The 2023 Audi S3 is one of the smallest sedans you can buy, yet it doesn't feel like Audi gave it any less care than its other models. It's stylish, comfortable and well appointed, as expected. It's also a lot of fun to drive thanks to a strong yet fuel-efficient engine and a sporty suspension that won't punish you day to day. It offers less cargo and rear passenger space than rivals, but those are really our biggest complaints.
The 2023 Audi S3 occupies the middle ground between the supporting A3 and high-performance RS 3. Unlike some middle children, however, the S3 isn't easily ignored. For us, it hits the optimal balance of performance, comfort and price. It's noticeably more entertaining than the A3 while delivering similar thrills as the RS 3 on public roads. The RS 3 (reviewed separately) is a better track-day weapon for enthusiasts who truly need one.
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AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: Yes
Features and Specs:
26 Combined MPG (23 City/32 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: WAUJ3DGY9PA001938 Stock: 27613435 Certified Pre-Owned: No
Overall, the S3 delivers plenty of performance and technology for an entry-level luxury sedan, but it's not the only game in town. The similarly priced BMW 2 Series gains a performance advantage, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA trends more toward luxury than sport. There's also the larger Genesis G70 that represents a bargain in the class. The 2023 Audi S3 has plenty of its own advantages and we cover all of it below in our Expert Rating. We think you'll agree that the S3 strikes an optimal blend.
Edmunds Expert Rating
edmunds TESTED
Driven, tested, rated by automotive expert Reese Counts
Great
8.2
out of 10
We drove the 2023 Audi S3 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.
Performance
8.5/10
How does the S3 drive? The S3 feels light and nimble on the road, aided further by responsive steering and a sport-tuned suspension. It's quick too. Our test S3 raced from 0 to 60 mph in a scant 4.6 seconds, and there's power all over the rev range, making the S3 feel quick both on city streets and winding back roads. When you're not revving it out, the S3 settles down into an easygoing demeanor, and its responsive transmission shifts quickly.
Standard all-wheel drive makes sure that power always reaches the pavement, and the powerful brakes inspire confidence. During our panic-braking tests at Edmunds' test facility, the S3 stopped from 60 mph in a commendable 107 feet and showed excellent stability with every stop. As a bonus, the S3's small size and light steering make it a cinch to park too.
Comfort
8.5/10
How comfortable is the S3? The S3 comes standard with sportier, more supportive and somewhat more comfortable seats than the standard A3. They're well padded and offer lots of adjustment, and they do a great job of keeping you in place in faster curves without feeling confining. With the available sport suspension with adjustable dampers, the ride is actually better than the standard A3's too.
The standard three-zone climate control system is excellent, working quickly and evenly to cool the car down. The heated seats work well in cooler weather. The climate control buttons are all on a row on the dash, making them easy to operate without taking your eyes off the road. We also appreciate Audi's use of real buttons.
Interior
7.5/10
How’s the interior? The S3 is a fairly small car even as far as compacts go. Still, there's more space than there would appear. Even taller passengers should have no issue finding space up front. The seats offer a lot of adjustment, so it doesn't take too long to get a good driving position dialed in. Rear passengers will be a little more snug, though there's still room for adults to be comfortable over shorter trips. The S3's small width and short doors make it relatively easy to get in and out.
The S3's new interior feels open, with the available buttons and stalks easy to see and reach. As with some rivals, Audi has reduced the number of buttons and moved some controls to the touchscreen. The menu system works well, but some settings are buried deeper than we'd like.
Technology
8.5/10
How’s the tech? The S3 features the latest in-car tech from Audi, much of which we've seen on other redesigned models. The navigation system works well, with a clear map that can be displayed in the instrument cluster. It makes turn-by-turn directions a cinch. The available head-up display helps too, projecting navigation info onto the windshield. We were particularly impressed by the S3's optional Bang & Olufsen audio system. The S3 also comes with four USB-C ports, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an optional wireless charging pad.
The S3 is available with a full suite of driver aids, though most of them must be added as an option. Still, that's also true for rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more. What's available works well, with smooth adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.
Storage
7.5/10
How’s the storage? The S3 is one of the smallest vehicles in its class, something reflected in both passenger space and cargo volume. While the S3's 10.9-cubic-foot trunk is larger than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class', it's still smaller than the trunks of other luxury compacts. The available space is tall and wide, and the rear seats fold flat to open the space up further. Don't focus on the figure so much as the usable space itself. Storage up front offers a similar story. The center console is small, so we appreciate the decently sized door pockets and phone bin in front of the cupholders.
The small rear seat might be tight, but larger car seats should fit relatively well. The anchors are easy to access on the seat bottom and back.
Fuel Economy
8.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The Audi S3 gets an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in combined city/highway driving. That's a hair better than the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and a hair worse than the BMW M235i Gran Coupe. We saw an impressive 30.3 mpg from our test car on our mixed-driving evaluation route, indicating you should have no problem staying frugal if you want to.
Value
8/10
Is the S3 a good value? The S3 starts out priced about equally to the Mercedes-AMG A 35 and BMW M235i Gran Coupe. It's considerably more expensive than the standard A3 sedan, though the gap narrows if you account for things like the S3's standard all-wheel drive, full LED headlights and parking assistance features. And that's not to mention the S3's visual and performance upgrades. Overall build quality is excellent, though some hard plastics in the interior can feel a bit cheap as prices rise.
Audi offers a four-year/50,000-mile basic and drivetrain warranty, average for this class of cars. The A3 also gets four years of roadside assistance. That's a nice perk, but some rivals also include a few years of regular maintenance.
Wildcard
9/10
It seems that Audi has worked harder with this generation to differentiate the design between the A3, S3 and RS 3. The S3 splits the difference between the two, offering sporty accents that give it a bit more character than the A3 without the big intakes and wider fenders you'll see on the RS 3. It fits the S3's personality, which is to say sporty but not hardcore. It's quick and fun around town without being uncomfortable. It's even more fun on winding roads where you can take advantage of the sport suspension and torquey turbocharged engine.
2023 Audi S3 trim level differences
The 2023 Audi S3 is a small luxury sport sedan available in Premium, PremiumPlus and Prestige trim levels. All models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (306 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque). A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard.
Which S3 trim does Edmunds recommend?
We suggest checking out the midrange Premium Plus trim. It doesn't represent a big price increase, and you'll get adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, a blind-spot warning system and a wireless charging pad. It's also eligible for the S Sport package that includes an adaptive sport suspension.
The 2023 Audi S3 has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and 1 recall. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3 out of 5, ranks it #15 out of 26 among Luxury Compact Cars. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
3 out of 5 stars3/5Above Average
#15 out of 26 among Luxury Compact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$785/yr
vs. $554/yr for Average Luxury Compact Car
Frequency
1.31x/yr
vs. 1.57x/yr for Average Luxury Compact Car
Severity
12.3%
vs. 11.1% for Average Luxury Compact Car
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
1 recall found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
22V901000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
50ZZ
Number of vehicles affected:
297
Defect Description:
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 Audi S3, RS3, and A3 vehicles. The Safety Certification label on the B-pillar is missing weight capacity information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Defect Consequence:
Missing weight information may result in unintentional overloading of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
Audi dealers will install an overlay label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 50ZZ.
2022 Audi S3 Premium Plus 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
I love this car. I bought one of the first 2022 S3s that arrived at the dealership in October of 2021. It is a premium plus package and has all the options that a fully loaded Audi offers except head up display and dancing lights (?). MSRP was little over $57K and I got it a touch below MSRP (😊) and got all the $$$ for my trade and more. I have close to 3200 miles on it. It is quick, … fast, handles well, very comfortable, awesome daily driver, gets good mileage, looks great, built solid, and will go like bat out of hell when needed. I have had a lot of nice cars, but this one is my favorite. I was also considering a Golf R, but the interior and design of this car is worth far more than the options like the drift mode and extra few ponies Golf R offers.
Rocket Power
5 out of 5 stars
Patrick V, 12/07/2024
2023 Audi S3 Premium Plus 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
I’ve been driving my s3 for two years now and it’s a great compact sedan.
The acceleration is incredible, takes off 0-60 in around 4+ seconds. Suspension is stiff but handles extremely well. The best way to drive this car is in sport dynamic manual. The paddle shifters stay in that mode and it makes you feel more engaged with the car.
It’s also one of the last generations of Audis with … tactile buttons and sounds adding to the cabin experience. Great on gas mileage too considering its turbo engine and any bursts of hard driving.
The only complaint I have is the interior piano black and the gear shifter, it’s terrible, but they’ve already fixed that with the 8.5Y.
These are hard to find so I’m pleased with the overall experience and hope they continue refining this model.
Excited but disappointed
1 out of 5 stars
Mc Audi., 08/01/2023
2022 Audi S3 Premium Plus 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
1. Nappa leather steering wheel stitching is unraveling a little over a year-audi reply: I interior trim only covered for 12 months. Sorry
2. the car came with factory seatbelt pretensioner issues (they won't work at highway speeds) and a passenger side airbag was packed backwards possibly causing metal to blow out. Audi reply: don't have a fix yet (took over 6 months to get a fix). I … asked what should I do in the meantime. Audi said don't drive it and they won't know when a fix will be released.
3. the MMI (multimedia interface). doesn't connect to the phone half the time. when it does connect it will sometimes disconnect. when you try to pair it again, it says unrecognized.
4. the homeland portion doesn't open the garage door consisitently (same as my GF 2021 Q3.
never NEVER buy an AUDI. Audi middleburg hts Ohio service manager just blows you off. I can only equate the Audi experience to paying for dinner at a Michelin star restaurant and being served Burger King but worse service.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Audi S3, so we've included reviews for other years of the S3 since its last redesign.
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