2025 Audi S3 hatchback and sedan updated with more power and performance tech to take on Mercedes-Benz A-Class and BMW 1 and 2 Series

Following the updated Audi A3 and the introduction of its AllStreet variant, the sharper and faster Audi S3 Sportback hatch and sedan have also been tweaked to make it… even sharper and faster.

The 2025 Audi S3 has been revealed globally, with an engine tuned for more power, a ‘torque splitter’, new drive modes and upgraded brakes and suspension.

The S3 most recently available in Australia had 228kW and 400Nm thanks to its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but the updated S3 just revealed in Europe boasts 245Kw and 420Nm.

The 0-100km/h sprint now takes just 4.7 seconds (Audi claims), making it quicker than beefy muscle cars of yesteryear, with a top speed of 250km/h.

The drivetrain has been retuned for “more spontaneous take off”, with the turbocharger pre-loaded with boost for quicker acceleration, and a perkier gearbox tune.

The RS3 loans the S3 its rear torque splitter, too, meaning the rear wheels should receive the optimal amount of torque for cornering. A new drive mode, dynamic plus, also makes changes like increasing the idle speed from 1100rpm to 1300rpm for more engaging take-off.

Tweaked suspension includes wishbones with “stiffer bearings and new pivot bearings” for more accurate steering response, working with the drive modes for “more grip and dynamics in corners”.

Behind a new set of 19-inch optional wheels (as opposed to the 18-inch wheels as standard) are a larger set of brakes, themselves 18 inches in diameter and unable to fit behind the standard wheels.

Of course, the S3 gains new styling including customisable DRL signatures as on the A3 and a “flatter and wider” ‘Singleframe’ grille, plus a tweaked rear bumper and Daytona Gray available in a matte finish.

Inside, updated Audi virtual cockpit for the driver is joined by a 10.1-inch touch display for the multimedia, a wireless phone charger, and USB C ports.

Full Australian specification details and pricing will be revealed closer to its launch.