Audi S3 Sportback 2009 Review

Audi S3 Sportback - Road Test

RRP: $68,310
Price as tested: $73,661 (includes metallic paint $1351, Audi Magnetic Ride $2400, Aluminium roof rails $650 and Audi Park Assist $950)
Crash rating: four-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: 98 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 8.5
CO2 emissions (g/km): 199
Also consider: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Volkswagen Golf R32

Overall rating: 2.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 2.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

About our ratings

The S3 name has been part of the Audi high-performance pantheon in this country since 1999. Now, depending on your point of view, the German prestige manufacturer has either diluted that model name potency, or expanded the car's versatility, by mating the trademark 'hottest hatch' turbo all-wheel-drive mechanicals with the five-door Sportback body.

Power for the S3 Sportback is produced by the 2.0-litre direct-injected and turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the same family as the Volkswagen Golf GTi. It drives through a short-throw six-speed manual transmission to the final drive, which operates in on-demand all-wheel drive automatically, as soon as the system detects slip. There's an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch system ahead of the rear diff to transfer torque the instant that the front wheels begin to slip.

Along with those changes from the standard A3 Sportback, the S3 variant features lightweight (aluminium) suspension components, upgraded spring and damper settings, lower ride height and an uprated braking system.

Despite its 'Datsun 260Z' syndrome of what looks like a longer, raised roofline relative to the three-door version (it's actually just 3mm higher than the three-door variant), the S3 Sportback attracted favourable comments from numerous on-lookers, who paid the car closer scrutiny and even engaged in conversation with the driver on a couple of occasions.

As far as the car's versatility is concerned, the S3 Sportback provides relatively easy access to the rear seats, rather than forcing the clan to clamber through from the front. The versatility essentially ends there though, since the wheelbase for the five-door model is the same as for the three-door variant.

All the same, the rear seat is commodious enough in the S3 Sportback. Adults of average height will find rear-seat headroom is at a premium, but kneeroom is quite good, provided the front-seat occupants aren't significantly taller than average and need their seats back as far as they'll go. In that situation, there's still passable leg- and kneeroom for adults, but the rear seats are better reserved for younger teens and children.

The boot is useful, considering there are drivetrain components beneath the floor. It extends some distance forward and would accept two large suitcases laid flat or at least a week's worth of groceries for a family of four. [Ed: the burgers at Ingolstadt might suggest the space is actually aimed at younger buyers who are looking for room for lifestyle items rather than rug rats.]

Audi has been able to offer the S3 Sportback with a boot of practical dimensions by equipping the car with a space-saver spare. There's a general distrust of such tyres, but in a vehicle like this -- one that won't be driven up the Birdsville Track, for example -- it's unlikely to pose a problem.

Back in the rear seat, the Audi comes with ISOFIX and standard ADR-approved child safety seat anchorage points. There are map lights in the headlining for use by the rear-seat occupants.

The rear seat folds down in a 60/40 split-fold ratio for through-loading from the luggage compartment and the cargo blind above the luggage space features a spring-loaded shade blind to reduce glare through the tailgate glass.

For its price, the Audi is beautifully crafted inside, but somewhat spartan. There are no HVAC vents for the rear-seat passengers and just one cupholder for the entire complement of passengers -- tucked away under the conventional Audi front centre armrest. That armrest can be pivoted up and out of the way for those who find gear-changing a chore with it right where you want your left elbow to be.

As well as offering build quality of a high standard, the S3 Sportback's interior is stylish and integrates an off-white woven fabric for the roof pillars and headlining, piano black gloss decor trim, charcoal leather and aluminium highlights for HVAC vent bezels/switchgear, door handles and the gear knob.

It's all very attractive and calming, other than the overtly sports-oriented 'S3' legend on one of the steering wheel spokes and the gear knob.

The driving position is certainly much better than was the case with the A4 Turbo quattro driven recently. There were no problems with pedal placement and this driver readily found a comfortable position that balanced reach to the steering wheel, gearshift and pedals, with a clear view of the easily readable instruments... That said, the set-up still had to be based around the clutch take-up ahead of almost any other consideration.

The steering wheel is a very good size and feels wieldy to use. Also, it provides an excellent view of the instruments, which are clear and straightforward both during the day and at night, in their white lighting.

Since the S3 Sportback on test came with optional Park Assist ($950), it was there crying out to be tried. After clarifying the parameters for the test with the owners manual, we parked two cars in a deserted street with a gap in between and set the Audi loose.

The system did work as it was more or less supposed to do, but while it will help you inch the car into a gap, it won't necessarily help you with the gap you specifically want -- which of course won't bother most people.

With the enable button depressed and the system operating, we approached the hind-most of the two 'bracket' cars, only to discover that the system had decided we were going to park behind that car, not between it and the car in front. What's more, once the system had decided where the S3 was going to be parked, it wasn't going to be seduced by another spot one car up. As a consequence, the driver had to cancel the system, back the car up and try again, only enabling the system as the Audi actually passed the rear car so that Park Assist would pick the gap desired first.

At least while performing this experiment Park Assist seemed just a little temperamental. You have to press the button at exactly the right moment to get the park you want. Note this is not a test to which we've subjected the systems introduced recently by Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, so we can't say whether the Audi system is necessarily better or worse.

What we can reiterate, is that a system like this is of questionable value -- especially given it's not hard to find a parallel park to accommodate the S3 Sportback anyway. An A8 LWB might be a different pot of poisons but most parking spots are angle parks or shopping centre car park blocks without the opportunity to use such a system anyway.

Perhaps more importantly for prospective buyers of the S3 Sportback, the engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with direct injection. It offers fuss-free torque from very low engine revs for outstanding economy, but for performance motoring -- which is what the S3 is all about -- the driver must put in some effort.

This is not an engine that will provide easy and relentless 'go' from zero revs; it needs at least 3000rpm on the dial before you can feel any sort of serious surge from the powerplant. Furthermore, turbo boost takes a while coming on tap and the best results for launching the car come with a degree of brutality that goes against the grain.

Look at the power and torque figures of this car and compare them with either a $40,000 WRX or slightly more expensive Ralliart Lancer and you're left wondering whether the Audi's purchase price can be ultimately justified... In a car like this, engine output is almost everything.

The engine is refined though, and has a pleasant bass burble through the exhaust. Plus, it's certainly willing to rev, pulling hard beyond the redline.

At the other end of the scale, the S3 Sportback can be driven for exceptional economy, if that's your bag. An average fuel consumption of 9.8L/100km included some heavy-duty thrashing, but as an indication, the car will, through an indicator on the dash, encourage the driver to change up early. Instantaneous fuel consumption registered by the trip computer for engine speeds below 2000rpm in sixth gear was as low as 5.4L/100km.

Gear selection for the six-speed manual box was relatively light and distinctly precise, in the bespoke sporty-shifting way, but the turbo lag confounded double-declutching for overtaking and the high clutch take-up took some acclimatisation.

This was a problem also encountered with the A4 Turbo quattro recently tested and as noted above, the one weak link in the S3 Sportback's driving position. In contrast we have nothing but praise for the seats that combine proper sportscar contouring with levels of supportive comfort that leave the driver feeling fresh after even a relatively long drive.

On the subject of ride and handling, the S3 Sportback was fitted with optional magnetic ride control ($2400), which provided a sports mode suspension that could revert to a more comfortable setting by default. The firmer ride was more prevalent at a secondary level, with the S3 riding the smaller imperfections in the road surface, rather than absorbing them. With the sports mode disabled, the S3 rides as comfortably as any Euro shopping trolley and the bumps are largely soaked up.

In Sports mode, the S3 Sportback corners with little body roll and the rear suspension feels just a little more secure than in the default setting. Roadholding is exceptional and is complemented by the neutral and consistent handling. Even the change to the cornering line as power is applied or reduced is subtle and progressive.

Editor-in-Chief Sinclair drove the S3 Sportback at its Tasmanian local launch in late 2008 and praised the car for its crisp turn-in (especially with the MRC in sport mode) and very, very high levels of grip. Indeed, the S3 was launched alongside the monster 426kW RS6 super-Avant in Tassie and on all but the very fastest open roads kept the big bahnstormer more than honest.

There's nothing pretend about the S3 Sportback's racer road performance potential once it's grabbed by the scruff of the neck and pushed into action.

The wee Audi's steering is electrically-assisted and is one of the better examples from the manufacturer's range. It's probably a little lighter than that of similar cars, but it's also more consistently weighted and varies across a much narrower range, without some of the peaks and troughs in assistance found in some Audi models -- sometimes in the same corner! Overall, the S3's steering still lacks some feel, compared with conventional hydraulically-assisted systems, but it does suggest that Audi is on the right track in the development of electrically-assisted steering units.

The brakes (particularly the disc rotors on the front wheels) are huge and work together with the wheels and tyres to haul the car down from higher speeds with no issues whatsoever. Even on the long downhill stretches of the Tassie launch drive, the S3's pedal was rock solid.

In more normal around town usage, a panic stop in the dry did not even invoke the ABS -- such was the level of mechanical grip. The downside of all that sticky rubber on the road is the tyres are quite noisy and provide a constant grumble on most Australian country roads.

They are, in fact, the most obvious source of NVH in the S3 Sportback, although there were at least two or three different persistent plastic rattles from around the interior, one being quite close to the driver's right ear and possibly emanating from the seatbelt height adjustment slide.

These niggles are minor, but they're somewhat symptomatic of the issues that could leave a prospective buyer ambivalent about the S3 Sportback -- especially given its pricetag.

While the car is undeniably full of purpose, in the sense of being an old-fashioned all-wheel drive turbo terror, its two logical Japanese competitors are easier to drive, faster and cheaper. And unlike earlier attempts to out-Quattro Audi, the Mitsubishi and the Subaru are pretty refined and sophisticated cars these days.