2024 Audi S3 Saloon | UK Review

The Audi S3 has always been a little too sensible for its own good. Sure, it’s a master of accessible performance, mixing rapid straight-line performance with the sort of usability you always get from a Golf-based hatchback/saloon – but outright driver engagement has never been its strong suit. That said, Audi has tried its damnedest to give the S3 something like a personality in recent years, dialling the power up by over 100hp since the original and bolting on racier hardware in a bid to bring the chassis alive. For this 2024 model refresh, it’s upped its game once again.

Not that you’d know just from looking at it. Put the last S3 and this new facelift together and you’d be hard-pressed to spot the differences. Squint hard and you might notice an even more aggressive front end with larger cooling ducts and a grille that’s now fully contained by a new shroud. The rear diffuser has been lightly reworked, too, and while the headlight shape has been carried over there are new LED light signatures to greet you as you approach the car. Most match those on the A3, though the S3 gets its own furrowed brow design as a sign of its sportier side. Who said the Germans don’t have a sense of humour? 

Happily, there’s a lot more going on under the skin. A full rundown of all the tweaks and changes can be found in Mike’s first drive, but the key updates are an increase from 310hp to 333hp from the Golf R-sourced 2.0-litre turbocharged four, while torque has crept up by 13lb ft to 308lb ft. The big change, however, is the carryover of some RS3 bits, including the pivot bearing front axle that increases negative camber by 1.5 degrees, a new Dynamic Plus driver mode that disables the stability control and, above all, a rear torque splitter differential that allows for a degree of rear slip. 

Of course, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that you’ve got to really hustle the S3 to get the back end to unstick itself. Audi’s reputation is built on safe, reliable performance, so obviously it doesn’t want its customers spinning backwards into the hedgerows after booting it out of a roundabout. That said, get the S3 right up to the limit and some of the (carefully curated) playfulness begins to shine through. With Dynamic Plus engaged, a decent stab of the throttle mid-corner is sufficient to get the tail to step out. It’s very far from what you’d call lairy – although by historical standards it’s positively unhinged. 

While the stability control can be deactivated there’s still a clever torque vectoring system whirring away in the background, meaning that Dynamic Plus can send as much drive to the outside wheel as possible, yet it’s clear the moment the rear starts to break away that torque is then being redeployed to bring your mini slide to a swift conclusion. So while a corrective dab of oppo might seem justified, the reality is that the car will sort itself out without much intervention. On the upside, when you’re not actively trying to kick the back out, the small amount of slip offered by the new diff helps rotate the car mid-corner, which helps to alleviate the sort of understeer Audi typically bakes in as a safety net.

Elsewhere the S3 seems more focused than in previous generations. The 357mm front brakes with two-piston callipers provide serious stopping power and a nice, progressive pedal feel, while all models come with a sportier suspension setup and a 15mm lowering of ride height. However, you’ll need to opt for the range-topping Vorsprung model to get adaptive dampers, and on UK roads it feels like a must. The passive dampers on our test car were smooth enough on most main roads and can be relied upon to subdue body roll when pressing on through tighter corners, but venture off the beaten track and that firmer setup can seem a bit unrelenting. 

On a lighter note, the adaptive steering – which I’ve never found particularly intuitive – is surprisingly well-judged in the new S3. The front end responds promptly and predictably to your inputs (the latter hasn’t always been the case), while sticking it in one of the Dynamic modes adds a satisfying amount of weight off-centre. Tweaks to the seven-speed dual-clutch software have given the gearbox a bit more confidence, it rarely being caught out when a new gear is called for – which helps make the S3 feel even more rapid than its predecessor. And while you’re on it, Audi pumps in a faux five-pot warble to trick you into thinking that it’s finally given the S3 an extra cylinder. It hasn’t, obviously, and while you can’t turn it off completely, it can be dialled back in Individual setting.

Not much has changed on the inside, with the only noticeable differences being Alcantara trim on the dashboard, new mood lighting options and a redesign of the drive selector in the centre console. The MMI system is familiar, although the clean and intuitive interface stands up better than a lot of newer, more complex systems. That said, you’ll be digging back into the system to turn off the driver aids every time you start the car up. That’s just the way things are these days, but you can make life a little easier for yourself by leaving the optional technology pro pack unticked given it combines the most intrusive systems (adaptive cruise assist, lane change assist, etc) into one £3,050 bundle.

Unless you fork out the £5,500-or-so extra for the Vorsprung, which includes the very tempting adaptive dampers and the far less tempting additional, nannying driver assists. Thankfully, the £47,490 asking price for the entry-level Black Edition saloon (or £46,925 for the Sportback hatch) is loaded with kit, save for a handful of luxuries such as the trick Matrix LED headlights and a panoramic roof to name a few. Yes, the new Mk8.5 Golf R is a touch cheaper and includes adaptive dampers as standard, but if the Mk8 is anything to go by it won’t hold a candle to the Audi’s interior and tech quality. The S3 may be expensive (what isn’t these days?), but it’s now packing the hardware – and attitude – to justify a higher place on your fast saloon/hatchback shortlist. 

Engine: 1,984cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 333@5,600rpm-6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 308@2,100rpm-5,500rpm
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (limited)
Weight: 1,535kg
MPG: 34.4
CO2: 186g/km
Price: from £47,490 (price as standard; price as tested £51,435 comprising of Ascari Blue metallic paint at £895, Technology Pro Pack at £3,050).