Audi S3 Sportback 2023 Review

Though there have been three-door and convertible Audi S3s in the past, the 2023 Audi S3 comes in just two forms: the five-door Sportback reviewed here (priced from $70,800 plus on-road costs) and the four-door sedan (from $72,900 plus ORCs).

By comparison, the 225kW/450Nm BMW M135i is tagged at $72,900 plus ORCs, and the 225kW/400Nm Mercedes-AMG A 35 hatch at $83,400 plus ORCs.

This amount of dollars, as you would hope, includes plenty of standard gear, including Nappa leather seats with heating and power adjustment, Matrix LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, ambient lighting with the choice of 30 colours, the requisite large-scale touch-screen infotainment display and a 12.3-inch virtual cockpit screen with various functions including map displays, media and radio info.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are built in, as is a wireless phone charging pad, and destinations can be set on the sat-nav via either Google Maps or the S3’s inbuilt myAudi system.

The safety tech fitted to the 2023 Audi S3 is comprehensive.

It includes high- and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning with lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, collision avoidance and rear cross traffic assist, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, a degree of self-steering that detects if the driver’s hands are taken off the wheel, emergency assist, exit warning to alert departing passengers of approaching traffic, and tyre pressure monitoring.

New to the S3 is the ability to detect and avoid pedestrians and cyclists, and although the technology runs to self-parking capability, there’s no mention of driver attention alerts to help prevent dozing off at the wheel.

The S3 is fitted with a minimal six airbags and no front-centre airbag to help avoid contact between front passengers in a collision.

The S3 variant in particular is not rated by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the regular Audi A3 on which it is based received a five-star rating upon its European release in 2020.

A funny thing about the 2023 Audi S3 is that, unlike most of its peers, it doesn’t really advertise its powerhouse turbo engine.

There’s a vaguely audible exhaust growl with the Dynamic drive mode selected, but at nothing like the level you’ll find in a BMW M135i or, even more so, an A 35 AMG.

This will be a disappointment to some and of no consequence to others, but it’s so unintrusive that at times you’re hardly aware this is a hyper-fast small car capable of reaching 100km/h in 4.8sec.

That’s the sort of number we would have expected from a Porsche 911 not too long ago.

The result of this almost-understated nature is that the Audi S3 – not unlike the original model back in 1999 – can masquerade at times as a perfectly tame luxury hatchback.

The S3’s driveline and suspension are the same, in principle, as its predecessor, though the adaptive dampers now enable a wider range of settings.

Drive modes include Efficiency, Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual, altering not just the suspension but also the dual-clutch gearbox change points, accelerator response and the (muted) sound from the engine’s augmented induction/exhaust system.

With all this, there’s never any doubt that the Audi S3 is quick. With 400Nm of torque starting to kick in from 2000rpm and hanging in until 5450rpm, there’s relentless thrust that doesn’t seem to abate even when approaching the 6500rpm red line, where the maximum 228kW is developed.

The quattro all-wheel drive system uses a multi-plate clutch to distribute power between the front and rear wheels and ensures traction is no issue, and the seven-speed DCT shifts with enthusiasm.

Only when the S3 is being driven with focused intent does the driver think about flicking the steering wheel paddles for manual shifts.

As for fuel economy, the Audi S3’s official 7.4L/100km combined consumption claim was pretty closely matched in our review car, which fluctuated between 7.1L/100km and 8.9L/100km on test, mainly trending towards the lower figure.

And, unlike the BMW M135i and Mercedes-AMG A 35 which stipulate 98 RON fuel, the S3 is happy to accept 95 RON.

At 55 litres, the Audi’s fuel tank borders on small but is still larger than both its main rivals.

Despite its almost subdued nature, it’s always clear that the 2023 Audi S3 is a driver’s car. It’s no surprise that during its early years it stood tall in the nascent Euro hot hatch segment.

Today’s S3 is super-fast, able to use what it’s got with fantastic assuredness and is typically Audi with its outstanding AWD grip and pencil-sharp manners.

This is a sporting hatchback that can be driven to its limits without baulking, then, when exceeding them, responding with a touch of understeer in the process of helping bring everything back into line.

The quattro driveline, strong brakes and hard-charging powerplant combine to make the S3 fast, predictable and ultimately rewarding to drive over a variety of road surfaces.

As a point-to-point car – especially in tight conditions – it has the athleticism, poise and muscle to keep pace with the best.

At the same time it’s a performance hatch that – although some compromises are needed finding enough legroom for those sitting in the back – doesn’t neglect passenger comfort with its luxurious trimmings, supportive seat cushioning and, for a small car, decent shoulder-room.

The now lower-set front seats help headroom, too.

The practicalities are well addressed with room for 325 litres of luggage in the boot – though there’s a repair kit rather than any kind of spare wheel – and a total of 1145 litres available when the rear seatbacks are folded.

The 2023 Audi S3 Sportback exists as a premium five-door hatchback with performance potential that puts it on an even footing with its pricier German counterparts.

As a fast, safe, point-to-point car it’s close to peerless in its class, yet is a surprisingly tractable, docile runabout in everyday use.

And, with five doors, it’s a decent carrier of passengers and luggage.

Audi was happy with the previous-generation S3 Sportback and fans are likely to be even happier with this latest iteration. All that’s missing is a little bit of extra snarl from the exhaust.

2023 Audi S3 Sportback at a glance:
Price: $70,800 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 228kW/400Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 170g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested