2024 Audi RS3 Sportback 2.5L TFSI quattro S tronic 7AT AWD (400 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Audi refreshed the RS3 lineup in the summer of 2024, and even though it didn’t add any ponies to the inline-five turbocharged engine under the hood, it still came with goodies for motorsports fans.

While Volkswagen was credited for creating the hot-hatch segment, Audi deserved the merits for elevating that term to the super-hot-hatch status when it launched the first generation of the RS3 in 2011 and dropped the 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) acceleration time under five seconds. Then, the horsepower war between the four-ring brand and other German automakers continued and forced the Ingolstadt-based automaker to become more creative and its engineering team to squeeze more ponies from the inline-five powerplant under the hood. As a result, in 2021, Audi launched the third generation of the RS3 with enough performance to stand next to some supercars, even though it could carry five people plus some luggage on board.

The 2024 Audi RS3 Sportback had a redesigned front fascia that featured a broad hexagonal-shaped black grille. Audi said that the design was inspired by the Audi Sport quattro S1, which won first place in the 1987 Pikes’ Peak hill climb race. There were barely any body-colored elements on it, mainly on the bumper. Another upgrade for the car’s look was the new headlights featuring matrix LEDs with three signature lights that the driver could select.

Like its predecessor, the 2024 Audi RS 3 Sportback was available exclusively as a five-door affair. Its enhanced exterior didn’t differ too much from the 2021 model year. However, the car received new 19-inch alloy wheels with an option for a 20-inch set. Audi offered the vehicle with sports-oriented tires and even semi-slick ones for those looking to use the RS 3 on a race track. Out back, the redesigned rear fascia meant that the car received vertical side deflectors that echoed the one from the front. However, there were fewer black trims, such as the functional diffuser placed on the lower side of the bumper that integrated the big oval dual exhausts.

Like the first generation of this nameplate, the 2024 Audi RS 3 Sportback was focused on performance. As a result, the interior was covered with acres of Alcantara that didn’t create reflections on the windshield. Furthermore, the automaker added an option for carbon fiber sports seats with integrated headrests that could hold their occupants in place during high-speed cornering. Fronting the driver was the 12.3-inch screen of the Audi Virtual Cockpit running its latest software update. Its configurable display allowed users to see what was important to them, and that included a shift light while the car was in manual driving mode. Besides the buttons that controlled the infotainment system, the hexagonal-shaped steering wheel featured two additional red knobs that engaged the Preformance or the RS individual mode, respectively.

Under the hood, there was no surprise. The automaker installed the same 2.5-liter inline-five turbocharged powerhouse as on the non-facelifted version. However, the automaker upgraded driving modes and allowed customers to drift their vehicles better, thanks to an advanced electronic system that also took steering angle into account, not just the acceleration pedal and the lateral g-forces.