2017 Audi S3 Road Test and Review

2017 Audi S3 exterior profile on road ・ Photo by Audi

There’s a just-rightness to the 2017 Audi S3 sport sedan. The overall size is compact without being cramped. The amount of power is useful and accessible, and the suspension works just as well for the everyday grind as it does for the weekend blast. Then factor in the quality of a highly respected German marque, the availability of some pretty cool technology, plus the undeniable cachet of a trend-setting car design, and the S3 makes a compelling case for itself. Let’s go deeper into the details.

The Meaning of S

The S3 is, of course, based on the A3. For an A to become an S, Audi adds power along with an appropriate suspension and braking system, aerodynamic body pieces (such as larger air intakes at the front, side skirts and a subtle rear spoiler), all-wheel drive (Audi famously calls this "quattro"), and extra equipment. So it’s not a hard-core, stripped-out sports machine. It just means more of the good stuff, but with an emphasis on thrills. Despite some rivals having more power, the S3 is highly entertaining, easily fast enough for most people most of the time. And it might even tempt some owners to sign up for a track day or two.

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Pricing

The 2017 Audi S3 sedan starts at $43,850 in Premium Plus trim. In Prestige trim, we’re looking at $49,350. For context, the 2017 BMW M240i xDrive coupe (there isn’t a sedan version) costs from $47,145 and employs 335 hp. Or the 2017 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 4Matic is $50,875 and has 375 hp. So the S3 is not the most powerful of these German pocket rockets, nor could it be considered a bargain. But at least it comes with quite a bit of standard equipment, including all-wheel drive.

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Equipment

Premium Plus trim includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, leather seating surfaces, heated sport front seats, parking sensors, rearview camera, drive-mode selection, and a quad exhaust system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration are also part of the deal. Prestige trim brings the Virtual Cockpit, replacing the usual instrument cluster with an adjustable display that can include the navigation system’s readout. This trim level also enjoys ambient LED cabin lighting and a 705-watt/14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system (which sounds fantastic). Options include rear-side air bags and 19-inch alloy wheels, and some of the Prestige’s standard equipment is available at extra cost in the Premium Plus.

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Engine and Fuel Economy

A 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is turbocharged to produce 292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. That’s quite a bit of muscle and certainly enough punch for quick, decisive overtaking moves. A 6-speed transmission directs this energy to all four wheels. This is a twin-clutch, automated manual transmission (Audi calls it S tronic) and can be used like an automatic, or the driver can change gears using the lever, or paddle shifters mounted under the steering wheel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates fuel consumption at 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway/24 mpg combined. In the real world, we found we could achieve an average in the high 20s without even trying.

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Interior Design

Even though the S3’s cabin is predominantly black, there’s a lot of aesthetic pleasure in driving the car at night. The illuminated scuff plates and LED lights accenting the cupholders are just two details among many. All the shapes are clean and elegant, especially the brushed metal door handles and highlights. A shallow learning curve gets to grips with the infotainment system. Switches are relatively few and completely logical. Never underestimate the satisfaction of being in a cabin that has obviously received a lot of intelligent thought. The only gripe might be that the cupholders and heating/air conditioning controls are somewhat close — a tall travel mug could end up coming into contact with the HVAC buttons.

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Exterior Design

All Audi cars share a design language, so people can recognize the marque at first glance. But it’s not until the second or third glance that we might pick out the actual model. That said, the language itself is agreeable, with arguably flawless lines. But the S3 doesn’t come across as cold. It might even be considered to have an understated sensuality. The LED lighting at both ends add more signature elements. And Audi describes the blades bisecting the front air intakes as “aluminum optic.” In real life, it means plastic covered with aluminum-effect paint. Taking in the big picture, though, the S3 looks utterly contemporary, efficient and desirable.

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Comfort and Cargo

The front seats are well-shaped, supportive and sporty, holding their occupants snugly (but not too snugly), keeping them comfortably in place. It’s easy to find an ideal driving position, and long journeys are no problem whatsoever. With an adult male of average build sitting in the driver’s seat, someone of a similar size can just about sit behind, with toes under the driver’s seat and noggin almost touching the fabric headliner. It’s completely bearable for a couple of hours at least. Trunk volume is 10 cubic feet. That’s not exactly cavernous, and the space seems shallow, but a couple of sets of golf clubs should still fit. Chances are a potential S3 buyer won’t care about the regular family grocery shop anyway.

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Safety

All-wheel drive doesn’t only help with traction and applying the power to the pavement. It also means sure-footedness in rough weather. The beefy braking system is another source of confidence. As well as the mandatory safety equipment, Premium Plus trim has a rearview camera (with dynamic guidelines), parking sensors at both ends, and forward collision mitigation, while Prestige comes with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and blind spot monitoring. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the S3 five stars out of five in overall crashworthiness, with four stars for front impacts and five stars for side impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) made the regular A3 a Top Safety Pick Plus.

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Performance

Audi claims a standstill-to-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds — that’s not blisteringly fast, but there’s enough thrust to provide at least a mild sensation of being pushed back into the seat. The engine delivers its maximum torque at a low 1,900 rpm, so if it’s kept “on the boil” between 2,000 and 5,000 rpm, there’s a nice, elastic power delivery. Using the paddle shifters is fun and involving. The transmission carries out swift and smooth changes from one ratio to the next, and the driver’s hands never have to leave the steering wheel. It’s a simple operation to click through the driving modes, but also quite convenient to leave it on “Automatic” and let the car do the thinking.

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Final Thoughts

From the cabin materials to the energetic engine to the advanced safety features, the 2017 Audi S3 sport sedan has a lot going for it. If the budget can stretch to the Prestige model, so much the better. The Virtual Cockpit is not only a cool gadget, it also offers useful information without asking the driver to look too far from the road ahead. We found the voice-controlled navigation and phone features worked perfectly, and the touchpad had no trouble recognizing handwritten inputs. The complete S3 package is hugely tempting. Let’s face it, styling is one reason why we choose a particular car over another. And when it also comes with great technology, that could be the deal-maker.

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