[Music]
Audi pioneered the premium go fast small sedan segment back in 2014 when it
launched its first ever 4-door s3 combining peppy performance with a
premium interior resulted in a bonafide hit for the German brand and to our eye it
just looks a bit more grown up and mature than its hatchback sibling fast
forward to 2020 and the s3 sedan faces stiff competition from the newly
introduced Mercedes AMG a35 sedan but does the s3 sedan still hold up or are
we looking back with rose tinted glasses now before we begin if you're watching
this on youtube don't forget to hit like subscribe and that bell icon to stay
up-to-date on all our latest videos as the middle ground between the hardcore
rs3 and standard a3 range this s3 is powered by a punchy little 2-liter turbo
petrol engine fun fact it's actually the same engine you find in a Volkswagen
Golf R power is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
transmission which translates to a zero to 100 acceleration time of about 4.8
seconds which isn't too bad for a four-door luxury saloon that'll ferry
the kids to school and fit groceries in the boot speaking of as the name so
subtly suggests the s3 sedan is quite obviously a sedan but if that's not your
flavor you can also have the s3 in a 5-door hatchback form
we're actually huge fans of the way the s3 sedan looks and the subtle hints to
its sporting credentials such as the slightly blistered wheel arches the red
brake callipers and the quad exhaust tips but which do you prefer the s3
sedan or the s3 hatchback let us know in the comments section down below
there's not too much Headroom in the rear for six-foot-tall passengers like
me especially not in this middle seat but at least there's plenty of legroom
amenities don't expect too much there's a 12 volt socket and door cards that'll
swallow a water bottle but there's no fold-down armrest or cupholders to speak
of in the front you're treated to a nicely sized multimedia screen here but sadly
it's not touch you have to control with the buttons down here everything feels
nice and premium thanks to a sea of leather but our favorite feature has to
be Audi's all digital instrument panel Audi calls it virtual cockpit and it lets
you customize what you see right in front of you so for example if you
wanted satellite navigation front and center you click over here and you can
even expand the view out with the push of a button but enough playing around
with the gadgets and gizmos what's the s3 sedan actually like to
drive well the short answer is it's really good
with a punchy engine up front and all-wheel drive traction the s3 sedan
just grips and goes various settings can also be adjusted through Audi's Drive
select menu but they only change things like the transmission settings and
throttle response Audi has fitted its magnetic suspension in the 2020 s3 sedan
as standard but being an S model it is still a bit harder than the standard a3
range but the byproduct of that well it retains a pretty sporty character
throughout the bends steering is short sharp and direct while the 2 liter turbo
engine really delivers in low speeds around town admittedly it does run out a
half a bit at the top end but there's always the hardcore rs3 for those who
want to take another step up in performance the rs3 is a little more
ostentatious and over-the-top though well the s3 sedan remains a bit more
subtle and sophisticated our biggest gripe driving is a bit hard around town
not helped by the 19 inch wheels and low-profile tires and harder suspension
setup and after all this time the s3 sedan still delivers on all the thrills
and luxury you'd expect out of a sporty Audi model now we know there's a rumored
new generation version expected to break cover in the next couple of months but
we can safely say if the new one is anything like this current one Audi are
on to another winner for our full written review head to carsguide.com.au
[Music]