Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The 2022 Audi S3 Sedan with the Prestige Package came in just time to get show it off and see what it had in store for me. The Audi A3 is a small family car that is currently in its fourth generation. The new A3 was unveiled online in 2020. The first two generations of the Audi A3 were based on the Volkswagen Group A platform, while the third and fourth generations use the Volkswagen Group MQB platform.
Starting off with the exterior, the model that we reviewed came in a Daytona Gray Pearl hue. The exterior styling is heavily inspired by Lamborghini, with the HD Matrix LED Headlights and OLED Taillights. Upon first look you will notice the prominent grille, front and rear bumpers, and the menacing dual exhaust look. I really enjoyed the design of the S3, as it is aggressive but luxurious at the same time. It sits on 19” 5-double-spoke-edge design wheels with a bi-color finish on run-flat summer tires.
The interior of the S3 matches the style and quality of the exterior. This luxury sedan seats five passengers, with plenty of head and legroom in the two rows. The Fine Nappa leather package model that we reviewed decked the interior out with Fine Nappa leather seats with diamond, carbon atlas structure inlays, leatherette covered center console and armrests. The head-up display, Audi virtual cockpit, LED lighting interior plus package and the top view camera system were nice additions as well.
The infotainment system is pretty nice in the Audi S3. There is a virtual cockpit along with the center console being complete with the MMI infotainment system with 12.3-inch touch screen. I loved the look and feel of this setup. The infotainment system has the Audi Smartphone interface with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a navigation system, a Wi-Fi hot spot, satellite radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth and USB ports. There is also a Bang & Olufsen 3D surround-sound stereo that blasts crystal clear sound throughout the cabin.
A cool feature that I enjoyed was the Traffic Light Information (TLI), which is offered with a subscription to Audi connect® PRIME. The feature provides a countdown in the instruments of how long a traffic light will remain red before turning green (Time to Green—TTG). This is set to limit the number of red lights hit, along with the hopes to conserve fuel. This added to the WOW factor that comes along with Audi vehicles.
The S3 comes with a 2.0L TFSI, 310-hp engine with a 7-speed S tronic transmission. This engine makes very good power and can get up to speed fast. The standard Quattro all-wheel drive ensures that all the power is applied to the road. The 7-speed automatic transmission shifts rather smoothly. Hitting the road, I felt like the Audi S3 handled well and felt nimble when carving up the corners. The Se gets 23 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg combined. This is good gas mileage for a sporty vehicle.
Audi is high on safety and the S3 hit the mark. The S3 comes with front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rearview camera. There is also Audi Pre Sense Rear (blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert) and Audi Pre Sense Side, which uses sensors to detect an oncoming side impact. There is a vehicle exit warning system, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, intersection assist, lane keep assist, a surround-view parking camera system and traffic sign recognition.
As a parent of young children, the child car seats are extremely important to me. There are five complete sets of LATCH connectors for the rear outboard seats. This was a plus for me and very easy to use.
The Audi S3 is in a competitive class going up against the BMW M235 GranCoupe and the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35. Audi backs the S3 with a four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty, a 12 year limited warranty against corrosion perforation and 4 years roadside assistance coverage. The model that we tested came in at $57,440.00.
I really enjoyed the Audi S3 with its’ smooth handling and quick acceleration. The interior is luxurious and the infotainment system is top notch. Audi definitely ranks near the top of its class. Please enjoy the photo gallery.
