2017 Audi S3: What you need to know
If you’ve already begun looking into the Audi S3, you may have noticed something curious: It doesn’t have much competition. Sure, there are plenty of speedy small cars out there, but how many are all-wheel drive? How many have four doors? And how many of those are as luxurious as the 2017 Audi S3?
The S3 is based on the same platform as the Volkswagen Golf R. While those two cars share a lot of similarities, the Golf R is a hatchback and it can’t hang with the Audi in terms of luxury. What you get in the S3 is a fast, nimble sport sedan in which space is at a premium everywhere you look.
While those space limitations mean the S3 isn’t a practical family car, it is nonetheless a four-door sedan than can run low 13s in the quarter mile while getting 28 mpg on the highway, and looking like a nicely tailored suit.
Click through the following slides to see more images of the S3 and learn more details about its performance and features.
1. Exterior
You’ll notice the subtly refreshed 2017 Audi S3 is a bit difficult to distinguish from other Audi models, such as the A4/S4. Like the S4, it has a new, more angular grille; standard LED headlights; LED taillights; plus a feature that would be difficult to miss: rear turn signals that sweep outward, not only indicating the direction of the turn, but partially illustrating it.
There are 19-inch aluminum wheels available, with 18-inch wheels as standard equipment.
2. Interior
When shopping for an S3, it would be good to remember that the standard seats are manually adjustable as opposed to power-adjustable. But there is a good reason for this. The power system raises the seating position, which in the S3 is already on the high side. Taller drivers may find their heads indenting the headliner.
Some test drivers recommend going with the manually adjustable sport seats, which have prominent shoulder boosters and come in quilted black leather. Rear seating is tight, though critics note the interior is exceptionally well made throughout.
3. Interior Technology
A driver-focused 12.3-inch instrument display is the star of the show here. It puts a wealth of data into the driver’s line of sight. In the Sport layout, for example, the large tachometer and speedometer frame digital trip, audio, phone, and navigation controls. The steering wheel has spoke-mounted thumb wheels on both the left and right sides, which allows you to toggle over to different settings. Or you can use the MMI knob on the center console, as usual.
Also, the S3’s two USB ports are functional for both charging and data connectivity, whereas before they could only charge. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility both come standard.
4. Cargo Capacity
The S3 has 10 cubic feet of cargo space, which is not much, even for a car as small as the S3. The Audi A4, for example, has 13 cubic feet, and the Volkswagen GTI hatchback has 52.7 cubic feet of cargo space.
Safety Features
Standard safety features in the S3 include a rearview camera with front and rear parking sensors, and Audi Pre Sense Front, which is a safety system that features forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go technology, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic assist come standard on the top Prestige trim.
The S3 earns an overall four-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The S3 was not individually tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but its sibling, the A3, earned the Top Safety Pick+ designation.
5. Performance
Ah yes. Performance. It’s the reason you buy an S3 in the first place. It starts with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 292 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission with all-wheel drive. So equipped, the S3 goes from zero to 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds and can complete the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 104 mph.
6. Fuel Economy
The S3 gets 28 mpg on the highway, 21 mpg in the city, and should get about 24 mpg combined on premium fuel. The A3 upon which the S3 is based was one of our finalists this year for the Best Luxury Small Car for the Money award.
7. Ride and Handling
The S3 is fast, but as you’d expect from an Audi, handling is also superb. The electric power steering is accurate, though it left some test drivers feeling a little disconnected from the road. The all-wheel-drive S3 is at its best on curvy, undulating roads, where its sport-tuned suspension takes command. A change for 2017 is the bias of the all-wheel-drive system. It now favors the rear wheels and can send 100 percent of its torque to the front or rear, depending on the needs of the moment.
8. Pricing
Pricing for the S3 starts at $42,900, but you can add $10,000 in options quickly. The Prestige package starts at $48,400 and includes MMI navigation, Audi Connect, adaptive cruise control, virtual cockpit, a premium sound system, LED interior lighting, auto high beams, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane keep assist.
If you’d rather go a la carte, you can select the Technology Package ($3,000), which adds navigation, Audi connect PRIME and PLUS, the virtual cockpit, and side assist with rear cross traffic alert. The S Sport Seat Package ($1,450) adds the sport seats in leather and front seats with height adjustment and retractable thigh support. The Dynamic Package ($1,500) adds 19-inch wheels and an adjustable suspension. You can also add red brake calipers ($400) and a Bang & Olufsen sound system ($950).
Article by: T. Arthur Corcoran / USNews.com