The 2017 Audi S3 may not draw a lot of attention to itself, but don’t just overlook this car because it is one of the best compact sedans out there. Perhaps it doesn’t look fantastic, but the magic is beyond its appearance. Why is this vehicle so cool?
2017 Audi S3 Review
The Audi S3 is actually the smallest model in the US from this company, and you might think that it is a sports version of the A3. As we all know, Audi models generally look similar – the S3, A3, S4, A4, S6, A6, S8 and A8 – there are slight differences in design even experts cannot tell from time to time, but they differ in size.
At the front of the new Audi S3, there is the expected hexagon grille, sleek LED headlights and a pair of creases starting from the top inner corner of the headlight lenses and finishing at the lower corners of the windshield. Looking at this car from the sides, we can conclude that there isn’t a lot of front and rear overhang, while there is a sharp line that starts near the headlights, travels just above door handles and finishes before the tailgate. There is one more line, lower and shorter.
The rear segment of the 2017 Audi S3 features an attractive design with well-integrated trunk lid spoiler and a pseudo-diffuser that frames the quad exhaust tips. The LED taillights are really cool, and they make the back end of this vehicle special.
Audi S3 2017 Interior
First of all, those seats are a synonym for comfort. They are offered in black leather, and the sporty front buckets really draw attention, and there is a lot of positive comments about them. The seats are also supportive, and even if you are going on longer rides, you will be comfortable all the time. Speaking of the rear bench, it is fine, but not for taller people. According to Audi, there are 35.1 inches of legroom and 36.1 inches of headroom.
The dash is clean and simple without unnecessary buttons and dials, which is really cool. Despite that, technology is sufficient, and when you start the car, the infotainment display pops up. The 2017 Audi S3 is equipped with the beautiful Virtual Cockpit TFT screen which gives you a representation of the speedometer and tach. Moreover, you can use it for Google Maps navigation route with satellite imagery and minimize the gauges temporarily.
In addition, the MMI infotainment system by Audi is one of the best in business. You can search through menus and submenus easily, plus there is Android Auto connectivity. After only a few minutes of usage, you will conclude that this infotainment system is better than the one in more expensive vehicles. The most entertaining feature of the MMI Touch is the handwriting recognition of the control dial. When you go to the phone screen and start tracing letters of a contact’s first name, the system will search the contacts immediately as it narrows the field once you continue to add more characters.
Engine and Driving
Under the hood of 2017 Audi S3 is the 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 that produces 292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The car can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds while the top speed of the vehicle is limited to 155 mph. How does that play out on the road?
What is great about this German car is all-wheel drive configuration. The compact cars with FWD such as Hyundai Elantra Sport can plow through turns, whereas RWD setup does completely the opposite. The Quattro AWD system turns the S3 into a vehicle with (really) sweet handling. You can attack the bends easily, and you can do it at high speeds, but it is not recommended. The point is that the handling and the grip of this car are so good, that it eats up the curves.
Furthermore, the steering is precise and responsive while you can choose sport mode for additional aggressiveness. It takes some time to get used to the transmission, but once you do, everything becomes smooth. On the other hand, the cabin is noisy, mostly due to the Continental ExtremeContact low-profile 235/35 19-inch sporty tires.
Audi S3 Price
The starting price of the 2017 Audi S3 is $42,900 for the Premium Pluss model, whereas the Prestige costs $48,400. There are several optional packages such as $1,500 Dynamic Package, $2,000 Black Optic Dynamic Package and S Sport Seat Pack which costs $1,450. Moreover, you can add 18-inch All-Season Tires for free or Red Brake Calipers and Rear Side Airbags for $400 and $350 respectively. The Audi S3 competes against the BMW 330i xDrive Sedan, Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC Sedan and Jaguar XE R-Sport 35t AWD.
