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Used 2017 Audi S3 Consumer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
36 reviews

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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 S3, so we've included reviews for other years of the S3 since its last redesign.

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Pros
Cons
5 out of 5 stars

Best car I've owned

RedWill, 10/09/2020
2015 Audi S3 2.0T Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I absolutely love the car, it's exactly what I wanted and I got exactly what I expected. If you want more space buy a 4, 5, or 6 model. I believe if you're buying a 3 it's because it is a small sedan with enough room for your passenger and their friend in the rear. The trunk holds groceries just fine as it should. When I see people knock the car for being small and having no cargo space, at that point they're just knit picking, because nobody buys an S3 for trunk space and to haul a bunch of people. I bought the car because I love to drive. This car is pretty quick, handles very well and is very light and responsive. I point the wheel and it goes exactly where I want it to go, I brake and it stops on a dime. I want to go fast and it goes in a hurry. I have seen the generic 0-60 times of 4.7 or 4.4 seconds, I've clocked an official time of 4.1 seconds 0-60mph side by side with an AMG who ran a 3.9. I had never launched the car before that so it may run a 4 flat for all I know, but I do know the stats are underrated on acceleration and 1/4 mile. It's a quick car. Not the fastest car in the world, but for the money and against similar cars it is very quick. It's comfortable when it needs to be, since I'm not overweight the seats hold me in place very nicely and I could sit in the car all day. Infotainment system is good, tricky at first but once you learn it, it becomes 2nd nature like a phone. I have the 19" wheel package on my car. I thought 19's would be too big but the fit the car perfectly and when compared to the 18's, I prefer the styling of the 19's. The body lines are sharp and flow nicely from front to back. The line that runs from the top of the front fenders all the way to the small wing give the car a distinct look over similarly shaped cars as well as the lower body line that angles upward. I noticed the new S3 softened the lines and now isn't much different looking than a Kia or Hyundai which is sad. But that 2.0litre 290+hp 4cyl engine is just amazing and very potent. People who don't know Audi's think I have a 6cyl. For me the next step would be to get the 5cyl RS3, and because of styling I'd happily buy a 2019 over a 2021. Only issues my car had were maintenance related due to the previous owner not doing any maintenance at all so after I bought it I had to change the plugs and coilpacks, oil, trans fluid, O2 sensor, and replaced the Haldex pump and change the fluid for it because Audi issued a service bulletin to do that and it went ignored, this is something to check because if that pump goes your car will easily spin the front wheels under medium acceleration and you'll think its major because your awd is straight actina fwd, but it's a $200 fix and you can easily do it yourself, although you shouldn't because anyone who cared about their car would have had it done under warranty through Audi for free and you'll never experience that. The car runs great since catching up on the maintenance, I just need to walnut blast the intake valves and runners as you need to address this with all direct injection engines between 30k-60k miles. So other than the maintenance that should have been done, I would have to say the car is solid and runs strong. It's comfortable when needed, you can stiffen up the ride and push it and have some fun on the back roads with confidence when you want as the car feels so secure and planted at all times. I've never owned a car that felt so quick while also feeling so safe. It's a well built car. As I said before, if you bought a S3 and expected rear leg room and to be able to haul a flat screen TV in the trunk that's your fault. This car was never meant for that, it was meant to have fun in without the extra nonsense that other cars have. Know what you want.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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3 out of 5 stars

After 18 months of S3 ownership...

Dave, 04/11/2016
updated 04/20/2020
2016 Audi S3 2.0T Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 7 people found this review helpful

I waited for the motor to be fully broken in before I measured its performance, but after 18 months of ownership I can honestly say this S3 looks very “nice” but doesn’t have the acceleration (or reliability) I was hoping for. As well, the magnetic ride is a farce, I get a “banging” noise on the rear passenger sides strut, which bother my passengers as well as me. The dealership says “they don’t hear anything, and this noise is normal” but other forum posters say it’s not normal, as they are in the same predicament... Looks like I should have accepted the legal route after all. I think I’m going have to look at a Lexus for my next purchase. Well, had the car for four years now, after Audi fixed the rear shocks the noise subsided. Happy to say there have been no further problems. Mileage is about 27Mpg at 75MPH. It would be greater if it had an extra gear (which the 2018s and above have), but I didn’t buy it for mileage. Still a fast and fun car and I can get another 75hp out of the motor with minimum modifications.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
3 out of 5 stars
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2017 Audi S3 for sale near you
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5 out of 5 stars

Audi S3

Bob Duarte, 08/09/2016
2016 Audi S3 2.0T Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful

After looking at various websites including Edmumds.com and using their buying service. I received a great deal on a 2016 Audi S3. The car is very well optioned and is a lot of fun to drive. It is very quick, brakes superbly and very fun to drive. The car has a fantastic audio system, Bang and Olephson. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

The S3 Is a BEAST!

Justin Matthew, 08/29/2017
2015 Audi S3 2.0T Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 4 people found this review helpful

It all starts under the hood. A heavily modified version of the A3's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. With 292 horsepower, an increase of 72 hp over the A3. That power is applied to all four wheels through a standard six-speed automated manual transmission, which, according to Audi, is good enough to fire you off to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Best Audi besides the R8

Thomas Chung, 05/26/2016
2016 Audi S3 2.0T Premium Plus quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ultimate value if you want a fun luxurious all around performance car

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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