$47,000 goes further than you’d expect at an Audi dealership.
Humor me for a second: close your eyes, and picture The Average New Car.
If you’re like me, you probably pictured something along the lines of a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. Maybe a Corolla or Civic, maybe a Chevy Impala or Dodge Charger — or if you’re more in tune with the SUV-friendly times, maybe something like a Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 or Mazda CX-5. Generally speaking, however, you’re probably picturing a vehicle from a mainstream nameplate with a price tag somewhere between $20,000 and $35,000 — or at least, a car you think would cost somewhere in there.
Whelp, guess what: the average new car right now is over $47,000.
If you just did a spit take against your screen, well, you’re not alone; I was cleaning coffee spackle off my computer for several minutes after I heard that. The reasons are myriad, but there are two main ones: a limited number of cars on the lots due to the pandemic-sparked semiconductor shortage, and Americans’ still-growing preference for full-size trucks and SUVs, which easily ring up for north of $50,000 and can go close to $90K fully-loaded. The former is temporary; the latter seems likely to be permanent.
Suffice it to say, that means our definition of what an “average new car” is needs to shift a little, at least (hopefully) temporarily. No longer are the vehicles that sit at the midpoint of the spectrum simple prolechariots; for that average price, you can now snap up a Lexus, a Mercedes-Benz, a BMW or an Audi. And after spending a few days with the new 2022 Audi S3, I’d even wager that it’s one of the best all-around cars you can drop 470 Benjamins on.
The Audi S3 is Golf R fun, but with a better badge
Beneath the Ingolstadt-penned skin of the A3 and S3 lies the same platform that makes up the bones of the new Mk8 Volkswagen Golf. While their lengths differ slightly, the Audi and the VW have the same wheelbase; the S3 shares its engine with the Golf R (the latter packs 10 extra horsepower), and both send that power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. Unless, of course, you opt for the six-speed stick on the Vee-Dub — perhaps the biggest feature tipping the scales in the hatchback’s favor.
The sedan, however, has its own share of benefits. The most obvious may seem a bit shallow, but it’s hard to dispute: it’s an Audi, not a Volkswagen. In a better world, no one would care — but that’s not the world we live in.
It’s not just about brand snobbery, either. As an Audi, it also benefits from one of the more attractive design languages found in the modern car world, boasting crisp lines and a well-defined face with a glaringly obvious connection to the rest of the premium brand’s line. Too many compact sedans suffer from odd proportions, the result of their designers forced to balance appearance with safety regulations and usability concerns; the A3 / S3 suffers no such issues.
The S3 is very quick, if still front-wheel-drive-based
While it is technically possible to buy a two-wheel-drive Audi, the company has long been synonymous with its Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Every S3 comes with AWD standard, enabling it to make the most of its power; I haven’t found an independent instrumented test of it yet, but it feels fully capable of cracking off that claimed 4.5-second 0-60-mph dash.
If you’re hoping for Drift Mode-style antics, however, you’re better off saving up for a Mercedes-AMG CLA45 (or trying to find a Ford Focus RS on the used car market). The S3 may juice all four wheels, but when it hits the limit of grip under power, it breaks towards understeer, not oversteer. That’s not uncommon — many AWD cars are tuned that way, on the grounds that it’s easier to recover from understeer than oversteer — but it does make it a bit less entertaining for those of us who enjoy a good hooning session.
Still, drive it up to the limits, not over them, and it tracks like the TGV, gripping and ripping through turns with startling quickness. 306 horsepower may not be a lot objectively these days, but given the car’s small size, it feels plenty potent — and the S3 makes the most of it, without a drop being wasted. It’s not a car for showboating; it’s a car made for speed.
An Audi interior for Camaro / Mustang money
Going Audi over VW brings also advantages inside. Those much-maligned touchscreen controls found on the GTI / Golf R steering wheel? Nowhere to be found. Instead, the S3 apes the R8 and E-Tron GT, packing physical buttons for most hard controls (including the still-ironic-and-amusing iPod click wheel for the audio system).
As with the outside, the interior design is much sleeker and interesting than that of the Golf, replete with interesting textures and angles in place of the Volkswagen’s simple, even slightly bland layout. And while the materials aren’t as elegant or expensive-feeling as those in, say, an A8, they certainly feel more worthy of a car with a $40,000-plus price tag than what you’d find in a Vee-Dub. (Especially if you’re willing to drop an extra $1,200 for diamond-stitched Nappa leather seats and faux carbon fiber inlays, which my test car had.)
The S3’s biggest drawback: it isn’t big
The good folks of the Volkswagen Group did something wonderful with the Golf/A3 family: they designed these small cars to be very suitable for tall drivers. The front seat goes back so far, even my 36-inch-inseam legs could stretch straight out — a characteristic usually restricted to the largest sedans and full-size pickup trucks. It goes back far enough, in fact, that my head was even with the B-pillar; I had to glance out the back window to check my blind spots.
That space up front comes at a cost, though. Apart from ease of entry and exit, the S3’s rear seat isn’t much more usable than that of a modern muscle car, especially with those tall folks up front. As with two-plus-twos like the Porsche 911, much of their value comes in the form of cargo storage — and you’ll probably need that space for storage anyway, because there’s not much to be found in the trunk, either.
Its small size does bring benefits, of course: parking is a cinch, and maneuvering through traffic jams easy. Still, if you need to carry around children, family members, or even large dogs with any regularity or for long distances, the S3 likely isn’t the best fit for your life.
However, if that doesn’t apply to you — or if you have another car to handle those duties — this Audi strikes a wonderful balance between playful behavior, daily-driving convenience and clean, cool design. These days, there are more ways than ever to spend your $47,000 or so on a car…but you’d be remiss if you didn’t at least take a look at this one.
2022 Audi S3
Base Price / Price as Tested: $45,945 / $55,890
Powertrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four; seven-speed automatic; all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 306
Torque: 295 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy: 23 mpg city, 32 mpg highway
Seats: “Five”
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Keyword: The 2022 Audi S3 Is a Bargain in Today's New Car Market