We tested the S3 Sportback back in February and it was nothing short of captivating. It looked right, drove right and felt right. So when the S3 Sedan came along, there was almost a need to feel that it wasn't going to get any better than its hatchback brethren.
We were wrong.
We reckon buyers of this Audi should feel every bit special. Not only because the S3 Sedan doesn't share a single body panel with the S3 Sportback, the car cloaked in bloody red here has, in theory, no other direct competitors in the local market at the moment.
The $300,000 CLA 45 AMG is more expensive and a notch more hardcore than the S3 Sedan while the recently launched BMW M235i aims at a totally different group, with its coupe body style.
Of course, you could also consider the provocative Subaru WRX STI, too, which is some $47,000 lesser but the car only comes with a three-pedal-and-a-stick-shifter configuration.
So after a couple of pints of beer and 90 minutes of non-stop argument (which is just about the duration for one World Cup match), we concluded that it makes the most sense for the car to be discussed against its Sportback sibling. And yes, there are differences, both subtle and obvious.
We were wrong.
We reckon buyers of this Audi should feel every bit special. Not only because the S3 Sedan doesn't share a single body panel with the S3 Sportback, the car cloaked in bloody red here has, in theory, no other direct competitors in the local market at the moment.
The $300,000 CLA 45 AMG is more expensive and a notch more hardcore than the S3 Sedan while the recently launched BMW M235i aims at a totally different group, with its coupe body style.
Of course, you could also consider the provocative Subaru WRX STI, too, which is some $47,000 lesser but the car only comes with a three-pedal-and-a-stick-shifter configuration.
So after a couple of pints of beer and 90 minutes of non-stop argument (which is just about the duration for one World Cup match), we concluded that it makes the most sense for the car to be discussed against its Sportback sibling. And yes, there are differences, both subtle and obvious.
Exterior
For starters, the obvious one has to be the added butt. Instead of having a back end rooted right into the Sportback, Audi started from scratch with its sedan, which explains the car's coherent and polished look.
From tip to tip, the S3 Sedan is, thus, 215mm longer, 19mm wider and 9mm lower than the S3 Sportback.
Impressively, the car looks understated, with barely a trace of its potential prowess. To the casual observer, the S3 Sedan could well pass off as the regular A3 Sedan, although there are some telltale signs like the honeycomb grille, aggressive-looking 18-inch shoes, subtle spoiler and the sporty quad exhausts.
Interior
Enter the cabin and you can almost immediately imagine just how much thought and effort were placed in putting the pieces together. Even when you get the feeling that the car has been trimmed down to its $240,000 price tag, you cannot deny the fact that the cabin's elegant and simple layout makes up for all the small quibbles.
Based essentially on the same adaptable MQB platform as the S3 Sportback, most of the goodies from the said hot hatch have been brought over to this sizzling sedan, including the high-quality materials, comfortable benches and the thick, flat-bottom steering wheel.
Enter the cabin and you can almost immediately imagine just how much thought and effort were placed in putting the pieces together. Even when you get the feeling that the car has been trimmed down to its $240,000 price tag, you cannot deny the fact that the cabin's elegant and simple layout makes up for all the small quibbles.
Based essentially on the same adaptable MQB platform as the S3 Sportback, most of the goodies from the said hot hatch have been brought over to this sizzling sedan, including the high-quality materials, comfortable benches and the thick, flat-bottom steering wheel.
Between the hatch and the sedan, there isn't much difference to be felt in terms of space. This applies even to the difference in terms of luggage capacity. The S3 Sedan, while it has an extra butt, has merely 10 litres more space over the S3 Sportback. Shoulder and legroom is comfortable for two at the back but could be a slight squeeze for three.
The Drive
Powered by the same EA888 2.0-litre block that can also be found on the Volkswagen Golf R, the S3 Sedan is good for 280 heavy duty horses and 380Nm of beefy torque. These figures, as you can imagine, translate to a rather impressive century sprint timing of just five seconds. That's not too bad at all considering it's not far off from its more hardcore and stronger competitors like the CLA 45 AMG and M235i respectively.
The reason, we believe, is because of the powerplant itself, thanks to the ability to function under two fuel injections - an indirect multipoint injection system and a modern direct injection system.
Under lighter load, the engine is delivered with fuel via indirect injection while direct injection comes into play only when a heavier load is employed. This probably also explains why we managed a surprisingly impressive fuel consumption of 10.1km/L over a period of three days.
What's also surprising, unfortunately, is the lag we experienced. While we cannot expect the car to react in a similar and swift way like how a naturally aspirated car would, the S3 Sedan seems rather laggy.
The good news, though, is that once you're on song, the car will pull strongly and steadily. Unlike the S3 Sportback, the S3 Sedan doesn't feel as bold and brash but what it does is that it keeps all the goodness of a sports car and gets rid of all the unwanted and exaggerated part of it.
Powered by the same EA888 2.0-litre block that can also be found on the Volkswagen Golf R, the S3 Sedan is good for 280 heavy duty horses and 380Nm of beefy torque. These figures, as you can imagine, translate to a rather impressive century sprint timing of just five seconds. That's not too bad at all considering it's not far off from its more hardcore and stronger competitors like the CLA 45 AMG and M235i respectively.
The reason, we believe, is because of the powerplant itself, thanks to the ability to function under two fuel injections - an indirect multipoint injection system and a modern direct injection system.
Under lighter load, the engine is delivered with fuel via indirect injection while direct injection comes into play only when a heavier load is employed. This probably also explains why we managed a surprisingly impressive fuel consumption of 10.1km/L over a period of three days.
What's also surprising, unfortunately, is the lag we experienced. While we cannot expect the car to react in a similar and swift way like how a naturally aspirated car would, the S3 Sedan seems rather laggy.
The good news, though, is that once you're on song, the car will pull strongly and steadily. Unlike the S3 Sportback, the S3 Sedan doesn't feel as bold and brash but what it does is that it keeps all the goodness of a sports car and gets rid of all the unwanted and exaggerated part of it.
For instance, the car never feels as fast as a five-second car but that's also because power is delivered to all four wheels in a level of linearity and smoothness that you would only imagine possible in an Audi A6 or a BMW 5 Series. Plus, it never punishes occupants with an overly stiff setup like the Sportback and has a sweet spot between comfy and crazy.
That's not to say it doesn't hold its own around neck-breaking bends. The S3 Sedan's handling is near flawless, all thanks to a well-controlled body as well as a talkative and incisive steering. Having a knack for making you feel comfortable and confident behind the wheel is just an added bonus.
Conclusion
Both the S3 Sportback and the S3 Sedan aren't too far off from each other. Both of them have their propositions that make them desirable. However, while the S3 Sportback remains to be a very complete car, the S3 Sedan takes it a notch higher by being unique too.
So if you're in the market looking for an S3 and the body type doesn't really matter to you, which should you go for? Now, that's the question you'll need to ask yourself, especially when it's only $3,550 separating these two cars.
That's not to say it doesn't hold its own around neck-breaking bends. The S3 Sedan's handling is near flawless, all thanks to a well-controlled body as well as a talkative and incisive steering. Having a knack for making you feel comfortable and confident behind the wheel is just an added bonus.
Conclusion
Both the S3 Sportback and the S3 Sedan aren't too far off from each other. Both of them have their propositions that make them desirable. However, while the S3 Sportback remains to be a very complete car, the S3 Sedan takes it a notch higher by being unique too.
So if you're in the market looking for an S3 and the body type doesn't really matter to you, which should you go for? Now, that's the question you'll need to ask yourself, especially when it's only $3,550 separating these two cars.
