Audi S3

Audi's new small performance sedan is impressively comfortable and refined, whilst also being clinically fast.

Before they hit the track, three performance heroes – the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R, 2022 Subaru WRX and 2022 Audi S3 – have a spec shootout.

We drive the new Audi S3 in Hobart, Tasmania, to discover what the new fourth-generation Audi A3 range is like.

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The new Audi S3 will use a petrol particulate filter when it hits Australia in early 2022, though it's unclear if its VW sibling will follow suit.

The new Audi S3 hatch and sedan will arrive by the end of 2021 with more power and technology, and significant price hikes.

Dealer information reveals Audi's new-generation S3 will offer plentiful standard kit and more power when it reaches Australia late in 2021.

For the cabin, round shapes and organic forms are out, replaced by a new, much more angular design motif.

2014 Audi S3 Sedan: The Ultimate One Car Garage under $50K When I was shopping for a car to finally replace my rapidly aging V35 Skyline, I had one goal in mind: finding the ultimate all ‘rounder car under for $50K. I didn't need any off-road capability, so the requirements were: a comfortable, luxury interior, daily drivable practicality (including reliability, but more on that later), plus great power and nimble handling. In a sense, I was looking for a true bi-polar vehicle, with comfort and reliability for commuting as important as great handling and performance during a Sunday morning mountain drive. While I drove a range of cars, both well above and below the budget, I ultimately chose a 2014 Audi S3 Sedan. Firstly, let’s look at daily drivability. The particular Audi S3 I chose had the optional magnetic ride suspension (variable ride stiffness with the push of a button). This turned out to be the most important option to enable true bipolar nature of the vehicle. During the week, driving on rubbish inner city roads, the car can be in comfort mode, absorbing the potholes and manhole covers without any issues at all. Then when going for a spirited Sunday Morning drive, place the car in dynamic mode for a much stiffer, better handling experience. This drive mode selection runs further than the suspension too, with comfort mode noticeably reducing throttle response (great for better fuel economy on the daily commute) and quieting the exhaust to a respectable level (more on that to come). My particular S3 has been modified to a level known as Stage 2, which is a fancy way of saying it's got a higher flowing exhaust and an improved air intake, along with the all important APR tune. This combination adds roughly 80hp and 150nm to the S3’s already impressive factory outputs of 280hp and 380nm respectively. As you can probably imagine, this really transforms the S3 compared to a factory vehicle. While the outright speed and sub 4 sec 0-100km/h are impressive, what you notice most is the night and day difference in torque delivery. Driving back to back with a friends completely stock Golf R (same engine as the S3) is night and day. You really start to feel the torque coming on hard at about 2500rpm in the S3 while the stock version of the same engine is closer to 4000rpm. This makes a world of difference to performance on a daily basis with the car feeling so much peppier and responsive at engine rpms you’ll actually encounter day-to-day (not just on those mountain runs). Driving the S3 back to back with another friend’s 2018 Audi RS3 (well outside my budget unfortunately), really makes it clear just how much the tune has helped the performance of the S3. While the RS3 definitely has a more responsive (and better sounding, much better sounding) engine, the outright performance is hard to pick between. The RS3 is truly competing in the same ballpark with the APR Stage 2 tune on the S3. Outside of the engine, the brakes are great in both daily driving and mountain roads, while handling is excellent with the Quatro all wheel drive system feeling noticeably more rear wheel drive biased than most AWD systems I sampled (including the Golf R’s). The interior is one of my favourite parts of this car, with its perfect balance between daily driving, luxury comfort, and sporty, performance-focused design. The seats are great, offering good comfort while holding you in place during the previously mentioned mountain drives. Also, the Audi leather doesn't seem to make you sweat as much as some of its competitors (it’s the little things). They also look amazing and I challenge you to find a nicer looking seat in a car under $50k. My particular S3 is fitted with the optional Bang and Olufsen sound system which is excellent and won't disappoint even at high volume. It's clear, sharp and distortion free. The only thing missing from the interior is the virtual cockpit found in newer Audi’s, which is an awesome feature I now sorely miss after driving the new RS3. As you can probably tell by now, I well and truly love the S3, particularly my model but it's certainly not without some negatives. Expensive negatives. Since owning the used S3 it’s had nearly $8500 in warranty repairs. While the magnetic ride suspension is excellent on a daily basis, it’s properly financially crushing when it fails or is due for replacement. Not only did all four corners need replacing, the useless dealership (I won't name the dealership but not an Audi dealership) made every attempt possible to cut corners during the repair before finally ordering the OEM parts turning a relative straightforward repair into an eight-week saga. Ever since I have had an underlying fear of something else critical failing especially given the tuned nature of the vehicle. The only other real dislikes I’ve had of this vehicle are the boot being too shallow and some parts of the interior being a little to plastic-y for a car nearing $80,000 new with options. Overall though, I couldn't recommend an Audi S3 enough; especially if, like me, you are seeking the ultimate one car garage for a responsible budget. My final word of warning would be: Watch out for potentially crushing repairs and get a strong warranty if buying used.

My S3 gets the balance right. Friends told me the S3 is just a Golf R in a pretty dress. Not worth the extra outlay. Maybe, but my daily drive – VW’s Wolfsburg edition Golf R - just didn’t feel like $61K worth (drive away). Certainly a great car, but a lot of money for a “Golf” I must admit, I’d been tempted by the seductive shape of Audi’s S3 sedan for sometime. It’s a beautifully proportioned vehicle with nicely resolved design details. So I thought I’d take the plunge to see what S3 ownership might be like. I took delivery of my MY17 S3 in December 2016. First impressions were promising. Sitting in the sculpted Nappa leather driver’s seat and scanning the cabin, the asking price seems very reasonable. Beautifully styled dash with retro vents, retractable info screen, contrast stitching, TFT driver’s display. Even the switchgear (mostly) has a quality feel to their operation. Every conceivable convenience has been included. - Boy how you get used to radar cruise, lane keep assist etc on the highway! This is more like it. Certainly looks and feels like a $70K plus vehicle. Despite the high tech screens, common functions are (thankfully), easily accessible via shortcut toggles. No need to access sub menus to adjust fan speed. - I’m actually alarmed at the prevalence of such functionality in new vehicles. Carmakers are rushing to bring us products with fewer (or no!) buttons and knobs, seemingly in the name of fashion. Might look sexy, but they’re forgetting about the poor sod that must take their eyes off the road to negotiate menus for the simplest of tasks. The pendulum has swung too far people! Carmakers, pleeease resist going down this road with your next new models. I honestly fear I’ll be afflicted with this backward step in functionality with my next new vehicle purchase. (Yes, boohoo, first world problem). I digress. With familiarity, I can easily access satnav, radio, phone, media functions etc via conveniently located toggle switches while on the move and without having to take my eyes off the road for more than a glance. Try doing that in a Tesla! The seven speed DSG from the VW group works a treat. While comfort and normal modes are typically lazy and all too keen to chase higher gears for economy’s sake, sport mode is now eminently useable around town and makes the car feel like it’s on its toes and ready to sprint. Access to the DSG’s sport mode is via a simple tug on the shift lever – again no need to take your eyes off the road. This surely is one of the best features for enthusiasts and familiar to Golf R and GTI owners. Having to look down and fumble for a non tactile drive mode button on my old AMG A45 was always annoying. Another ergonomic goal for the S3. Steering wheel looks and feels great. Weight is OK in sport mode but still without much road feel. Just heavier. I can forgive this. 213 kW and 380 Nm is adequate for a car with sporty pretentions and in combination with the slick shifting DSG, I’m really enjoying driving this car. Could do with more exhaust character though. (Aftermarket exhaust and APR stage 1 tune should fix this, but that’s a story for another time). My enthusiasm took a slight nosedive though, when I first encountered some of Melbourne’s all too prevalent potholes. I was genuinely alarmed when greeted by an unrefined thump/crash through the cabin. The suspension is not overly firm, just thump, crash, noisy. Enough discomfort to pause a conversation while travelling over lumpy rail crossings. Hmmm… Comfort/Normal/Sport mode, it didn’t matter. All modes were crashy and noisy. Very disappointing and not what I expected from a luxury brand. My R’s suspension was taught (with the same wheel/tyre combo), but it was never crashy and noisy. How can an S3’s suspension & ride be inferior to a Golf’s? This is the second S3 I’ve driven with Magnetic ride suspension so I can only conclude the inelegant and noisy ride might be attributable to this option. Unrefined suspension/ride aside, I’m mostly happy with my purchase. Having owned a variety of “sporty” vehicles from Turbo Subies, GTis to AMG product, I find the Audi S3 is the least compromised. Here’s the thing; My S3 is fast, but it’s also a pleasure to be in when I’m sitting at the lights adjusting the aircon settings. The precise clicking of the knobs, the frameless rear view mirror, there’s lots to drink in and admire. My Wolfsburg R felt a little boring and uninspiring unless you were driving hard. I may be getting old, but I like the idea of a vehicle that you can enjoy at low speeds as well as when you’re pushing on. Heck, I even enjoy looking at this thing parked in my driveway! This all round attraction is probably the S3’s best party trick. It’s been 20 months now and I’m still enjoying it. There’s no denying an A45, Renault RS, Focus RS and their ilk might be more enjoyable at nine or ten tenths but of course, I’m rarely pushing that hard. I also know my Wolfsburg R was a better performer/track weapon. But as a luxury daily driver that still provides 4.8 seconds 0-100 times, my MY17 S3’s balance of luxury, quality, performance and design flair is hard to beat. So the S3 is not just a pretty face. For me, it gets the car ownership balance just right. Style with substance and worth the additional outlay over a top spec Golf R in my view. Just drive around the bigger bumps.

The era of the hot hatch is very much upon us these days with a great number of manufacturers offering a very impressive bit of standard kit for around the $50-60k mark to get your heart racing, your palms sweaty, and your pupils dilated on your daily commute to work in the mornings, as people hustle to spend their hard earned cash on something smaller but quicker than the typical family sedan. Enter the Audi S3. It's about as "middle of the pack" as you can get. No, it's not as quick or focussed (- pardon the pun) as its Ford RS playmate, nor as loud or extroverted as an AMG45, and it's certainly not as visually intoxicating (or nausea-inducing depending on how subjective you are on styling) as the Honda Type R. But it is a good, honest, quick and reliable little machine that impresses the bank manager with a significantly cheaper price tag than its 5-cylinder sibling - the RS3, and most of the other folk it is compared to. In addition to this, it delivers neck-snapping acceleration still, albeit with less brutality than its RS3 stablemate, but with a lot more class and finesse than the awful plastics and church pew hardness of the chairs on the interior of the Focus. The biggest weapon in its arsenal is its ability to operate as an excellent all-rounder. It's friendly road manners in comfort mode make it polite enough to take your in-laws to breakfast and have everybody at the restaurant looking on with interest rather than distain when you park, however legroom in the back is really at a premium, particularly if there is a 6 ft tall driver or passenger in the front. Let it be known - if you want any more than two fully grown adults in the back, forget it. The rear middle seat was obviously designed for pygmies, very small children or use only in the direst of emergencies. With that out of the way - on to the good stuff. After you've dropped off the in-laws, you can then select the dynamic driving mode and head off to the track for the day and give the 6 and 8-cylinder Holden and Ford boys a run for their money. Make no mistake, on the track, whilst stock as a rock, this car will keep equally stock XR6's, SS Commodores, most non "M" BMW's and Evo's comfortably in the rear-view mirror, or at least extremely honest. At Willowbank Raceway with nobody on track, it will happily dance away to about 230kph down the back straight before threating to dislodge your organs from inside your ribcage as you slow for the next 80 km/h corner. Whilst they stop well, the brakes and handling however seem to be an Achilles heel in all models in the pre-facelift S and RS3 series range for Audi for different reasons. The RS3 brakes are renowned for their embarrassing and irritating low-speed squealing (especially in echoing underground carparks when you don't want people to notice), and I found the S3's stock front brakes were not up for the task for any more than three moderate track days before the front brake pads were gone, and the front rotors were also warped and worn down to their minimum wear indicator by the time ours was due for its first pad change at just 35,000km - suggesting that a $1,200 aftermarket brake rotor and pad upgrade is a wise investment for those that prefer to use their machine for anything other than just the daily commute. The handling on the S3 is compliant and communicative, and regardless of whether fitted with optional magnetic ride or not, the suspension boasts of an excellent ability to absorb all but the biggest mid-corner bumps with relative firmness, but always with typical Audi pleasantness and aplomb. Whilst the great news is that even at the very limit of adhesion, the car won't snap into a terrifying, oversteering monster, or bite you with a snappy handling reaction that might leave you shaking and breathless with fear or exhilaration like you may find with on other brands (sorry Focus, not everybody likes that…), on tighter corners at the limit, it's unfortunately it's understeer biased MQB platform that lets it down. When pressing on, you will be informed with parent-like assertiveness that continued increases to acceleration and steering inputs will see you being punished on a quick lap by an equally determined and proportionate production of malignant, ugly, tyre scrubbing understeer, or alternatively, the driver may choose to turn submissive and lift the accelerator - producing an almost bi-polar change to a crisp and spontaneous handling attitude and turn-in. Sadly, despite getting a Haldex rear diff powering the back wheels on demand, the S3 struggles to permit you to keep max power on whilst turning tight corners, or allowing full use of rear wheel acceleration to power you out of the corner without understeer ruining the party - something that is really a necessity for those who have selected an all-wheel-drive platform for performance reasons. For those really wanting to get maximum performance at full noise, a rear sway bar upgrade is yet another costly aftermarket accessory recommendation. However, in saying that, very few folk will ever push their car this hard on the road, and for most - the handling is a perfect compromise. The technology in the car is great, but not brilliant, with a decent 10 speaker sound system (and built in subwoofer) that cranks fairly hard (but audiophiles may still not be impressed with), DVD player, SD Card slot and built in hard drive as standard, however it's lack of MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay or other expected multimedia interfaces, along with it's antiquated sat nav interface really mean that it's now well and truly showing it's age. Thank goodness Audi recognised this and rectified it for the forthcoming facelift models. So, what are the great things about it? On the road, it's as pleasant or as feral as you want it to be. Want to save fuel? Eco mode will see you get 750 kilometres from Stanthorpe to Bathurst on one tank of fuel. Want to be Walter Röhrl on the school run? It will reward your more spirited driving with a win in just about every traffic light grand prix (after all, nobody expects a bloody boring Audi driver to be fast!) and with the foot to the floor, it will put a stupid grin on your face like a smitten, lovesick 15-year-old. At $60k drive away pricing for a demo model, it is really hard to find better value for money than that in the segment at the moment. Servicing costs are expensive - particularly the major ones. (Audi quoted me an eye-watering $2,000 for the 60,000km one - conveniently just after the complimentary serving period had just run out...) and the options list is vast, equally expensive and difficult to retrofit later on down the track if you change your mind. If money is your vice, go for the Golf R for the same fun factor but at a cheaper price without all the frills, but be aware… The S3 steals the street cred.

At first the classic 2000’s German sports hatch doesn’t seem like much, although once you get up close, the car starts to open up and cover true enthusiast needs. The 2001 Audi S3 is a true driver’s car, with enough technology, space and comfort to surprise Warren East (current Rolls-Royce CEO) perfectly balanced with the performance of it’s 1.8 litre turbo charged inline four engine which is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox finished off with an all wheel drive system, although some believe the 6 ratios are a little old school with the first two gears being too short but personally all first and second gear are there to do is to get it up to speed. The S3 represents German enginuity perfectly with the renoun and reliable 1.8t engine. When I first started looking for a car I was hoping to find something economical and as powerful as possible. The S3 stood out with it’s 164kw along with a decent 34mpg which is pretty good considering the car weighs around 1400kg and has similar aerodynamics to a brick. The suspension and handling were the next of my concerns when purchasing one of Germany’s quickest 00’s hot hatches, as Monroe shocks and springs support it’s 164kw they start to feel spongy after 17 years of driving although similar to any other car of the same age and kilometres but they were still holding up fairly well in the twists of mount Dandenong and Kinglake with minimal body roll and understeer. The exterior of the S3 is aggressive without drawing too much attention and along with it’s classic silver makes the hatch look clean and classy with the body holding up and showing no signs of rust whatsoever. The car also has a few small traits such as the rear pop out windows and curves around the entire car that makes it look different to the rest of the competition out there such as the Volkswagen R32 and seat Leon despite having similar the drivetrain. The only issue that I’ve noticed whilst owning the car for almost a year is that it has issues getting past 120km/h which is where the heat soak and lack of intercooler comes into play with the two side mounted intercoolers not really being sufficient enough to cool the air down. The K04 turbo is also known to become a heat gun high in the rev range. With this unfortunate mix leads to poor acceleration in the higher k’s, although the low AR on the K04 means its a lot of fun in the 2500-5000RPMs in gears 1-3. Matching the exterior of the car is important with any car whether it be a performance model or not. Audi has fitted the 01 hatch with genuine Recaro leather seats front and back with a bose audio system as well matching black trim on the door cards, the interior holds up very well especially the leather seats after almost two decades of wear. The 01 S3 is years ahead of it’s competition in terms of exterior and interior design with optional alcantra and heated seats, low light dimming and tinted factory sunroof to ensure those leisurely Sunday afternoon drives are made the most of. Overall the S3 is a perfect balance between power, price, comfort and economy, as you’re able to pick up one of these for as little as $4000 and with simple and maintained on time servicing the S3 will last a lifetime with few issues. A true example of luxury and performance.