Though it’s Audi’s smallest and most affordable sedan, the A3 has long offered a sporty, luxurious entry point to the automaker’s catalog. The S3 takes that formula a few steps further with a rowdier engine and improved performance, making the car a legitimate thrill to drive in most situations.
2025 Audi S3 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2025 Audi S3
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2025 Audi S3
Audi gave the S3 a mid-cycle refresh for 2025. Updates include new exterior styling with reshaped bumpers, headlights, and rear accents. The car gets new wheel designs for 2025, and Audi gave the car a new LED daytime running light (DRL) system with four distinct lighting patterns. The interior also got an update, with new LED ambient lighting, new tech, and more.
Design
The S3 has always had sporty looks, but the 2025 refresh gave it sharper styling with a large grille and aggressive air intakes in the front lower bumper. Sculpted sides and a motorsport-inspired rear diffuser finish the package.
Powertrain
The 2025 S3 got a power boost, with its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder now making 328 horsepower. Audi massaged the engine to produce the 295 pounds of peak torque in a wider rpm range, and the S3’s top speed is limited to 155 mph. The car also gained a handful of improvements borrowed from the range-topping RS3, including a new standard rear torque splitter, a Dynamic Plus driving mode, and improved steering and braking response.
Interior
The S3’s cabin got a glow-up for 2025, with updated lighting features, new design elements, and more upscale materials. The front seats are nicely supportive and spacious enough, but the car’s subcompact size makes the back seat tighter than expected, especially with three adults. That said, the cabin is nicer than expected, and it offers a more luxurious experience than it has to for the money.
Technology
Audi equips the 2025 S3 with a 10.3-inch touchscreen as standard, but higher trims get a 12.3-inch display with the available Technology Package, which also includes a Bang and Olufsen stereo and some driver-assistance features. Standard tech features include Amazon Alexa, Spotify, HD radio, SiriusXM radio, and more. Audi’s infotainment interface has become easier to use and more intuitive in recent times, and its display screens offer a high resolution that makes them easy to see and a pleasure to operate.
Safety
The new S3 hasn’t been crash-tested by independent safety organizations yet, but it gets a long list of standard safety features. They include automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and more. Available tech includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, parking assistance, rear automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and more.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, the 2025 Audi S3 starts at $48,700. That’s a lot of money for such a small car, and buyers can add thousands to the bottom line with the range of options and packages Audi offers.