Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi RS3 Sportback review (2015-2017) - the definitive super-hatch? - Design

A step up above its predecessor but still not as mighty as the spec sheet suggests

Evo rating
RRP
from £40,795
  • Addictive noise, lighter on its feet than predecessor, quality
  • Not a big step up from Golf R or BMW M145i, still a shade sensible

For some, the RS3 offers the perfect balance of hot hatchback styling. The basic A3 is a handsome car, if not dripping with visual intrigue, but Audi's RS trimmings add a welcome dose of aggression. It sits low to the ground, the wheels fill the arches to just the right degree, and a subtle bodykit brings out the best in the A3's uncomplicated shape.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Alternatively, you'll see it as deeply unimaginative, and viewed head-on you'd be hard pressed to separate the RS3 from an S Line-kitted A3, or indeed many of Audi's larger products. It should age well, however.

The new Audi RS3 saloon, launched at the 2016 Paris motor show, is arguably the more handsome of the pair. The boot balances out the shape quite nicely and the wide arches look even better here than they do on the pumped-up hatchback.

> Find a used Audi RS3 for sale on Classic and Performance Car

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Aston Martin Vantage (1993 - 2000) review – Britain's 550bhp hand-built muscle car
Aston Martin Vantage V550 – front
Reviews

Aston Martin Vantage (1993 - 2000) review – Britain's 550bhp hand-built muscle car

One of Aston Martin's last true hand-built models, the ludicrous twin-supercharged Vantage was a muscle car crossed with a stately home
24 Apr 2025
Porsche 911 Carrera S 2025 review – a 473bhp BMW M4 CS fighter
Porsche 911 Carrera S – pictures
Reviews

Porsche 911 Carrera S 2025 review – a 473bhp BMW M4 CS fighter

A new Carrera S has arrived with supercar-baiting pace and a £120k starting price – is it the sweet spot of the 992.2 range?
25 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025