Don’t be fooled by the facelift—the 2025 S3’s biggest changes are under the skin.
The current Audi S3 is reaching its midlife, and that means it’s time for a crisis. Or rather an update, which brings comprehensively improved performance to the 2025 incarnation of the beloved compact sport sedan, enhancing both power and handling.
Both the front and rear of the 2025 S3 have been tweaked, while the interior has been updated with new technology and animated laser-cut backlit door panels. Most of the changes are of the kind we prefer though—mechanical—starting with the 2.0-liter turbo-four and seven-speed automatic transmission that live under the hood.
The four-cylinder now uses a “preloaded” turbo for improved throttle response, which maintains high turbo rpm even while off the throttle. This contributes to its broad peak torque curve, which spans 2,100 to 5,500 rpm. Max power jumps too, by 22 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque, for a new total of 328 hp and 310 lb-ft. More aggressive clutch actuation halves the length of full-throttle shifts, cutting the zero-to-60 mph time to 4.4 seconds.
Top speed remains at 155 mph as before, though it’s probably a less nerve-wracking 155 thanks to chassis improvements. The 2025 S3 has a new “torque splitter” rear limited-slip differential with electronically controlled clutches. It actively splits torque between the inner and outer wheels depending on driving mode, for improved control in all scenarios.
2025 Audi S3. Audi
The suspension bushings are stiffer too, and everything from the variable-ratio steering to traction control and available adaptive damping have been retuned in harmony. There’s a new option for 19-inch wheels with 10 mm-wider Falken 235/35 tires, as well as a standard “Dynamic Plus” driving mode. It raises engine idle rpm for harder launches, and prioritizes power to the outside rear tire. (You know exactly why.) Lastly, the front brake rotors and the two-piston calipers that chomp on them have been slightly enlarged, altering brake balance and improving cooling.
The 2025 Audi S3 will reach U.S. dealers later this year, though a more specific ETA and pricing data are yet to be announced. Don’t hold your breath for the Sportback, either—customers Stateside still won’t get that one. We’re keeping an eye open for a parallel update to the RS3, the S3’s mangier five-cylinder brother that channels the Sport Quattro S1’s spirit so well. If the outgoing RS3 is anything go by, then the 2025 model is going to be a car worth waiting for.
2025 Audi S3. Audi
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