2023 Audi RS 3 Review

The 2023 Audi RS 3 is a small luxury sport sedan that's not quite like any other four-door on the road. Audi's performance division has taken the automaker's smallest sedan — the 201-horsepower A3 — and increased performance well beyond what the already excellent S3 and its 306-horsepower engine offers. The 2023 RS 3 still looks and feels fresh after a redesign just last year, so we don't expect Audi to make any major changes for 2023. And in this case, it's hardly a bad thing.

In addition to standard all-wheel drive, sport-tuned adaptive dampers and some sticky Pirelli summer performance tires, Audi Sport stuffed a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine under the RS 3's hood. The engine cranks out 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque and emits one of the sweetest and most distinct exhaust notes you'll hear on a new car today. It also harkens back to other Audi performance models like the original RS 2 and Ur-Quattro rally car from the 1980s. Other performance goodies include a trick rear differential that will allow for some tail-out antics — something otherwise difficult in an all-wheel-drive car — and bigger brakes that bring the fun to a halt.

There may be fewer and fewer sedans on sale every year, but the RS 3 has no shortage of rivals. The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 is the closest in terms of size, price and performance. The new BMW M2 offers similar performance in a two-door package. The BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C 63 and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing are all larger but worth a look if you need the extra space. And you just might since the RS 3 is one of the smallest sedans on sale today. But that compact footprint is also part of the charm and helps make it feel nimble and engaging on winding roads.

After a full redesign for 2022, we don't expect any significant changes for the 2023 Audi RS 3, which offers some of the most fun you can have on four wheels.