2025 Audi S3. This little sedan scoots!

Think of the Audi S3 as a Golf R that has been to finishing school.

The two share the same platform and most of the mechanicals. The main difference is in appearance – inside and out. The Audi is a four-door sedan and the Golf a five-door hatchback.

The S3 lies in the middle of Audi’s small sedan lineup between the A3 and the RS3 in terms of price, performance and content.

The A3 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine producing 201-horsepower and 236 lb. ft. of torque. The engine in the S3 has the same displacement and is also turbocharged, but belts out 328-horsepower and 295 lb.ft. of torque.

Both send power to the wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission and Audi’s sophisticated Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The rocket ship RS comes loaded with a 401-horsepower, turbocharged five-cylinder engine. But good luck finding one at an Audi dealer in Canada, or the US for that matter!

The Audi S3 is only available in sedan format in North America, whereas it can be had as a hatchback elsewhere.

Audi has been using the ‘S’ designation throughout the model range for vehicles offering an extra dollop of power and performance since 1991.

The fourth generation of the A3 series, including the S3, received numerous upgrades for 2025, most of them aimed at improving the already impressive performance. There are an additional 22 horses under the hood. Torque remains the same, but is spread over a wider rev range.

This little sedan scoots – complete rest to 100 km/hr in less than five seconds!

A raft of tweaks can be found throughout the software, drivetrain and chassis of the Audi S3.

The brakes on the front wheels are larger, clamped by two-piston calipers. The steering has been retuned, the front suspension geometry updated, and the transmission tuned for faster shifts.

The big news – for performance fans – is the trick new rear axle component of the Quattro system.

Without getting too far into the technology, let’s just say a torque-splitting system allows different power to be sent to each of the rear wheels. Borrowed from the RS3, it allows more power to got to the outside wheel, in effect pushing the car into the corner.

It continuously varies the left-to-right power throughout the corner, every 180 milliseconds. The effect can be felt from first turning into the corner to applying the throttle upon exit.

The test vehicle had the $1,800 Advanced Handling Package – Sport. The lower adaptive suspension allows the driver to adjust the ride quality from comfortable to stiff enough to tackle turns with vengeance.

Unlike many such adjustable systems, you can feel the differences.

The result is a small car with the alacrity of a ballet dancer. The Audi S3 is light on its feet with the ability to respond to surface and input changes instantly.

You may find yourself seeking out and returning often to a section of road littered with twists and turns!

The Audi S3 lights the way in spectacular lighting systems

Folks living in and rarely venturing beyond the city at night, might not get to appreciate the variety and effectiveness of headlight systems. I live in a rural area and drive a different vehicle most weeks. I get first-hand exposure to headlights and the HUGE differences on the market.

The 2025 Audi S3, with the optional ($600) Matrix system had the best headlights I have encountered among the 2,000 or so vehicles reviewed over the years.

More than one million micro-mirrors precisely adjust light output and direction according to info from cameras providing brilliant light on the road ahead while putting oncoming traffic in a shadow – literally shutting down light that would otherwise reach them.

The S3 is a tasteful, polished compact sedan

Literally. Provisions for front seat occupants are comfortable, supportive and multi-adjustable. Rear seat occupants will find it tight with very little leg or foot room.

Fit, finish, and quality of materials are worthy of the Audi name. The infotainment system displays a pleasant blend of old and new. Old in that there are actual switches and buttons for major HVAC and audio functions. New in the use of a bright, clear 26-cm touchscreen with quick responses. The driver gets a separate digital display.

The Audi S3 is a polished small car from the high-tech headlights to the sonorous quad tail pipes. There is lots of power and grin-inducing stick in the corners. The tasteful interior reeks of Audiness.

FACTS & FIGURES – 2025 Audi S3 Quattro Technik

PRICE

Base: $69,350

As tested: $73,820 including freight

INFOTAINMENT

Six-speaker audio system, 33-cm infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, wireless charging pad

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Sunroof, smart key with keyless entry and start, tilt & telescope steering wheel, power heated mirrors, three-zone automatic climate control, heated leather seats

SIGNIFICANT OPTIONS

Python yellow metallic paint, $890; Carbon spoiler, $1,550; Carbon Atlas inlay, $500; Carbon mirror caps, $1,030; Black roof, $250; red brake calipers, $600; advanced handling package – sport, (19-in wheels, performance tires, S Sports suspension system with damper control) $1,800; fine Nappa leather seats, $1,300; matrix headlights, $600

MECHANICAL

2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 328 horsepower, 295 lb.-ft. of torque, premium fuel, seven-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel-drive. NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): 10.4/7.65

DIMENSIONS

Length, 4,503 mm; wheelbase, 2,631 weight, 1,605 kg

COMPETITION

BMW M235, Mercedes CLA 35