Audi S3 Review & Prices
The Audi S3 is a cool, classy and incredibly rapid sports saloon, but is it the sort of car to make you want to go for a blast? Not so much
- Cash
- £43,855
- Monthly
- £620*
- Used
- £29,950
Find out more about the Audi S3
Is the Audi S3 a good car?
The Audi S3 is a hot hatch with none of the rough edges that make some rivals more fun to live with, so it’s quick, comfortable and efficient.
In essence, the S3 is like the kid at school who excels at maths, can form a perfect dovetail joint in woodwork, and captains the football team, whereas rivals such as the Ford Focus ST and Honda Civic Type R are just as adept on the pitch – when they’re there, because you’ll often find them bunking off and having a cheeky tab behind the bike sheds. Whose gang would you rather run with?
Having the Audi A3 as a basis is a pretty good starting point for the S3, because it has an interior design that blows away those in alternatives such as the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class. The only one that gets anywhere close is the new Golf, and that’s, well, a VW and not an Audi.
The Nappa leather sports seats are beautiful to sit in, and the S3’s steering wheel can be adjusted to just the right position. Interestingly, it has no flat bottom, which is unusual in fast Audis these days.
Ahead of the driver, the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital display can show S-specific dials should you wish, and this even incorporates a lap timer. The standard seven-speed DSG gearbox has a tiny ‘trigger’ gear selector.
Those consigned to the rear seats will find themselves luxuriating on Nappa leather sports seats, too, and space is fine, although there’s more space in a 1 Series or an A-Class. Boot space is 370 litres, which is less than both a standard A3 Sportback or a BMW 1-Series, because the rear diff for the quattro four-wheel-drive system means the floor has to be slightly higher.
On twisty roads, the S3 behaves pretty much as it looks – grown up
Still, hot hatches are all about doing a few fast laps of your local circuit than trundling to Sainsbury’s on the way home, so they need an engine that excites when you want it to, and shut up when you need it to. The 310hp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder motor in the S3 does a pretty good job of both.
A combination of launch control and quattro traction will get the S3 from 0-60mph in only a little more than four seconds, and it’ll carry on to a limited top speed of 155mph. It’s just a shame it sounds all a bit flat and blarey while doing so.
The S3 is also really easy to live with, especially when dealing with the sort of annoying journeys that clutter up most people’s days. So, while it’s firmer than a standard A3, it’s still more than capable of dealing with the moonscapes that pass for the UK’s roads, and all the while the DSG gearbox shuffles up and down through the ratios unobtrusively.
The variable-ratio steering, too, makes life easier, because at low speeds just one turn from straight ahead takes you to full lock, making manoeuvres easy, then at faster speeds slows down to help stability.
On twisty roads, the S3 behaves pretty much as it looks – grown-up. It certainly gets down the road rapidly enough, but whether it gives you the sort of thrills to make you turn around and do the road again is another story. It’s all a bit… efficient. Where cars such as the Focus ST and Mercedes-AMG A45 make you feel like you’re driving a getaway vehicle, the S3 feels more akin to a computer game.
Then again, that’s what might make it ideal for you. It feels great to sit in on a wet, grey day in winter, it’ll deal with everything a typically busy daily life can throw at it, and it’s quick enough to impress your mates on the way to a sunny evening in the pub.
If the Audi S3 sounds like the ideal sporty daily driver for you, check out our latest new Audi deals and used Audi listings to find out how much you could save when buying through carwow. You can sell your car through carwow, too.
How much is the Audi S3?
The Audi S3 has a RRP range of £44,710 to £50,710. However, with Carwow you can save on average £911. Prices start at £43,855 if paying cash. Monthly payments start at £620. The price of a used Audi S3 on Carwow starts at £29,950.
Our most popular versions of the Audi S3 are:
Model version | Carwow price from | |
---|---|---|
S3 TFSI Black Edition Quattro 4dr S Tronic | £43,855 | Compare offers |
- Cash
- £43,855
- Monthly
- £620*
- Used
- £29,950
Configure your own S3 on Carwow
Save on average £911 off RRP
Popular Audi car types
*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.