The Audi RS3 is a bit of an oddball. It has 401 hp under the hood, a serious number for a car weighing around 3600 pounds. But that power comes from the last five-cylinder engine on the market, making it an internal-combustion unicorn. Plus it has wider tires in front than rear, and a torque-splitting differential on the back axle. The kind of stuff car nerds love to geek out about, the automotive equivalent of Dad Rock.
For 2025 the RS3 gets a mild facelift and new tuning for the chassis, including the active differential. Audi says the tweaks help the car to coordinate its responses for more agile, confident cornering and power delivery. Despite no changes to the actual powertrain hardware, and using the same size option Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires, the new RS3 set a Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7 minutes, 33 seconds—more than seven seconds quicker than the pre-facelift version and a new record in the compact segment.
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The RS3 is the highest-performance version of Audi’s A3, which shares an underlying platform with the Volkswagen Golf. Other markets get a hatchback variant, but the RS3 will only come as a sedan in the United States. The turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five engine makes 401 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque in U.S.-spec. Power is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic to an all-wheel-drive system with an even torque split between the two axles and a torque-vectoring rear differential that can send all of the rear axle effort to one side or the other.
The character of the RS3 depends somewhat on the selectable drive mode. Leave it in Comfort or Auto, and you might forget that it can sprint from 0 to 60 in under four seconds. Switch to Dynamic, and the burble of the five-cylinder becomes louder both inside and outside the car, and the ride on the active dampers firms up accordingly.
While it’s nifty that these modes make a substantive difference in the way the RS3 drives, their magic is layered on top of an underlying goodness. The same was true of the pre-facelift RS3, but now the car is more responsive. European data security laws necessitated an update to some of the onboard computers, and Audi engineers took the opportunity refine the algorithms between the rear differential, brakes, and electronic stability program. So we should thank bureaucracy for the sharpened dynamic experience.
Audi’s RS badge always means something a little extra, and the highlight of the RS3 has to be the five-cylinder and the wholly unique burble it creates. It’s easy to say there’s nothing else like this on the market because, well, there isn’t. Audi’s steadfast commitment to an engine configuration the rest of the world has dismissed is charming enough, but it also moves. While 401 hp, oddly, seems relatively tame today, it is assuredly not so in the RS3, where flooring the accelerator leads to a rush of speed with only the slightest hint of turbo lag. The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is paired well to engine, rarely caught out in a high gear and quick to downshift in the auto-shifting modes.
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Both on mountain roads outside of Barcelona and lapping the 2.5-mile Circuit Parcmotor CastellolÃ, the RS3 has a supernatural cornering ability. The rear differential powers the outside wheel as needed, along with imperceptible application of the inside rear brake to further aid rotation. Together, this all but eliminates understeer.
On the track, in the RS Performance mode with the engine, transmission, and chassis in their most aggressive settings, the RS3 carried astonishing speed through sweeping corners. Torque vectoring adds a feeling of rear-drive dynamics to the stability of all-wheel drive—in other words, modulating the RS3’s cornering attitude using the throttle. I didn’t get the chance to play with the drift-friendly RS Torque Rear mode, but even without selecting that there is no shortage of entertainment from behind the wheel.
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The underlying MQB Evo platform of the RS3 is already solid. Don’t let the fact that it shares many parts and components with the Golf dissuade you. Much like the Performance Car of the Year–winning Acura Integra Type S, which is related to the Honda Civic, the family connection doesn’t diminish the increased refinement that comes with the luxury brand. Extra touches like backlit door panel trim and faux suede on some of the dashboard panels help elevate the Audi from its people’s car cousin.
Inside, the RS3 is comfortable and spacious. There’s plenty of room for four adults, and trunk space is more than adequate. It’s a reminder that what is still considered compact in our inflated-dimensions world is still plenty large, while the smaller footprint also makes it handy on the road.
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My test car had optional European-spec carbon bucket seats that won’t make it to our side of the Atlantic, a shame as they offered a near-perfect combination of support and comfort. The rest of the interior works well, with the angular theme carried through the dashboard and door panel trim in a coherent, but not overly styled, way.
The new steering wheel features an RS button along with one in a checkered flag pattern, offering shortcuts to customized and performance dynamic modes, respectively. They worked great. But what was less charming is the strangely squared-off shape of the wheel itself, matching the curve of the instrument cluster shroud but feeling weird whenever I touched a corner during shuffle-steering maneuvers. Steering wheels should be round.
Audi
We don’t have U.S. pricing yet, but we assume the facelifted RS3 will stick close to last year’s model, starting around $65,000. You’ll get nearly as much performance at a much lower price point with the Audi S3—which has recently been upgraded with the same torque-biasing rear differential—or even the VW Golf R. On paper, the RS3 lines up well against the Integra Type S, BMW M235i Gran Coupe, and Mercedes CLA45. And, of course, none of its rivals can offer the novelty of that charismatic five-cylinder engine.
Where the RS3 delivers is in its versatility. The front-wheel-drive architecture means there’s less compromise in rear-seat space and plenty of trunk room. It’s perfectly suited to daily use and the occasional track day or weekend driving excursion.
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The new 10-spoke wheels are stunning, but the checkered-flag daytime running light pattern is what made me smile the most, aside from the thrills from behind the wheel. The taillights also show a similar patten, and it’s exclusive to the RS3. It’s a subtle cue that this is something more than the A3 or S3 without being overt or flashy. Much like the car itself.
