Review - Audi RS 3

While Audi has increased RS3 prices in recent years, it remains effectively on par with its most fierce rivals like the BMW 2 Series Grand Coupe and the Mercedes CLA 45 AMG S. 

The question remaining, though, is just how does the latest Audi RS3 stack up against those rivals? Let’s find out. 

Starting Price: $92,200

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Audi RS 3 (2.5 TFSI S TRONIC) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Audi RS 3 car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Audi RS3 lineup is available in two variants, with the RS3 Sportback priced at $92,200, while the RS3 Sedan is priced at $94,700. 

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change, and do not include on-road costs. 

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What Features Does the Audi RS3 Have?

The Audi RS3 comes riding on 19-inch alloy wheels, and receives premium features like Matrix LED headlights, Nappa leather upholstery with heated seats, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting package, a head-up display, reversing camera with front and rear-mounted parking sensors, adaptive suspension system, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, 10.1-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, satellite navigation and DAB+ radio, as well as adaptive cruise control, a semi-autonomous parking assistant and stainless steel pedals. 

Range Features:

• 19-inch alloy wheels 

• Matrix LED headlights 

• Nappa leather upholstery 

• Heated seats 

• Ambient lighting 

• Adaptive suspension 

• Reversing camera with front and rear-mounted parking sensors 

• Adaptive suspension 

• RS Sport seats 

• Head-up display 

• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display 

• 10.1-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB+ radio 

• Adaptive cruise control 

• Semi-autonomous parking assistant 

• Stainless steel driving pedals

Audi RS3 Colours

The Audi RS3 range is available in a choice of eight exterior colour finishes, including Turbo Blue, Mythos Black, Python Yellow, Tango Red, Daytona Grey, Kyalami Green, Kemora Grey and Glacier White.

Is it Fun to Drive?

Audi has taken the platform from its A3 roadcar and given it a comprehensive list of performance tweaks which makes it lightning fast on the road, but this does come at the expense of some comfort on a daily commute. 

Headlining the driving experience of the RS3 is 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine that produces a massive 294kW of power and 500Nm of torque, which is transmitted to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system that features torque vectoring for better handling. 

The end result is a 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.8 seconds and a limited top speed of 290km/h in a savage driving experience that rivals many established supercars. 

Everything from the acceleration to the accuracy of the steering wheel and weight transfer during high-speed cornering is outstanding in the Audi RS3, which allows you to embrace your inner hot-road in an incredibly sophisticated package. 

The power delivery is sharp and relentless, offering up some absolutely insane acceleration when sport mode is engaged and the engine is pushed. 

When it comes to more mundane everyday driving, it’s imperative that you switch all the drive and suspension settings back into comfort mode, otherwise the acceleration and ride quality can be far too sharp for a relaxing commute. 

When you do settle down, though, the Audi RS3 does remarkably well at softening up its adaptive suspension and lightening the weight of the steering rack makes the car far more user-friendly than you might have initially thought. 

While the ride quality is undeniably firm, the addition of adaptive suspension does at least add some flexibility to the package that no doubt prefers smooth road surfaces, but does its best at ironing out bumps and irregularities on B-roads. 

As a complete package, though, when you factor in just how vicious the acceleration and handling of the RS3 is, we can forgive its firm ride quality largely thanks to its user-friendly nature around town that makes it a truly adaptable performance vehicle.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

At its core, the RS3 uses the same chassis as the A3, which means the interior quality, space and practicality that we’ve come to love from the standard car is repackaged with sporty elements in the RS3, making for an impressive overall package. 

Up front, the driver has a heap of space and adjustment in the seat and steering wheel position, while there’s enough headroom to comfortably accommodate even the tallest of drivers. The RS3 receives a special set of sporty RS sport seats which offer some added side bolstering, and remain incredibly comfortable on long journeys. 

The dashboard features a sharp, angular design that houses the air vents, climate settings and the infotainment system, while the central tunnel is uncrowded thanks to its compact gear lever. 

Practical elements up front include the usual set of door bins either side, a pair of cupholders, storage inside the folding arm rest, and a medium-sized tray behind the gear lever for loose items and wirelessly charging smartphones. 

Moving to the rear of the RS3’s cabin, you’ll find a bench seat that receives the same sporty RS quilted leather upholstery, which gives rear passengers a heap of legroom. Headroom might prove problematic for extremely tall rear passengers in the hatch, however, for the majority of adults and growing kids, there won’t be a problem. 

The second row retains its pair of ISOFIX anchors, as well as top tether mounts for child seats, however, the bulky sport seats can make it difficult to fit some of the larger rear-facing child seats into the RS3. 

When it comes to boot space, the RS3 has a significantly smaller luggage capacity than the standard A3. In the hatch variant, there’s just 282L of storage inside the boot, which expands to 321L in the sedan variant, making the sedan more practical in terms of boot volume, and more spacious inside.

Is it Safe?

The Audi RS3 is yet to be awarded an official ANCAP safety rating, however, the car on which it is based, the standard A3 has been awarded ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating back in 2021.

During testing, the standard A3 scored 89% for adult occupant protection, 81% for child occupant protection, 68% for vulnerable road user protection and 73% for its safety assist technologies.

The Audi RS3 comes fitted with autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alerts, safe exit warnings, a reversing camera with front and rear-mounted parking sensors a host of airbags around the cabin.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

The Audi RS3 range offers fuel economy ranging from a claimed 8.2L/100km in the RS3 Sedan, while the RS3 Sportback is officially rated at 8.3L/100km on a combined cycle. 

This means that while it’s not a segment-leader in terms of fuel economy, the immense amount of power at your disposal doesn’t waste an excessive amount of fuel thanks to its relatively small capacity, turbocharged engine.

Our Verdict: Is the Audi RS3 Worth it?

If you’re looking for a sleek and stylish rocketship, the Audi RS3 is in a class of its own when it comes to making the driver smile on a daily basis.

While its sporty underpinnings mean that the ride quality can be firm on certain surfaces, the addition of adaptive suspension gives the car more versatility overall, and as a complete package, the RS3 is near faultless as a luxurious driver’s car. 

There’s few cars on the market that offer the performance and premium equipment lists that the RS3 does for the price tag, so if you’ve been thinking of adding an exceptionally fast sedan or hatch to your garage, be sure to add it to your shortlist. 

On that note, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925 

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Three-year/unlimited KM warranty 

2. No official ANCAP safety rating; standard A3 platform is rated five-stars 

3. 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine produces 294kW/500Nm

4. Adaptive suspension as standard 

5. Fuel economy of 8.2/100km for Sedan; 8.3L/100km for Sportback 

Pros

• Intoxicating acceleration and soundtrack 

• Immense grip levels with flat handling 

• Adaptive suspension helps with everyday driving

Cons

• Limited three-year warranty 

• Sporty-performance means ride comfort suffers 

• Pricey options lists 

• Significantly smaller boot in Sportback than sedan 

OnlineAuto Rating: 9/10

Audi RS3 Competition