Many people don’t know this looking at Audi today, but the brand’s pedigree and lore stems from rally racing back in the 1980s. That’s not the say they weren’t making inroads prior to that, but the legendary Group B rally racing circuit was where Audi firmly planted its reputation as a brand to take seriously. It dominated the competition with its famous Quattro all-wheel-drive system, winning two manufacturers titles and remaining competitive until others started catching up.
Even those with a cursory knowledge to this heritage forget another major component making those same rally cars so iconic: their inline five-cylinder engine. Audi is the only manufacturer keeping the inline-five alive; after the demise of the TT RS, this 2025 Audi RS3 is the definitive torch-bearer of that legacy.
Big things, small packages
The RS3 is based off the plain-jane A3, with the also-redesigned S3 neatly taking up the middle spot. Where the A3 is Bruce Banner, the RS3 is the Hulk: it’s wider, lower, and it looks a lot angrier thanks to the blacked-out mesh grille and more aggressive front fascia, wide front fenders with brake cooling ducts, and a big, blacked-out rear diffuser with the signature oval exhaust tips. There’s also a small lip spoiler and more aggressive side skirts to top off the look. Nineteen-inch machined mesh wheels look premium and fill the wheel wells out nicely, although I’m mixed on whether I prefer them to the pre-refresh, Y-spoke design.
It’s a big look in a little package. It seems a bit awkward at first, but there’s certainly no overcompensating going on here, which I’ll get to in a little bit. The nose has a lot of black plastic, but I’ve been a fan of the look since this generation debuted in 2021. Plus, it looks less like a shrunken A4 than the previous model did.\
Rally roots go deep
The 2025 RS3 doesn’t look like a Group B rally car, and Audi no longer competes in rally racing. But when you get to driving this thing, there’s a strong old-school sense to the RS3 that comes to life behind all the wizardry of the modern era. That 2.5L five-cylinder is a gem, owning a soundtrack that is unlike any other. Some calling it almost V10-ish; that alone wakes you up. Hit the red checked flag button on the left side of the steering wheel and it’s followed by an obvious mechanical click, signalling that the exhaust valves have opened the gates to the full symphony of the engine.
The volume obviously turns up, and there’s a significant amount of drone for rear passengers — sorry, kid. But get moving and holy heck, does this thing ever blast along backroads with gusto. Its 400-horsepower rating doesn’t seem ludicrous in today’s world, but it’s the way in which power is delivered that really gets your blood flowing. The engine itself is inherently well balanced and smooth, and you do have some level of power before the turbo spools up, but when it does it lets you know.
This isn’t a shy turbo, either. Its lag is obvious and almost endearing, kind of like an old-school Honda with a pre-tuned torque dip right before VTEC kicked in, yo. You don’t feel the boost really take hold until about 3,000 rpm, where the turbo sucks in almost 20 PSI worth of air. It rushes you forward faster than this little cute sedan in a muscle suit implies. The S3 is a great product in its own right, but the RS 3 has the special sauce I wanted. Watching the well-designed digital gauge cluster flash a multitude of shift lights around the horizontal tach is a spectacle, and the power and torque gauges are needless but fun, something Audi generally doesn’t dip into often enough.
No clutch pedal? No problem
The fact that the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is down to clown almost always is the cherry on top. In automatic mode, the RS3 putters around town without issue. Moving into the more dynamic drive modes, the transmission’s programming becomes more and more aggressive, providing you with some nice downshifts upon entering a corner and holding revs high as you come out. But it shines most when in pure manual mode, with quick and crisp shifts in both directions. As much as I still think Audi needs to offer more pronounced paddle shifters, they’re satisfying to use. I almost always forget Audi luxury brand first and foremost, despite those rally racing roots.
The highlights don’t end with the engine and transmission. The Quattro system in the latest RS3 is much improved as well. It’s still a Haldex system, so there will be some keyboard warriors who’ll brush it off as not “real” Quattro, whatever that means, but it works exceptionally well in practice. Especially so with the trick rear diff that can send all of the available rear torque to a single wheel, improving turn-in or even allowing you to drift this front-wheel-drive-based vehicle if you have an unlimited tire budget.
Audi interiors are still Audi interiors
Despite the online clamour, Audi still makes some of the better interiors out there. The steering wheel is perfectly thin-rimmed and wrapped in alcantara with a red 12 o’clock marker. [And it’s a squircle! —Ed.] The seats are comfy and continue to have that signature RS contrasting diamond stitching pattern. Audi was a pioneer with its digital gauge cluster tech more than a decade ago, but they continue to stay top-of-pack here with multiple screen configurations and black levels most manufacturers would dream of. The infotainment works well enough, although I did find some options hard to find. As well, wireless Android Auto dropped the connection on me more than once, but not enough to give up on it.
The rear seats are still cramped in this latest generation, but a child seat does fit behind my somewhat vertically challenged wife’s passenger seat. Just expect some shoe marks on the backside.
The RS3 comes pretty loaded right off the bat, with all the tech features you’d expect including the aforementioned digital gauge cluster and infotainment system. The Sonos-branded sound system is pretty good, but perhaps a step behind the prior generation’s Bang and Olufsen offering. Surprisingly enough, active safety tech like lane assist, a top-view camera, and adaptive cruise control are optional. There’s also a $7,150 Dynamic Plus package that adds carbon ceramic front brakes, wider 265-section front tires that are reverse-staggered — meaning the fronts are 20 mm wider than the rears — as well as a carbon fibre engine cover and a top speed increase to 290 km/h. I’m not sure it’s a necessary add on, especially at that price.
One spicy Audi
This is one hot Audi, which is increasingly rare these days. It looks the part with all the RS bits, and stands out in our tester’s Progressive Red Metallic paint. If you’re really adventurous, you can spec the Lamborghini-esque Kyamali Green to really stand out. It’s a wonderful product overall, even to a former owner of a 2018 TT RS like myself. It had the same powertrain but an older version of Quattro, but I found it completely satisfying bombing down backroads despite not having the upgraded rear diff. I also come from a long line of sporty, front-drive Hondas, and currently own two rear-wheel-drive cars; the RS3 never made me second-guess why it was there and what it was doing. Don’t knock it until you try it, because this RS3 is rather special.
There’s still stiff competition, however, especially at its $90,000 as-tested price point. The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S offers more power and theatre, but it’s held back by its less practical roofline. The much-more-fiery BMW M2 comes in around the same price and offers a manual transmission, but it being a couple and rear-drive-only limits its year-round usability. The M240i xDrive gives you some of that year-round usability, but still falls short on practicality.
You do have options, but the 2025 Audi RS3 has a special place in the car world. That five-cylinder turbo, with its old-school charm and rally car heritage, truly is the only one of its kind.
