Audi RS3
Five cylinders, all-wheel-drive, no apologies.
21 reviewers · 37 videos · 2 press articles
Reviewers agree on its fun to drive, but split on performance and handling.
across 21 reviewers
"I can agree that this is really the hottest hatch probably with the best performance"
Autogefuhl · ▶ 22:36"It's a bit less. So, when I did my measurements earlier, I did a 9.1 second run. Which it just doesn't add up. So, we had a stock a bone stock 8Y RS3 that did 9.6. Uh we've had stage 1 RS3s with 500 horsepower that were way quicker than this."
AutoTopNL · ▶ 1:39"this is super handling no tilting at all and you see how the car directly reacts on my commands"
Autogefuhl · ▶ 15:43"it lets itself down on these corners to catastrophic understeer there"
Throttle House · ▶ 15:44"it's a smooth ride definitely smoother than the m2 competition it's refined"
UNFILTERED MOOSAKA · ▶ 8:40"It's a little too small on the inside. It's missing some luxury features that I expect at this price point."
Redline Reviews · ▶ 29:13"it's ten grand cheaper similarly equipped"
UNFILTERED MOOSAKA · ▶ 13:42"I don't see me at any time paying so much money for a compact segment car"
Autogefuhl · ▶ 31:01Performance
4.5/521 of 21 reviewerssplit“I can agree that this is really the hottest hatch probably with the best performance”
positive · Autogefuhl · ▶ 22:36“The quickest we've ever gone in this car was an 866 in the 1/4 mile. We ran 163 mph.”
positive · Roads Untraveled · ▶ 2:18“This new 2 1/2 L turbocharged 5-cylinder puts out a whopping 160 horsepower per cylinder for a total of 400.”
positive · Car Confections · ▶ 2:40Handling
4.0/521 of 21 reviewerssplit“this is super handling no tilting at all and you see how the car directly reacts on my commands”
positive · Autogefuhl · ▶ 15:43“this handled so well because we have Quattro and you can actually feel a little bit of understeer on Tippin and then you floor it and the right side just pulls you through”
positive · TheStraightPipes · ▶ 4:00“it lets itself down on these corners to catastrophic understeer there”
critical · Throttle House · ▶ 15:44Fun to drive
4.5/521 of 21 reviewersconsensus“That's incredible, man. ... This is the first time I've ever experienced anything like that.”
positive · Roads Untraveled · ▶ 6:44“it's unlike any anything i've ever driven”
positive · ThatDudeinBlue · ▶ 4:59“I absolutely love this engine this is a gem of an engine”
positive · TheStraightPipes · ▶ 2:29Daily drivability
4.0/521 of 21 reviewerssplit“it's a smooth ride definitely smoother than the m2 competition it's refined”
positive · UNFILTERED MOOSAKA · ▶ 8:40“the ride quality on some bumps getting up here was just uh was just staggering in terms of ride comfort and that's where these things pull away from competition”
positive · Drive.com.au · ▶ 5:06“it does everything and it does everything really quite well”
positive · Joe Achilles · ▶ 11:44Value
3.5/519 of 21 reviewerssplit“I don't see me at any time paying so much money for a compact segment car”
critical · Autogefuhl · ▶ 31:01“it's ten grand cheaper similarly equipped”
positive · UNFILTERED MOOSAKA · ▶ 13:42“we're not dealing with any kind of a performance bargain here but we are talking about a heck of a lot of performance crammed into a tiny package”
MotorWeek · ▶ 4:05Hear it in the reviewer’s words
- MotorTrend
2026 Audi RS3 First Test: Brilliant Five-Cylinder Sport Sedan Still Delivers
◆Worth it, with caveatsThe RS3 is a brilliant, high-performance machine defined by its unique engine, though its stiff ride and frustrating interior controls make it a demanding daily driver.
- Best for
- Enthusiasts who prioritize engine character and all-weather performance over daily comfort and interior ergonomics.
- Watch out
- Stiff ride quality · Cramped rear seat · Frustrating touch-sensitive controls · Small trunk
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