3,2,1, Go!
On paper, these cars may not seem like obvious rivals- but both have 296bhp, and distant
rally heritage to call upon for their performance kudos.
With 407Nm, the Subaru has a fraction more torque than the 380Nm Audi, but it's where
that torque arrives that really makes the difference. In the Subaru you've got to wait
until 4,000rpm to get peak torque, whereas in the punchy Audi it arrives at just 1,800rpm.
These cars have got very different characters.
At £33,245 with a six-speed manual gearbox, the Audi S3 is more expensive than the Subaru,
but the £28,995 WRX clearly doesn't have the premium badge and upmarket cabin of its
Audi rival.
So let's find out how this pair compare on the road.
There was a time when we thought the new WRX wasn't going to come to the UK but fast Subaru
fans can relax, because it's finally here. Now in an age when cars are accused of all
looking and feeling the same, there's no doubting that a WRX doesn't feel or look like anything
else on the road.
Performance car fans will forgive the Subaru's cabin because this car is all about the driving
experience and if you've driven a WRX before then this new car will feel very familiar.
First of all the boxer engine sounds the same, you've got that unique sound from about 4,000rpm
as you start to work it hard.
You've got a gearbox that's got quite a short shift on each change, with a slightly notch,
quite mechanical feel, and the steering is typically Subaru, because you've got a very
fast steering but at the same time quite light - which can be a bit disconcerting. It's also
got quite aggressive self-centring, which can at first make the car feel quite pointy
and unnerving, but once you get used to it you realise that that's a contributing factor
to what makes this car feel so agile.
The other factor is those diffs, the diff is quite aggressive and as with the old car
you can adjust the diff using the controls down here and even in its less aggressive
settings you can really feel it working and traction is really never an issue on the road.
So, find the right bit of road and you can really start to enjoy the Subaru. There's
a usual Subaru firm, strong brake pedal and there's just so much grip. The body control
is really taut.
When it comes to the ride - it is a firm ride and you can feel the wheels reacting to imperfections
but from memory I think it's a bit better than the old car and it's not so uncomfortable
that you'd find it unbearable. Even on a typical British back road like this the car is pretty
stable over bumps. It doesn't get knocked off line or unsettled by mid-corner bumps.
If you keep working the engine above 4,000 you're never short of performance, never short
of acceleration and body control is really good. Once you get up to speed the steering
starts to feel a bit more natural than it does at lower speeds.
This is a car that you really will enjoy on the average British road.
Ok, we're not surprised with how the Subaru handles and performs, but how is it going
to compare to the Audi S3 Saloon?
Ok, so now we're in the Audi, and it's a really interesting comparison, this test, because
these two cars in some ways couldn't be more different, and yet they've got exactly the
same power and very similar performance on paper.
Now obviously the first thing you notice is when you get into the Audi is the interior
is in a different league to the Subaru. The new A3 is one of the newest Audis on the market
and has one of the nicest cabins that Audi makes. That's a real contrast to the dated
cabin of the Subaru.
The driving experience is completely different, too. Obviously where the Subaru is really
vigorous all the time, the engine needs to be worked hard and the steering reacts to
bumps in the road with its aggressive self-centring, it's sort of raw. The Audi is very relaxed,
it drives like any other well-sorted fast Audi.
But the performance is there: it's got the same power as the Subaru's engine, a 2.0-litre
turbo. Torque is down on the Subaru (27Nm less). It doesn't really get going until 4,000rpm
in the Subaru, but in the Audi you've got really instant power all the time so you don't
feel like you've got to work the engine so hard.
Out of tight corners like this one, it's just on the throttle and instantly the power is
just right there. With the drive select system in the dynamic mode you get quite a sort of
aggressive induction noise and it feels not as vigorous as the Subaru but just as fast
on the road if I'm honest.
And the handling's pretty accomplished as well.Nothing feels as sharp as the Subaru,
the steering's not as sharp and the way that the diffs work is not as aggressive but there's
plenty of traction, decent body control, the car turns in nicely. It's not a thrilling
car on a road like this but ti's just very, very accomplished.
Very easy to drive quickly and I suppose that's really the point of a fast Audi. In terms
of the ride quality, drive select allows you to adjust the dampers. In the sportiest setting
it is fairly firm, a fraction less firm than the Subaru. Go to the comfort settings and
actually it does feel relatively comfortable. You do get a sense that the primary ride is
quite comfortable but that the large wheels thump into imperfections. So this is definitely
a performance car to use every single day and not feel like you need to make major compromises,
which probably gives this a bit of an advantage over the Subaru, which unquestionably does
have a lot of compromises.
But the next really big question is - which of the two is the fastest? Well, to answer
that question, we're going to head off the road and on to the track and have an Auto
Express drag battle.
3,2,1, Go!
Off the line, both cars have superb traction, but the Audi is nearly 100Kg lighter than
the Subaru, and that shows by the time we reach 60mph. The S3 punches to 60 in 5.4 seconds,
whereas the Subaru is 2 tenths behind at 5.6 seconds.
The Audi hits 100mph in 13.3 seconds, stretching its advantage over the Subaru, which comes
across the line in 13.7 seconds.
So which car comes out on top in our unique test? Well, Subaru fans will love the unique
sound of the WRX's boxer engine and the car's unique character. But the Audi has a much
nicer cabin, it was faster in the drag race and it's a nicer car to live with day-to-day.
yes, it's more expensive, but if you want a fast, comfortable and stylish performance
saloon, the Audi S3 is the one for us.