Sophistication isn’t just about appearances—it’s about the experience. Audi set out to prove this with the updated 2025 S3, a car designed to blend accessibly luxurious comfort with performance. And where better to put that to the test than Temecula’s wine country, where refinement is measured in both fine wines and winding roads?
Like how a well-aged Cabernet balances boldness with elegance, the S3 promised a drive that was both athletic and polished. The question was: Could it live up to the setting?
The Basics
For 2025, the Audi S3 gets more than just a facelift—it gets a serious performance boost. The headline upgrade is a standard torque splitter borrowed from the award-winning RS3. Yup, the same tech that helped the RS3 set a compact car lap record at the Nürburgring.
Under the hood, the S3 packs a 328-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine—a respectable 22-hp bump over the 2024 model and a giant leap from the regular A3’s 201 hp. A total of 295 lb-ft of torque is sent through a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission to Audi’s signature Quattro all-wheel drive. Speaking of the DCT, Audi says shifts are about 50% faster under full load. Add on a retuned suspension for better handling and the revised S3 is starting to sound like a proper performance machine.
Cosmetically, the car gets a sharp exterior revision. The front fascia is home to a new grille with L-shaped patterns, larger side ducts, and redesigned LED headlights. Together, the effect makes for a handsome front end. Out back are new vertical reflectors and a more pronounced rear diffuser. It’s not a huge departure from 2024, but I’d say this new look is an improvement.
Inside, the car is far from basic. It’s a tech-luxe cabin where any material you touch feels quality. Like the exterior, there’s a sharp design to things like door panels and shifter surrounds. It really adds to that sporty character without relying on the usual red stitching to drive the point home. But if red accents are your thing, the customizable ambient lighting—now a standard feature—has you covered.
Driving Experience
The S3’s 4.4-second 0-60 time makes it plenty quick in a straight line, but it truly shines when you point its steering wheel in any direction but 12 o’clock. Remember the torque splitter it borrows from the RS3? It can distribute 100% of available torque to the rear outside wheel. Imagine a clutch at each rear axle that closes and opens according to steering angle, yaw, and grip level. In practice, the handling is phenomenal. The S3 devours corners, taking big bites at every turn—and once the plate is clean, it’s hungry for more.
Quick throttle response and rapid gear changes launch the car toward its next meal. Through the hairpins, the AWD acts like claws digging into the asphalt, charging out of each exit.
The S3’s personality isn’t always beastly, though. Switch from Dynamic mode to Comfort, and the red-misted tunnel vision melts away. Suddenly, I’m reminded to take in the view and appreciate the exceptional visibility the S3 has to offer. My biggest complaint, however, is the mode switch itself.
To change modes, you have to press the ‘Drive Select’ button on the center stack, which brings up the options on the 10.1-inch touchscreen. From there, you tap the mode you want. It’s a minor gripe, but I’d much rather the ‘Drive Select’ button be a simple toggle switch instead of triggering an onscreen menu. Otherwise, the S3 is a pleasant cruiser, especially with the enormous panoramic sunroof overhead.
Audi S3 Features, Options, and Competition
The S3 has always sat between the A3 and RS3 in Audi’s lineup. This time around, though, it leans more toward the RS3 than the A3, thanks to the impressive torque splitter. Starting at $49,995 including destination, it competes with the BMW M235 Gran Coupe, Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, and Acura Integra Type S. On paper, the S3 undercuts them in price while delivering more horsepower and a quicker 0-60 time.
- Premium: Starting at $49,995 including destination, the 2025 RS3’s standard creature comforts include the 10.1-inch touchscreen, headlight washers, heated front seats, leatherette, the big sunroof, park assist, and three-zone climate control.
- Premium Plus: The $52,395 Premium Plus model adds adaptive cruise with lane keep, Sonos audio, auto-dimming mirrors, wireless charging, and memory for the driver’s seat.
- Prestige: Spring for the top $56,195 Prestige and the S3 gets a head-up display, a bigger 12.3-inch instrument screen, traffic sign recognition, and LED lights that can play fun animations when you start the car.
Fuel Economy
According to the EPA, the S3 is rated for 23 mpg in the city, 31 on the highway, and 26 combined. This is marginally superior to its rivals from Mercedes and Acura. As of this writing, efficiency figures for the competing BMW are not yet listed.
The Early Verdict
Entry-level luxury cars can be hard to get right. Make it too fast, too fancy, or too good and you risk undercutting more expensive members of its own family. Err too far in the other direction and the value proposition over a loaded-up economy car goes away, and you end up charging people mostly for a fancy badge.
The 2025 Audi S3 strikes a great balance. No, it’s not a cut-price RS3 killer, but it is a genuinely nice thing to behold and sit in and inherits just enough from that car to be pretty fantastic to huck around on a backroad too.
With its 2025 updates, the S3 is a compact luxury sport sedan that’s hard to overlook—especially for those looking for something right around $50K. It joins the Integra Type S at the top of its segment, straddling style and speed in a relatively restrained and practical package.
| 2025 Audi S3 Specs | |
|---|---|
| Base Price | $49,995 |
| Powertrain | 2.0-liter turbo-four | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | all-wheel drive |
| Horsepower | 328 |
| Torque | 295 lb-ft |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Cargo Volume | 8.3 cubic feet |
| Curb Weight | 3,549 pounds |
| 0-60 mph | 4.4 seconds |
| Top Speed | 155 mph |
| EPA Fuel Economy | 23 mpg city | 31 highway | 26 combined |
| Score | 9/10 |
Quick Take
Borrowing a torque splitter from the manic RS3, the S3 is an even better pocket Q car than before.