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There are hot hatchbacks, and then there’s the Audi RS3. Most hot hatch buyers won’t get out of bed for less than 300 horsepower these days but the RS3’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine gets you 400 horses - matched only in this class by the Mercedes-AMG A45 S.
We say hot hatchback, but the RS3 is also available as a saloon. Both are just as practical and broadly as easy to live with as the regular A3, which is a large part of their appeal. This kind of performance doesn’t come cheap of course, but buying used can at least take the sting out of the money Audi charges for a new one.
Buying an Audi RS3 is very much a heart over head decision. You’ll do it because you like the image, the idea of all that performance, and the sound of that five-cylinder engine - and largely hang the expense of buying, insuring, and taxing one.
Audi does at least make the expense worth your while. Few hatchbacks (and small saloons) feel quite as upmarket and expensive, and a supercar-style 0-62mph time and half-a-supercar soundtrack (the RS3’s five-cylinder sounds not unlike the V10 in an Audi R8) are attributes that not many other cars can offer. You lost nothing in terms of practicality to the common-or-garden Audi A3 either. The RS3 is also packed with equipment and tech - think touchscreens, standard Nappa leather sports seats, LED headlights and more, while Carbon Black and Vorsprung models are really dressed to the nines.
The engine dominates the driving experience, but as you’d expect from a car packing standard all-wheel drive and grippy tyres, the RS3 is fast and secure even in poor weather, and over time th experience has become much more involving too - if not quite as entertaining, sheer speed aside, as some much less expensive hot hatchbacks out there.
That means cars like the Honda Civic Type-R and Hyundai i30N, which might only drive their front wheels but are a real riot on road or track. For a more upmarket alternative, the Mercedes-AMG A45 S matches the RS3 for power and is possibly even better in the corners, though its four-cylinder soundtrack can’t quite compete with the Audi’s aural delights. Don’t forget the VW Golf R either - it’s not as powerful but still incredibly quick and capable.
There’s just the one, at least in terms of engines - you can of course get the RS3 as a saloon as well as the five-door Sportback, and in four different trim levels. If you’ve got the budget then the black-themed models or the Vorsprung could be worth a look, but even for used money they’re expensive enough to make you consider one of Audi’s larger models, so the regular RS3 is probably the smartest buy.
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The Audi RS3’s exterior dimensions are:
The Audi RS3’s boot size is:
This is nice and simple, if not particularly pleasant reading for potential owners: All Audi RS3s get a flat rate of VED or ‘road tax’, and since they all cost more than £40,000 brand new, they also get a surcharge - lifting your annual bill to £600 per year, as of 2024/2025.
Surprisingly, the Audi RS3 starts in just insurance group 35, not dissimilar to a Volkswagen Golf R, so while insurance won’t be cheap (and will be very much dictated by where you live and how old you are, among other factors), it’s not quite in supercar territory either. Even the range-topping Vorsprung goes no higher than group 40, while saloons and Sportbacks fall into the same groups.
£59,995
£44,750
£49,598
£50,995
£49,995
£56,495
£47,000
£43,850
£47,495
£1,000 off£49,900
£41,195
£59,491
£3,492 off£55,499
£43,500
£55,980
£59,859
£49,500
What is the most popular colour for Audi RS3 ?
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What is the average mileage for Audi RS3 ?
14849
How many Audi RS3 cars are available for sale?
86
