The Audi S3 is as an appetiser – a starter portion of quattro – before the main course arrives next year in the form of the RS3, with its inline-5 turbopetrol motor. The Ingolstadt-based brand’s newcomer rivals the BMW M135i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG A35 AMG, as well as its cousin, the upcoming Volkswagen Golf 8 R. However, as a purposely understated performance-oriented hatchback, the S3 has a very specific target market, which does limit its appeal.
We like: Accomplished “daily driver” with ample performance, quality feel to the interior.
We don’t like: A little dull for a performance car that costs close to R1m after options.
Fast Facts:
- Model Tested: Audi S3 Sportback quattro
- List Price: R795 000 (before options)
- Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol
- Power/Torque: 213 kW/400 Nm
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox
- Fuel efficiency: 8.0 L/100 km (claimed)
- Performance: 0-100 kph in 4.9 sec (claimed)
- Load capacity: 325/1 145 litres
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The A3 and S3 models carry a more angular design language, but the S3, in particular, looks nicely hunkered down on its arches.
What is it?
The S3 Sportback currently sits at the pinnacle of Audi’s premium hatchback range; its an S model, which is to say it offers more performance than standard derivatives specified with sportier body kits and -suspension tuning, plus bigger wheels (known as S-Line trim), yet it’s not quite as potent in terms of peak power and torque outputs – or as purposefully styled – as its dearer sibling, the apex RS model.
Considering the upcoming 294 kW/500 Nm RS3 Sportback will probably be the most powerful 5-cylinder-engined series-production model that Audi will ever produce – and is likely to be its last (because the Ingolstadt-based brand will launch only all-electric vehicles from 2026), the S3 was always going to pale in comparison to the RS3 in terms of allure and esteem. Ha, talk about middle-child syndrome…
However, the S3 is nonetheless a fine example of an S model. The newcomer has suitably eye-catching sporty packaging and produces peak outputs of 213 kW and 400 Nm, which is 15 kW less than its predecessor (torque is unchanged), owing to Audi AG’s current product strategy for our region ; the S3’s numbers are also eclipsed by its (also all-wheel driven) Golf 8 R cousin (235 kW/420 Nm), although it remains to be seen whether the Volkswagen performance hatchback will be offered in its full state of tune when it arrives on local soil at some point in 2022 – semi-conductor supply permitting , of course.
However, compared with the pricier BMW M135i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG A35 4Matic , the Audi S3’s 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol (mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission) produces a not-too-significant 12 kW less (213 kW – both rivals produce 225 kW), while it lags the BMW in terms of torque (by 50 Nm) and matches the “peak twist” figure of the Benz (400 Nm). Two-tenths of a second is all that separates the cars in terms of claimed 0-to-100 kph times (the Benz is 4.7 sec, the Bimmer 4.8 sec and the Audi 4.9 sec), but bear in mind that the time of writing (September 2021), the Ingolstadt-based brand’s model’s asking price undercut its M-fettered opponent by about R71k and its AMG-tuned rival by R121k. Considering these brands’ long options lists, that could be a notable advantage…
How the Audi S3 Sportback fares in terms of…
Sensory appeal
The optional 19-inch alloys fill out the S3’s wheel arches appreciably.
Considering that the Audi S3 is meant to appear suitably sportier than its siblings (especially S-Line derivatives), but not be so attention-grabbing that it would steal the RS3’s thunder (at least from an aesthetic point of view), the newcomer certainly looks the part, in its own, um, understatedly athletic way. The Audi’s typically evolutionary exterior design is all angular and thoroughly modern, plus those optional 19-inch wheels fit snugly into the wheel arches, which helps make the car’s overall packaging feel tightly wrapped; it seems as if every inch of the S3’s sheet metal serves a purpose.
The angular theme is carried through into the cockpit, and I call it a cockpit because it has a “look and feel” quite unlike most cars on showroom floors. I’ve never been in a jet fighter, but the overall design of the S3’s cabin made me feel like I was piloting something with wheels and wings. Considering the sporty interior detailing of especially the Mercedes-AMG A35 4Matic , it’s par for the course.
Interior refinement
Part fighter jet, part Audi, the interior is appealing and refined.
Considering the significant improvements BMW made to the interior of the 1 Series with the launch of the F40-generation model in 2019, it says a lot that the A3 Sportback’s fascia design remains class-leading. The air vents, in particular, create a real sense of occasion – two are located on either side of the instrument binnacle and another pair to the left of the touchscreen panel. Now that’s a bold design.
Typical of Audi, the build quality is near-faultless and the materials are of high quality. A leather-wrapped, red-stitched, flat-bottomed S-Line multifunction steering wheel elevates the cabin to match the S badge on the tailgate. It all looks and feels premium and substantial and will undoubtedly help you feel better about all the money that you’ve just spent…
Depending on how adventurous you’re willing to be when “ticking the boxes” on the options list, I highly recommend specifying the Fine Nappa Leather seats. They are truly stunning and some of the best in the business. It’s a R21 500 option, but keep in mind that if you’d like them to be electrically adjustable (and you do!), you’ll need to fork out another R11 500.
Sadly, the audio system’s volume control knob (which was located on the previous model’s transmission tunnel) has been dispatched in favour of a touch-sensitive, circular pad, of which you have to trace the outline gently with your finger to change the volume. Pressing the sides of the pad will change tracks or radio stations, and pressing the bottom will mute the radio. It works, but it’s a bit fiddly. The thing is, the old-school knob offered all of that functionality, so this feels like progress for progress’ sake. Either way, the cabin is now an entirely… knob-free environment.
Extras you might want
The Fine Nappa Leather seats are something you’re going to want, but they don’t come cheap.
To reiterate, the options list is arguably longer than it needs to be. Given the S3’s base price of R795 000, has Audi engaged in some price engineering here? For instance, you need to pay an extra R6 500 for a reverse-view camera, which takes the price over that R800k psychological barrier. And of course, you’ll never find an S3 on showroom floors specced without a reverse-view camera, so there we go.
In fact, our test unit was specced with over R180 000 worth of options, taking the price dangerously close to six figures. A million-rand hatchback? Well, it’s not unprecedented. But in this case, is it worth it?
Another piece of cabin design that irks me is the shift-by-wire transmission selector. It’s similar to that found in new Porsches and in the new Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI . It is tiny and about as exciting to use as opening a microwave door. For me, this is such an important touchpoint, especially in a performance car, and the stubby lever just feels a bit too insubstantial to operate.
Performance
The figures all add up to what should be a fast hot hatch, it just doesn’t feel like one.
Sadly, the S3’s powerplant doesn’t feel all that punchy. On paper, the peak outputs (213 kW/400 Nm) look good and although there is a bit less power than before, the new model’s slightly lighter than its predecessor. In a hatchback with a kerb weight of around 1.5 tonnes, those numbers should result in compelling performance. But for some reason, the Audi doesn’t feel that fast or, to put it another way, the sensation of performance is underwhelming. It’s difficult to put one’s proverbial finger on it, but perhaps the new Golf 8/Audi A3 cousins’ cabins are just too refined/well insulated for their own good.
When we were filming the car, we headed to the iconic Franschoek Pass, which is about an hour’s drive out of Cape Town. A stunning stretch of tarmac, it offers elevation change, corners galore and fast stretches on the far side alongside the Theewaterskloof dam. It is, quite simply, one of the best places in the world to drive a car and let’s just say I wouldn’t really want to do that route in an S3 again.
Driving experience
The drive is very comfortable and the S3 corners extremely well… it just lacks a little excitement.
Suffice to say Audi’s powertrain engineers have done a superb job of dialling out/minimising turbo lag. The S3’s torque delivery is pleasingly linear and the engine revs quickly and feely, especially considering it’s a forced-induction engine, but then, it is the latest evolution of the VW Group’s legendary EA888 powerplant. However, the test unit we were availed just never felt fast… 0-100 kph is said to come up in under 5 sec, but in the real world, the Audi’s acceleration is rather undramatic (wait, is undramatic a word? If it isn’t, it should be, because I need it here to describe my feelings about the car).
In fact, the entire driving experience is just that… undramatic. The quattro system is so metronomically efficient and the optional 19-inch tyres so unfailingly sticky, that the S3 practically “corners as if it’s running on rails”. While it will understeer (safely letting you know that you’re approaching the limits of adhesion) before it oversteers, it feels almost impossible to unsettle this car.
The suspension offers a superb blend of comfort and handling prowess, something I feel Audi, in general, has put a great deal of work into. Older-generation Audi S- and RS models’ suspensions tended to feel a bit wooden, even a bit crashy, but – based on my experience of the S3 – those issues are a thing of the past. In truth, the S3 rides superbly over a variety of road surfaces.
Verdict
For what it’s worth, Audi has built a great car, but will buyers settle for this S3 or wait for the inevitably faster RS3?
If you are looking for a “daily driver” that is superbly comfortable, looks good, offers healthy performance, has a cracking interior and a premium badge on the nose, the S3 is actually pretty much perfect.
However – and this criticism is similar to what has been levelled at the aforementioned BMW M135i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG A35 4Matic – if you’re looking for something truly engaging, that absolutely stirs the senses, which will make you look forward to tackling a road like Franschoek Pass, then the S3 is not the car for you. It’s so accomplished that it feels underwhelming, even undramatic.
Make no mistake, the Audi S3 is very good. But, for a premium-badged performance-oriented hatchback, the Rand-to-reward ratio is a bit off in terms of what it offers for its R100k premium over a Golf 8 GTI , for example. It does represent a more affordable option than its (fellow middle-child) BMW and Benz rivals, but that’s not necessarily a deal-clincher.
Performance aficionados will be eagerly awaiting the Golf 8 R and the RS3 , which, provided they can afford to buy those models, is the right call. As for the S3, I cannot help but wonder: How big is the market for buyers who want R800k-R900k “sporty” premium hatchbacks?
