2025 Audi RS3 Corners Harder, Oversteers Easier, And Smells Even Nicer

The 2025 Audi RS3 may only be a mid-life facelift, but the brand’s expert engineers have boosted its performance to new heights and already claimed a new Nurburgring lap record for compact cars. With the veil lifted on the new model, we now know what distinguishes it from the outgoing version.

As is customary for facelifted cars, the 2025 RS3 benefits from a series of obvious styling modifications. Audi’s massive singleframe grille has been altered and includes a new surround, while new air intakes and a more pronounced splitter add to the car’s appeal.

The LED daytime running lights are more intricate than ever and include 24 elements arranged in a chequered flag pattern. For those who don’t like this design, three other DRL light dislays can be configured through the car’s infotainment display.

Read: Audi RS3 Performance Has Extra Power And Hits 186 MPH

Out back, the 2025 RS3 sports new taillight graphics, vertical side reflectors, an enlarged diffuser, and two new oval tailpipes with black frames. Audi has also grown the car’s color palette, adding Ascari Blue, Progressive Red, and Daytona Gray with a matte finish. A set of 19-inch matte black aluminum wheels come standard, but a second wheel design is available and can be bathed in matt dark gray or glossy metallic black.

Same Five-Pot Turbo

Then we come to the performance. As with the outgoing model, the 2025 RS3 rocks a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder with 394 hp (400 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, allowing it to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and a 180 mph (290 km/h) top speed. However, it’s not the engine that’s the secret behind the 2025 model’s improved performance. It’s the handling.

Audi has improved the car’s torque splitter and fully variable torque distribution system, while also making adjustments to the electronic stability control, wheel-selective torque control, and the adaptive dampers. The new RS3 is said to avoid understeer and turn more precisely into corners, meaning drivers can take corners at high speeds and accelerate sooner. Oversteering the RS3 is also easier than ever before.

Several changes have been made to the car’s cabin. It can be fitted with optional carbon fiber RS bucket seats, new ambient lighting, and contrast stitching across the seats, center armrest, door armrests, and steering wheel. High-quality Nappa leather is also on offer and Audi says it employs a team of five chemists to ensure all the selected materials give off that perfect new car smell.

Availability and pricing

Audi says that the RS3 Sedan and its Sportback variant—which once again will not be offered in the States—will roll into European dealerships come October. While the company remains tight-lipped about the timeline for an American debut, bets are on the RS3 Sedan making a stateside entrance sometime between late 2024 and early 2025.

U.S. pricing remains shrouded in mystery, but for a ballpark, the RS3 Sportback starts at €66,000 ($73,200) in Germany, with the Sedan fetching €68,000 ($75,400). Over in the UK, the figures are a bit more concrete: £59,510 for the Sportback and £60,510 for the Saloon. So, while Europeans get first dibs this fall, Americans can keep guessing and waiting.