Audi RS3 review

If you’re after a car that doesn’t take itself too seriously until you have a winding back road to tackle, then the Audi RS3 could be what you’re after. It’s bold and it’s fun – but when you need it to be accurate and efficient, the RS3 can deliver. But what sets it apart from the standard A3, or even the hot S3, so much?

First-off, you can’t really miss the RS3 in a crowd. Audi has taken the large grille of the standard A3 and made it even bigger, and has even added some extra vents either side. The RS3 is wider and lower than the regular A3, too, and it gets an extremely aggressive bodykit and some sporty 19-inch alloy wheels. Add a bright colour into the mix and you’ll never lose it in a car park.

Inside, Audi has done a great job of combining sportiness and style. With many of the panels and trim pieces offered with coloured detailing, the RS3’s cabin cocoons you to help you focus on driving. Nappa leather seats are a great optional extra to add a dash of extra luxury to the cabin, although the standard microfibre and faux-leather seats still look great, and are comfortable too.

Audi has fitted a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen with a new RS Runway mode, which displays the engine revs and speed using two vertically-aligned bars. It doesn’t look as good as a standard circular dial if you ask us, and it’s harder to read, too. A 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is also included as standard, and it features all the toys that you’d expect.

But the headline news for the RS3 is its impressive 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo petrol. It produces the same 400hp as the previous RS3, but torque has been increased by 20Nm to 500Nm – adding a bit of extra punch to this hyper-hatch.

The RS3 is faster and more fun than ever before thanks to a series of tweaks. It also looks pretty mean, making it a proper hyper-hatch.

With this firecracker of an engine under the bonnet, Audi claims the RS3 can dash from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds, but we’ve managed to do that sprint in just 3.6 seconds. That’s almost supercar-beating numbers from a (not so) humble hatchback.

By adding some clever mechanical upgrades, the RS3 is more nimble and entertaining out on your favourite twisty road than ever before, and on track it’s even more of a scalpel-sharp driving weapon. If you feel like it, there’s even a drift mode to help you do some big skids with ease (on a closed circuit, of course).

But the RS3 isn’t hardcore all of the time, and can in fact settle down very nicely when you want it to. In town, it doesn’t feel too firm like some hot hatches do, and it behaves over bumps and cracks – just be careful not to kerb those black alloy wheels! On the motorway, it feels comfortable and smooth – and you have that massive power on tap whenever you need it.

If the Audi RS3 sounds like the car for you, we can help you get the best deal possible. Prices start from £50,900 for the Sportback model and £51,900 for the saloon, but check out our RS3 deals page to see how much you can save when you buy through carwow.