Audi RS 3 2021 Review

The 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback is barely changed from the car that was last sold here in 2018, yet the price has risen by more than $3000.

Audi attributes the increase from $80,240 to $83,436 (plus on-road costs) to specification improvements, but it’s just as likely due to currency exchange rate volatility. At the start of 2017, the Aussie dollar was buying as much as 72.6 Euro, but in 2020 one dollar is buying 61.7 Euro. And things were grim indeed for local Audi customers, when our dollar was good for just 53 Euro back in March.

Despite that, the Audi RS 3 still packs a fair amount of kit for the money. Standard features comprise: Metallic paint, 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, sports exhaust, LED headlights and tai- lights, high-beam assist, heated/fold-in exterior mirrors, sport seats in Nappa leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats with four-way electric lumbar adjustment, and a flat-bottom multifunction sport steering wheel wrapped in leather and Alcantara.

Additionally, the RS 3 comes equipped with illuminated aluminium front door sills, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry/start, Bang & Olufsen 14-speaker audio system with subwoofer (705W), DAB+ digital radio, wireless smartphone charging, advanced smartphone integration (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), virtual cockpit digital instruments, satellite navigation, 7.0-inch display and an alarm.

Finished in Ara Blue metallic, which Audi says is a ‘crystal effect’ paint costing $728, and also featuring a gloss black styling package priced at $1600, the RS 3 tested here finished up priced at $85,764 plus ORCs.

The Audi RS 3 comes with seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knee. Driver-assist technology on board includes autonomous emergency braking, side assist, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go and rear cross traffic assist. There’s a reversing camera as well.

ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) rates the Audi RS 3 five stars for crash safety, based on the score for the Audi A3, the core vehicle for the RS 3. The rating dates back to 2013, however, which means it’s not right up to date by the standards of ANCAP test protocols.

Nevertheless, the A3 scored very well based on that testing regime, awarded 36.41 points out of 37 points possible.

Raw sounding, but not unrefined. That’s how Audi Sport’s trademark 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine can be best summed up.

Far from causing any affront, this is a lovely engine that will rapidly rev to redline (around 6800rpm). Under full load it sounds like Dave Gilmour and Nick Mason jamming on an up-tempo Pink Floyd track, thanks to the odd number of cylinders and the active baffles in the exhaust system.

So, to answer your unasked question, yes it’s sort of artificial, but more an amplification than a synthesised sound.

There’s slight hesitation in evidence using the launch control system, between lifting the foot off the brake pedal and the clutch releasing all the RS 3’s fury. The system is easy to use though, and spins the engine up to 3500rpm. That’s the same point where there’s a noticeable surge of in-gear acceleration as well.

Performance aside, the Audi RS 3 delivers abundant torque for sedate driving around town, and during our testing returned a fuel economy figure of 10.5L/100km, which is significantly better than the 12.3L/100km posted by the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 we tested earlier this year. In fairness to the Benz, the hottest CLA does produce a lot more power than the Audi, but not enough to justify the difference in fuel consumption.

Mounted transversely in the nose of the RS 3, the engine drives all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Audi labels this type of transmission ‘s tronic’, and it operates very smoothly, which hasn’t always been true of dual-clutch boxes.

In the RS 3, the s tronic is adaptive and readily chooses a lower gear for downhill sections, providing more engine braking when the system thinks you’ll need it – and it wasn’t wrong during the week in our care.

The transmission also swaps cogs rapidly, especially in manual mode, and when using the shift paddles. At the redline, the transmission will hold gears rather than change up, but there’s so much torque available in the engine’s mid-range, there’s simply no need to hold the car in a lower gear. What it can do in the way of acceleration and engine braking at 6800rpm, the engine can also facilitate at 4000rpm.

By coincidence, colleagues Alexandra Lawrence and Sam Charlwood pitted this very same Audi RS 3 Sportback against a Mercedes-AMG A45 S a couple of months ago. On the racetrack the Audi was left trailing in the dust of the Mercedes.

But on the road and in isolation, the Audi recovers some lost ground. For instance, the RS 3 rides better than I recall of the sedan version of the A 45 – the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 – from a few months back. That can be attributed to the Audi’s chassis tune with its magnetic ride control (magnetorheological dampers).

All the same, the Audi doesn’t exactly feel pillow-soft, even in comfort mode. And nor should it. This is not a car for those who prefer comfort over cornering.

The Audi couldn’t match the turn of speed through bends that the Mercedes could deliver, but the CLA 45 was riding on wider Michelins, rather than the Pirelli P Zero 235/35 R19 tyres – and the difference between the two for exit speed was quite close anyway.

The Audi boasts extremely strong brakes, with a firm pedal under foot, but the steering lacks on-centre feel, unless the driver opts for Dynamic mode rather that Comfort. It’s much lighter for low-speed manoeuvring in the softer setting.

The white beams from the headlights are bright and shine a long way ahead, even on low beam. With the auto high-beam assist enabled, the headlights drop quickly at the first sign of oncoming cars or those on side roads approaching intersections.

I felt at home behind the wheel of the RS 3 – more so than in the Benz – due to the proximity of the pedals to the seat and wheel. The seats in the Audi are great; they’re very comfortable, but with enough support in the enveloping contoured shape to hold occupants securely in corners.

Rear-seat accommodation in the Audi is more generous than in the Mercedes, offering headroom that’s adequate for adults of average height. Kneeroom is fine too, and there’s plenty of room under the front seats to place feet.

The Audi RS 3 comes with triple-split folding rear seats, adjustable vents and a 12V power outlet, but no USB ports for recharging in the rear.

As a hatchback with extra drivetrain components under the floor, the RS 3’s shallow boot is not enormous overall, even with a tyre repair kit under the floor, rather than a full-size spare.

As impressive as the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 sedan is, it’s hard to justify the extra $25,000 or so over the price of the Audi RS 3 Sportback. The A 45 hatch is much closer in price to the RS 3 (although it still costs over $10K more), but as we learned from our comparison, the RS 3 is a car that comes pretty close to the Mercedes on track, while being easier to live with day to day.

While the BMW M135i is significantly (about $20K!) cheaper, it also produces lower levels of peak power and torque – and many debate whether the BMW would win a beauty contest. The Audi does have that charming five-cylinder engine note working in its favour too.

So the Audi RS 3 doesn’t really face particularly stiff competition from either Munich or Stuttgart; it’s actually the forthcoming generation of RS 3 that may see shoppers holding off their purchase of the current model.

Balanced against the imminent arrival of the next RS 3 – likely to introduce new features and technology to leapfrog its market rivals – the current car is still a great exponent of the prestige hot-hatch type.

How much does the 2021 Audi RS 3 Sportback cost?
Price: $83,436 (plus on-road costs), $85,764 (as tested)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 294kW/480Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 194g/km (ADR Combined) Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2013)