Used Audi S3 for Sale near North Carolina

How much does the Audi S3 cost in today's market?

Used Audi S3 prices span a wide range depending on model year. Here's what the market looks like right now:

The Audi S3's current nationwide average price is $34,248, and its nationwide average price reached a low of $28,452 over the past year. Recently, prices have come down for the 2016 and 2023 models, making now a good time to shop recent model years.

Is the Audi S3 a good car?

Yes — the Audi S3 earns strong owner approval across the full model range, and the expert reviews point to a sporty, polished small sedan with broad appeal. The all-generations owner rating is 4.9/5 across every model year in the data. Expert reviews rate the 2022 model among the highest across all years.

The main trade-offs center on a slight delay in power delivery, limited cargo space, and pricing that climbs in higher trims.

36.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.

Are Audi S3 models reliable?

Owners consistently rate the Audi S3 highly, and the expert review data reinforces that it delivers a satisfying mix of performance, ride quality, and easy-to-use technology. The overall picture points to a car that feels well-liked by drivers and polished in daily use.

• Owners rate the Audi S3 between 4 and 5 out of 5 stars across all model years in the data.

For used buyers, long-term ownership risk looks manageable if you verify history carefully and focus on well-kept examples.

What should I look for when buying a used Audi S3?

Across all model years, accident-free inventory is solid at 80.4% — always verify the vehicle history report.

Older model years carry meaningfully higher accident rates, so always verify the vehicle history report on pre-2020 models.

Key things to evaluate:

• Safety package: frontal collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, and rear parking sensors on the base S3, with blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control on the Premium Plus trim.
• Infotainment: a smaller touchscreen with physical switches, a digital instrument cluster, and standard Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity.
• Fuel efficiency: 23 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg in combined driving.

Which Audi S3 trim should I buy?

The 2022 Audi S3 offers these trims:

• Premium: The base trim brings summer tires, LED headlights, a digital instrument cluster, leather upholstery, a sunroof, and heated front seats.
• Premium Plus: This is the best-value trim, adding adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and a wireless charging pad.
• Prestige: This top trim adds a head-up display and upgraded Matrix LED headlights.

What Audi S3 do most buyers choose?

The Audi S3 years with the most listings are 2024, 2023, and 2016.

Higher-volume years usually give you more choices, which can make it easier to compare prices, mileage, and condition. They also tend to be the years shoppers return to most often when they want a broad selection of used examples.

What is the Audi S3's resale value?

The table shows downward movement for both model years, which can work in your favor if you're shopping used. One year has fallen more sharply, while the other has moved only slightly, so the pricing picture is mixed in magnitude but consistently softer overall.

The 2016 and 2023 model years have held their value best, with the smallest year-over-year price changes.

Is the Audi S3 safe?

• 2022: 7/10

The base S3 comes standard with frontal collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, and rear parking sensors, while the Premium Plus trim adds blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.

For the safest used buy, the 2022 model posts the highest confirmed score of 7/10.

Should I buy a used Audi S3 now or wait for the next model?

Buy now if:

• Price trend: The 2023 model is at −8.23% versus a year ago, and the 2016 model is at −1.2%.
• Deal availability: The 2023 model has 36% good and great deals, and the 2016 model has 41.5%.
• Sweet-spot year: The 2024 model has the most listings. The Audi S3 offers a sharp, upscale driving character with a strong blend of performance and everyday comfort.

Consider waiting if:

• Powertrain/efficiency: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 306 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque, and 23 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg in combined driving.
• Tech: smaller touchscreen, physical switches, standard Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, and a digital instrument cluster.
• Safety: blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.
• Starting price: $46,895.

If you're buying used today, the 2024 model year offers the best mix of value and availability. If you want the latest tech and features, it may be worth waiting for the next model year's inventory to build up.

How does the 2022 Audi S3 compare to the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R?

Expert Pros & Cons (per CarGurus review team)

2022 Audi S3:

• Pros: Fun to drive, Great ride quality, Easy-to-use technology.
• Cons: Slight delay in power delivery, Not much cargo space, Pricey in higher trims.

2022 Volkswagen Golf R:

• Pros: Fun to drive, Standard all-wheel drive.
• Cons: Uninspired styling, Unintuitive technology.

Our experts score the 2022 Audi S3 7.7/10 and the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R 8.2/10. The Audi S3 stands out for its ride quality and user-friendly tech, while the Golf R counters with standard all-wheel drive and a slightly stronger expert score. The S3 also brings better fuel economy and more listings, while the Golf R offers a bit more horsepower and a higher accident-free share.

Read our full side-by-side expert comparison here.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from October 21, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.