The verdict: Though it’s more expensive than ever, the updated and feature-rich 2025 Audi A3 and S3 make a fab case for the primo, pint-size sports sedan.
Versus the competition: The subcompact, entry-level luxury sedan class is hotter than you might expect, with the 2025 Audi A3 and S3 butting grilles with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz CLA and Acura Integra. For the most part, the updated Audis remain one of the most compelling offerings in the class in terms of packaging, features and driving experience.
Folks, luxury sedans still exist. I know, I know — y’all really like luxury SUVs, but I think it’s worth truly considering your needs if it’s time to upgrade. I reckon a significant portion of those who spring for an Audi Q3 or Q5 SUV would be better served by one of the German brand’s excellent sedans instead, and based on a recent drive in both the refreshed 2025 Audi A3 and S3, I think the crossover cult is missing out.
Related: 2025 Audi A3: Standard AWD for Brand’s Cheapest Sedan
The upgrades for Audi’s wee entry-level sedan are minor at best, but this is coming on the heels of a redesign for the 2022 model year. Sticking with the base car — we’ll get to the medium-hot S3 in a bit — some new equipment standardization and trim tweaks make it more compelling. Inside, the biggest headlines are the new standard 10.25-inch digital driver display that’s complemented by a standard 10.1-inch center infotainment screen, while an extra 15 pounds-feet of torqueage and standard all-wheel drive further ritz up the overall package.
I tested the wrapper-fresh A3 for a week in Los Angeles, using it to crisscross the metroplex and zip down to Oceanside, Calif., for the accompanying S3 drive program. (Per our ethics policy, Cars.com pays for its own travel and lodging when attending such manufacturer-sponsored events.) Ultimately, I really dug the little four-door, though I do understand any hesitancy about spending $39,495 (prices include destination) for a base version — or $46,040, which was the as-tested price of my test car — on a sedan that’s a class size down from a Honda Civic.
How Big Is the 2025 Audi A3?
Yes, really. Run your tape measure down the flanks of each car, and you’ll find the Civic towers over the little Audi with 7.5 inches of additional length and a 4-inch-longer wheelbase. Inside, this translates to crunched knees as friends and fam will moan ‘n’ groan due to the Audi’s relatively cramped interior.
Since the A3 is a purposeful segment down on the Civic, none of this is a mark against the Audi and is more a cautionary note about rear passenger accommodations. While I still believe a big portion of Q5 drivers need no more space than what the A3 offers, small cars are a hard sell in the U.S., where size is king.
Which, again, is a shame. My loaded-out example felt properly premium, with all of the feature accoutrement expected of the marque right down to the well-weighted action of the door handles, LED headlights and taillights, the Sonos sound system and Audi’s signature lock/unlock chirp colloquially categorized as a “rich-person beep.”
How Is the Interior and Performance of the 2025 Audi A3?
Fit and finish is up to current Audi standards, with only a few areas of the cabin showing the burr of its entry-level status. Laser-cut, LED-backed microsuede door inserts are contrasted by some scratchy plastic patches and leather that felt of average quality. Presentation is top-notch for the segment, and Audi’s MMI infotainment architecture is still one of the best in the biz from both an ease-of-use and aesthetic perspective. And what a joy it was to use the A3’s row of clicky bidirectional switches for many of the cabin functions, including volume, climate control and the auto engine stop-start feature.
I was less enthused about the powertrain. The A3’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder poots out 201 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque, and it works with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and now-standard AWD. Powerwise, we’re good; it’s really just the transmission that’s the issue. Shifts were mostly quick and problem-free during normal commuting, but attempting a quick downshift in the regular “D” mode — versus the selectable sport-oriented “S” shift logic — was sometimes slower and balkier than expected.
Handling and general dynamics are sharp enough to make the A3 modestly fun to drive, with quick steering and excellent body control on my test car, which was equipped with the optional sport suspension. I’d skip the latter due to its detrimental effect on ride quality, however.
What’s the Difference Between the A3 and S3?
If it’s a luxo-performance pocket rocket you seek, skip spicing up the A3 and go straight for the equally updated S3: same platform, same engine, same transmission, only with an extra-healthy squirt of hot sauce for the new model year. The beefed-up 2.0-liter engine burbles out 328 hp and 295 pounds-feet of torque, a 22-hp bump over the prior car that’s now reined in by a standard torque-vectoring rear differential from the white-hot RS 3.
The chassis features revised geometry and bearings as well as an updated stability system unique to the S3 that Audi says results in “more engaging turn-in, cornering behavior and improved stability at the limit.” A new Dynamic Plus drive mode builds on the existing performance-oriented Dynamic mode, further sharpening the transmission shift logic and that new torque-vectoring diff.
In symphony, the S3 offers the best blend of comfort and performance in a surprisingly competitive field, a rogues’ gallery that includes the BMW M235i Gran Coupe, Mercedes-AMG CLA35 and Acura Integra Type S. Equipped with the optional adaptive sport suspension, my S3 test car was no more or less cushy over crags than the A3 with its available sport suspension, but I found the transmission and engine character much improved.
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What’s the 2025 Audi S3 Like to Drive?
As far as my experience goes, Audi’s S products are forever the first choice in daily performance, as proven by the 2025 S3’s refreshingly muted drive experience when left in either Comfort or Auto (Audi-speak for “balanced”) drive mode. When I wound into the squigglier country roads of Temecula, Calif., the Dynamic Plus mode cranked the dial to, well, a responsible and sensible 7.5 — maybe 8. Anyone desiring their dial at 10 or 11 should seek the nutso RS 3.
Audi’s claimed 4.4-second 0-60 mph scramble for the S3 feels right on the money, with more than enough gumption for supra-legal highway merges and backroad blitzes. Grip, turn-in and mid-corner power-outs are all on par with the hottest of hot hatches, with the gluey AWD system and lightning-quick dual-clutch automatic transmission ensuring the experience is more on the technical, pseudo-antiseptic side of things than a dedicated rear-wheel-drive sports car like the Mazda MX-5 Miata or the related Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86.
It shreds rather than sashays. Look to the rippy, grippy Volkswagen Golf R for inspo, as the S3 shares its powertrain and general capability with VW’s uber-hatch. The benefits of the new torque-vectoring tech are readily apparent, resulting in more predictable power delivery and a communicative rear end while pushin’ through a corner. This doesn’t imply any oversteer, only some observable machinations at the rear wheels as power is cleverly redistributed depending on wheel slip and steering angle.
It’s a spunky tyke, for sure. Even carrying a hefty $49,995 base price, I think the 2025 Audi S3 makes more sense than an A3 with even moderate options, especially when you consider that the size-up 2025 A4 starts at $45,395. Go hot or go big; you can’t go wrong either way.
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