2022 Audi S3 Premium Plus – The Subcompact, Outperforming The Competition

A good 20 years ago, Audi opened up the sporty premium compact market segment with the first S3. Now the brand is presenting the new generation.

The 2022 Audi S3 is one of the most deceptively powerful subcompact sedans available this year. Not only is it fast, but it has a personality to match. The latest S3 is a premium four-door beast, the same size as the Versa, but a lot faster and, in our opinion, better looking. 

The 2022 Audi S3 is for someone who wants speed and maneuverability while still being affordable. But how does Audi pull off this rare feat? We’ll examine this in the review. 

Sexy Powerful 

The 2022 Audi S3 packs a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, cranking out an impressive 306 horses and 295 lb/ft of torque, which is in lockstep with the AMG CLA35, its closest rival. However, the latter is 105hp less powerful. All that fury under the hood is controlled via a dual-clutch gearbox, the likes of which we’ve never experienced before. The gear switches fluidly, unlike the clunky feeling associated with its nearest rival. 

Speaking of which, the S3 can go from 0-60 in just 4.5 seconds, with the engine kicking up to 3500 rpm on the run. In addition, the Audi S3 comes packed with the standard Quattro all-wheel drive. 

While you’d expect that the Audi S3 will be thirsty, prepare to be impressed like we were with the 23-mpg city and 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined rating. We were able to get 26.1 mpg during our test drive, which is highly impressive for an all-wheel, luxury sedan delivering 300hp under the hood. 

A Highly Polished Experience 

The 2022 Audi S3 Premium Plus feels polished. Everything from the exterior to the interior and feel on the road is premium. There are zero vibrations even at redlining speeds and no rattling on poked roads. The downside to this refinement is that the engine isn’t audible. Fortunately, that’s where soundaktor comes in. This system raises the powertrain’s vocals, ensuring you hear its roar. To be clear, this isn’t the synthetic vroom you hear piped through the sound system like rival vehicles. 

The 14.1-inch front vented rear disc brakes and front rotors keep your speed in check. The pedal is perfectly tuned; it isn’t soggy or overly grabby. 

Unlike other Audis, we love that the S3 has a well-balanced, decent-feeling steering wheel that adds to the vehicle’s premium feeling. The steering gets light at low speeds, making maneuvering and parking super easy. 

Safety Features 

Helping protect everyone in the vehicle, the S3 includes a decent number of features. You’ve got a Audi’s Frontal collision warning, a pre-crash system that raises the windows and will tighten your seatbelt in the event of an impact. Then there are automatic high beams and a lane departure warning. 

Other features include front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and Audi Side Assist, the blind spot monitoring… Speaking of adaptive cruise control, we’d have to say this is Audi’s best implementation. 

Final Word 

Despite the petite size, the 2022 Audi S3 Premium Plus is one hell of a vehicle. Its refined, premium, looks great and performs like a beast, all of which are available in a surprisingly affordable package.