Audi RS 3 Sedan Tested to the Limit

I remember pulling off the A38 near Bleicherode, eyes flicking to the low, slung silhouette in the rearview mirror, the Audi RS 3 Sedan, painted in a deep Kyalami Green that gleamed like venom in the late afternoon sun. The Ohm Hills, a curvy, forest, wrapped playground in Thuringia, lay ahead. Twisting tarmac, variable gradients, and enough open straights to let a turbocharged five, cylinder howl, it was time to see what this notchback monster could do. This wasn’t just another day behind the wheel; this was a showdown between physics and quattro wizardry. 

Let’s not pretend. The RS 3 Sedan is not for the shy or subtle. It’s the compact car that throws punches like a heavyweight, shouts louder than anything in its segment, and costs more than your neighbor’s mid, size luxury SUV when specced right. But that’s exactly the point. It’s a car for those who want a little wild in their everyday life, exactly what I came hunting for in the Ohm Hills. 

Brutal Beauty: A Design That Warns Before It Moves 

Before it even turned a wheel, the RS 3 grabbed attention. The front end looks like it’s been carved with anger. Black honeycomb grille, gaping lower intakes, matrix LED lights that can dance RS patterns when locking or unlocking, and those blistered wheel arches hint at what’s beneath. The sedan body somehow feels more special than the Sportback, less expected, more focused. 

Out back, the wide, set oval exhausts framed the subtle RS diffuser, and those Pirelli P Zero R semi, slicks wrapped around the staggered 19, inch wheels made one thing clear: this Audi isn’t here to play nice. Standing next to it at a gas station before the climb, an older man asked me if it was “really as fast as it looks.” I grinned. “Worse,” I told him. 

Five, Cylinder Fury: The Heart of the Beast 

There’s a reason purists still whisper about the 2.5 TFSI. It’s one of the last of its kind, a fire, breathing, oddball inline, five with a soundtrack that dances between Subaru burble and Group B rally snarl. Thumb the start button and the RS 3 barks into life, settles into a lumpy, mechanical idle, and begs to be provoked. 

Pulling out of Großbodungen and heading uphill, I let the seven, speed dual, clutch gearbox do its thing at first. Even in Comfort mode, the shifts were crisp, and that engine… it builds power in a surge rather than a sprint. Peak torque, 500 Nm, hits at 2250 rpm and doesn’t leave you until 5700. You can ride the wave or chase the 7000 rpm redline where 400 horses charge out of the gate. 

Switching to Dynamic, everything sharpened, steering weight, throttle response, shift speed. There’s even a specific RS Torque Rear mode designed to let the tail play, and oh, it plays alright. 

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Corner Carving in the Hills: Quattro Brilliance Meets Aggression 

The Ohm Hills threw every kind of corner at me. Tight hairpins, long sweepers, mid, corner crests, and fast flicks, this was a proving ground. And the RS 3 never flinched. The adaptive dampers kept the chassis balanced even on the uneven stretches, with a firmness that never turned harsh. You feel the car’s 1609 kg heft, yes, but you also feel the way it’s been engineered to use every gram of it. 

The wider front tires, 265 section versus 245 at the rear, mean there’s absolutely zero slack when turning in. Grip arrives instantly. The front digs, the rear rotates (thanks to that new rear torque splitter), and you’re through the apex before your brain finishes its sentence. With stability control relaxed and RS Torque Rear on, you can coax out tail wiggles with just the right amount of throttle finesse, rare for any Audi, unheard of in one with four doors. 

Braking? Phenomenal. The 380 mm front discs and six, piston calipers offer monstrous stopping power without fade. I tested that more than once after getting a little too brave on a downhill stretch into the valley. 

On the Open Road: Daily Rocket with Refinement 

Here’s where the RS 3 surprised me most. After a morning of violence and joy, I settled into Comfort mode, dropped the windows halfway, and cruised through the sleepy towns of Wipperdorf and Kleinbodungen. The dual character of the car became clear. 

The dual, clutch was smooth, engine note subdued, and suspension softened just enough to glide over everyday bumps. It felt like a very fast A3 in that moment, subtle, premium, even easy to drive. That’s the RS 3’s secret weapon. It can be demonic when called upon, but utterly liveable otherwise. Fuel consumption sat around 10.1 l/100 km during spirited testing, but dropped under 8.5 on long highway stretches. 

Cabin Tech and Everyday Use: More Than a Toy 

Inside, it’s Audi brilliance on display. The RS, specific virtual cockpit with boost gauge, g, meter, torque split display, and lap timer looks like something out of a sim rig. The sport seats, optionally carbon, backed buckets, hold you tight and sit low, just right for spirited driving. Alcantara and real aluminum fill the cabin with tactile confidence. 

Rear space is average for the segment, and the 321, litre boot swallowed my camera gear and a helmet bag with ease. The Bang & Olufsen sound system? Overkill, but appreciated on the drive back when the engine finally cooled down. 

Infotainment is slick, MMI is quick, and wireless CarPlay worked without a hiccup. You won’t find a better blend of luxury and lunacy in this price bracket. 

Tech Specs

For complete accuracy and consistency, all technical content is sourced from Audi’s official platform.

Conclusion: The Last Wild Compact? 

Back in the village where I started, I parked the RS 3 on a gravel overlook and stared at it for a long moment. There’s something about this car, a rawness in its voice, a mechanical honesty in how it behaves, and a rarity in its formula. A five, cylinder engine, permanent AWD, real dynamics, and four usable seats. In a world going quiet and electric, the RS 3 is a thunderclap of defiance. 

It isn’t cheap. It isn’t subtle. But if you want a car that combines Audi finesse with back, road madness, and one that turns everyday errands into events, you won’t find much better. Especially not in a sedan body that’s as rare as it is rewarding.