few hot hatchbacks can balance comfort, pace and everyday usability so successfully.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioPrices start from around £49,000 for both the entry-level S3 Sportback (hatchback) and Saloon, rising to £54,000 for the top-spec Vorsprung models. Both models come with a high level of standard equipment, but desirable options are expensive – metallic paint is a £595 option on its own. On platforms such as AA Cars, used S3s are far more affordable. The earliest current-generation cars from 2020 start from around £24,000 for the Sportback, while the Saloon has around a £2,000 premium. At this price, you will be looking at S3 with around 60,000 to 70,000 miles on the clock. But, surprisingly, if you can afford around £3,000 more you could have a used S3 with half that mileage, so it pays to hunt around.
At the heart of the S3 lies Volkswagen Group’s tried and tested 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that is used in a variety of VWs, Audis, Cupras, and even the Porsche Macan SUV. It’s a very flexible engine, and can be found in different power outputs in cars from those different VW Group brands. In the S3, it develops 306bhp and 400Nm of torque, and the engine is mated to Audi’s ‘S tronic’ dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’s a potent combo, delivering fiery performance and super-smooth gearchanges to make the most of that power and torque. And, being a performance Audi, the package is topped off with the firm's legendary quattro four-wheel drive system, providing effortless and confidence-inspiring traction and poise. Those power credentials allow the S3 to dash from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and onto a limited top speed of 155mph.
Naturally, the S3 isn’t as frugal as the A3 it’s based on, but Audi still claims around 34mpg on the combined cycle. The updated S3, on sale from 2024 onwards, saw power rise to 329bhp and torque boosted to 420Nm. A few other tweaks to the rev mapping and turbo were designed to give the engine a greater sense of urgency lower down in the rev range and when accelerating, but on paper only added up to a 0.1-second drop in the 0-62mph sprint time.
Being based on the A3 really has its advantages, as the S3 gets that car’s great visibility, compact dimensions and easy-going demeanour in everyday driving. Around town, the S3 just feels like an even higher specification Audi A3, with light steering, zippy performance to make the most of small gaps in the traffic, and a general stress-free character. The only slight annoyance is that the gearbox can sometimes feel a bit hesitant at low speeds. Just like the best hot hatchbacks, once out of the city and onto twistier, country roads, the S3’s character changes into a spicier, more thrilling car to drive. In this environment, the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is in its element, slipping through the gears quickly and with minimal fuss, and there’s even a manual mode with paddles behind the steering wheel for greater control.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine is very responsive, and matched with the grippy four-wheel drive system, the S3 covers ground very quickly and without fuss. Post-2024 models just turn up the dial ever so slightly, thanks to their boosted power and torque levels.
The S3 offers huge levels of traction and is a very quick way of getting from point to point, but it is pretty anodyne at times. Rivals like the BMW M135i and Mercedes-AMG A35 manage to add a bit of engagement – not much, but enough to raise the excitement levels a little. The S3 goes well, stops well and steers well, but you might feel you want a little more excitement at times. Post-2024 models do ramp up the dynamic character, though. A different rear differential on the back axle allows the car to turn into corners quicker, but also let the tail slide. These models are worth hunting out if you want an S3 with a little extra spice.
Adaptive suspension can help to soften up the ride, but, naturally, the S3 does have a pretty firm natural setting to match its performance character. It can be a bit crashy at low speeds, and while the ride softens on a motorway cruise, the S3 gets pretty noisy – its low profile tyres kick up a lot of road noise at speed. Interior and Features
The majority of the S3’s interior comes from the (slightly) more humble A3, so there’s the same sharp design and good practicality. As it’s a high-ranking model in Audi’s smaller car range, the S3 gets a good level of standard equipment. The ‘Virtual Cockpit’ (digital display for the dials) is clear and easy to read, and really is one of the better systems of its type on the market. It’s paired with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that’s typically Audi-like – by that we mean the menus are all easy to navigate, the software is quick in its operation, and the screen is very sharp and clear.
There are plenty of cubbies and places to store items, and it’s very easy to get a comfortable seating position thanks to a very adjustable steering column and figure-hugging sport seats. For the most part the build quality seems to be good, with plenty of stitched leather and Alcantara covered surfaces. However, look a little bit closer, and there are a few too many cheaper quality plastics dotted around; the current S3 doesn’t feel quite as plush as earlier models.
The Sportback gives 325 litres of boot space, which is slightly down on the standard A3 due to the quattro four-wheel drive system eating up space under the boot floor. The Saloon offers more room on paper with its 390-litre boot, but the shallower opening makes it harder to load bulkier items. Both cars have low load lips, though, so hauling heavy items into the boot shouldn’t be too difficult. In a car like the S3, you might expect the rear seats to split in a conventional 60/40 fashion, but that’s not the case. Both the hatchback and saloon get 40/20/40 split-folding seats, giving a welcome level of extra flexibility. The seat backs also fold down pretty flat, opening up a very useful loading area.
The current generation S3 launched in 2020 in just one standard spec, loaded with features like LED headlights, 19-inch alloys, Nappa leather upholstery, the twin screens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, and satellite navigation. A range-topping Vorsprung arrived soon after, adding luxuries like electric seats, matrix LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and adaptive suspension. Later on in the S3's life, the standard model was replaced with a Black Edition. This added black exterior detailing for a meaner look, while post-2024 models gained ambient interior lighting and a premium Sonos sound system.
From 2020, the S3 was available in just two trim levels – standard and Vorsprung. Being a premium model in Audi’s small car range, even the standard trim was well equipped, with features like Nappa leather upholstery, a Virtual Cockpit, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, plus satellite navigation. Vorsprung added extra luxuries like matrix LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and adaptive suspension. Later on in the current generation S3’s life, the standard spec became the Black Edition.
This added extras such as exterior black trim, and a Sonos sound system. On the used market, look out for S3s that have optional equipment packages, which were expensive when new. The S3 came in a wide range of colours, from subtle whites, blacks and dark blues, to brighter shades like red and yellow.
The S3 shares its five-star Euro NCAP rating with the A3, so an 89 per cent score for adult protection (86 per cent when the car retested in 2025), and an 81 per cent rating for child occupant protection. Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, speed assist and pedestrian detection. Despite its premium image, the S3 has a so-so reliability reputation. The Audi brand has been ranked pretty lowly in various reliability surveys over the past few years. Some early S3s were recalled in relation to seatbelt pretensioners and airbag software.
Depending on trim, wheel size and body shape, the S3 emits between 178 and 198g/km of CO2. Audi quotes fuel consumption of around 34mpg, but, given that this is a performance car, you might not reach those lofty levels. When the current generation S3 first launched in 2020, it was priced below the £40,000 Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) threshold, so VED (road tax) was priced at £195. Later cars, however, rose above the threshold, therefore attracting the ECS, so VED comes to £620 a year for the first five years.
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