This is going to be my next car. Much more unique than the M2 or the CLA AMG. The 5 cylinder is cool and has such a unique sound as well. Car also looks like more subdued than it really is, it isn't over the top but just enough to let people know its something special and not your everyday A3. Can be daily driven too, AWD for poor weather, although ill keep my current vehicle for that.
100% agree.... its more unique and thats why i bought one and i would never replace it for anything unless for gt3 RS porsche haha. which is on top of my dream list ;)
Awesome review Matt! Rs3 is my dream car. Been watching your vids since high school, feels nostalgic every time I watch a new one! I’ve learned a ton about the car market from your channel as well, thanks for the work you do!
Matt.. you are hillarious when you are driving that thing hard. So much Joy!! Reminds me of your review of the GTR. I really like how this car keeps the rpm's up in auto mode. Keep up the good work my man!!
@@carsaregood911 first did you drive one before? Second of all I can say is it's a brand that got killed off and it's a car that got killed off by its own and I feel like it just gets s*** on even though it doesn't deserve it, that's all I'm going to say 😄. Love it tho and will mod it soon.
I love how joyful he was. I had the same reaction test driving a 2019 RS three it takes your breath away. It gives you a head rush. You feel like a little kid and you have to back off the accelerator like you seriously need a good quarter-mile minimum straightaway free of traffic to truly appreciate this thingand I didn’t even play with the Settings. I just put it into dynamic mode.😮 Can’t wait to get my own
TTRS owner here. Love my car, especially with Stage 1 tune. Really wish I had that new trick rear diff! I still don't care for the interior on the new RS3. Looks cheap. But I will concede that overall, it's one hell of a bargain. Love the sound of the 2.5!!
Just got word that mine started being built today after 7 long months of waiting. I should finally have it within 2 months. I had an S3, and then switched to an M2 Competition because I really wanted a manual again, but I have missed Audi the entire time. I guess they just fit me better If they just offered the RS3 with a stick, it’d be the perfect car imho
Great review Matt! Nice meeting you at Cars n Coffee Pittsburgh!! 2022 RS3 Representing!!! Your Turbo Blue, Josh's Mythos Black and my Daytona Gray Were. On. Point. See you soon bud... maybe Saturday @ CnC Pittsburgh ?
It was great meeting you too man! I'm not sure how often I'll be able to make it to CnC but I'm hoping to go at least once more this year. Enjoy that RS3!
Thanks for another great video! Your reactions are always the best!!! This is one of my favorite German cars, and you made it look even more fun than I had thought! Nice work!! 😁
We have been eagerly waiting for this review Matt. This year we have started a new car endeavor spurred on by my craving for a V8 once again. FWIW, this RS3 has now solidified a place among the competitors on our list. •C8 (pending availability and lack of mark-up) •Audi RS3 (simply because there is no RS4. Also concerned about 'cost of ownership' post warranty) •Camaro ZL1 (cannot decide between standard ZL1 or the 1LE Track Pack) •Challenger Scat-Pack Widebody (waiting for the 2023 'price and build' to drop from Dodge. Plum Crazy Purple is an absolute requirement!) •Shelby GT350/R (Have trust issues as a pre-owned vehicle. IMHO, the GT500 looks a tad busy for lack of a better word. Plus the cost is too high) •Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (uncertain how I feel about owning an Alfa _outside_ of the manufacturers warranty. After all it is an Alfa...) •Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing (I have a distain for Caddy's due to personal reasons. I also think the back end looks terrible compared to the front) •Lastly, there is always the classic car option. Unfortunately, I cannot afford a $250k BOSS 429 or $750k Shelby GT-500KR. However, there are still plenty of options. In fact, the Audi RS3, Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio are the only non-V8's on the list. I'm still searching for more options but I think I have the performance car aspect covered at this point. Feel free to suggest any vehicles that I may not have considered. As you can see I have _a lot_ from which to choose. Although, the sole premise of this new endeavor is because I miss having a V8. More importantly, I feel obligated to do my part towards 'Saving the manuals' which (again) narrows down my options. This may be thee most difficult car shopping to date. Pending road tests of each vehicle of course. I will be anxious to hear your thoughts after living with this RS3 for a prolonged period of time. Like I said before, I hold your opinion in high regards my friend. However, if there was one flaw I'd say you missed on this RS3. It would be the copious amount of gloss black in and around the vehicle. Being that I live in Arizona, I must deal with the direct sunlight year-round. Even with 5% tinting, I must contend with reflective surfaces that can pose a visibility danger at times. Not to mention that these gloss black pieces _always_ look terribly scratched up no matter how fastidious you may be. I would prefer carbon fiber without the cost of actual carbon fiber but I digress. Nonetheless, I am *THRILLED* that this review has finally come to the channel. I look forward to your overall thoughts and conclusion. Stay classy my friend. EDITED for content.
One way to cut down on all that gloss black inside and out would be to offer a carbon fiber package option for this to include the lower side piece, mirror caps, spoiler, and grille surround like the RSQ8. Also no excuse for not have real carbon fiber interior bits.
You are right in that there isn't much else out there that performs the same in this price range. The CT4V-Blackwing is a heavier car by almost 400lbs and unlike the Audi, the Caddy's V6 is not under-rated. The new RS3's are dyno'ing over 400whp. The "472hp" Blackwing's are dyno'ing about 430 so there is a little bit of drivetrain loss. The Cadillac is slower, both to 60mph and in the 1/4 mile. It also gets much lower fuel economy, is only available in RWD and as far as I can tell, you can't even get carbon ceramic brakes on it either. You have to go up to the CT5V for that and pay $100,000+ for that option. Looks are subjective, but I also don't think the Caddy is as good looking, at least on the exterior. Although, unfortunately, I think it may have a leg up on the RS3 when it comes to interior quality, but the Caddy gets more expensive if you option it out similarly to the Audi. It doesn't take much to get it up over $80k. Some people are comparing this to the M3 as well, but the price difference between the RS3 and the M3 Competition xDrive when similarly optioned is at least $20-25k. Having AWD is a plus for anyone who wants to daily drive this thing is snowy weather. Put a set of Michelin All Season 4's on this thing and I bet it'll get through snow without blinking. Nice review!
I was looking at a CTV4 Blackwing as well but went with the RS3 (for now). Had high hopes for new M2 but not crazy about the looks. I came from ZL1. Love the new Z06. GM seems to rate their hp figures based on 15% driveline loss. ZL1s put down about 560 rwhp
Instead of just mashing your foot to the floor, press on the accelerator smoothly. Especially with turbo charged cars, there will be a fairly significant difference in acceleration and you'll experience feedback from the car. I heard a race car driver say years ago that the word "smooth" should be applied to almost everything in driving. Turning, breaking, acceleration etc. He wasn't wrong. Jerky movements are the enemy.
you’re not wrong. I had an S5, RS3, and most recently a 21’ RS5 coupe, and the RS3 is way more fun. the sound is incredible catless. hope to be able to get this new one in Canada at some point!
You said it yourself, great daily driver, more room than you might think, looks and sounds beautiful, you loved it. do you have the same smile driving your Ford Mach e? Life is short Matt, if your car seat fits, get rid of that ford and it will pay for this ,and you'll be a happy man every day
It could work as a family car, but it's not big enough for what we want. It'll fit a stroller but not much else, it'll fit a car seat on the passenger side but then the front passenger doesn't have much room, etc. Plus it's Beth's car, not mine. With the press cars I almost never drive her car anyway, and the Mach-E was the best choice for her and us, given all the factors we have at play. Also, it's almost 15k more than the Mach-E, doesn't get a tax credit, still has higher running costs, etc. Yes the RS3 is more fun, but we can't afford it or justify it even if we could.
I've got the sportback, prefer the looks to the sedan. Mines got full carbon pack, including rear wing. Also got ceramics, top speed now 180mph and I've sourced the red interior styling bits from Germany and fitted myself. Tango Red, it looks awesome. Had it a few months now, waited nearly 2 years for it to arrive. Main gripes, some plastics are a it cheap, glitchy drive select, couple of rattles had to be sorted in the dash, Car Play doesn't always connect and the B&O in this car is utter rubbish. Bridgestone tyres it came on aren't great either, but have now put Michelin PS4s on and there's a big improvement in grip. I've alao had an Akrapovic exhaust system fitted, as we have OPF in the UK, so car is a bit quiet, now solved! Minor gripes aside, I love it. You don't see many on the roads in the UK, so a big head turner too.
Still stuck between ordering one of these new or getting a used one with low miles. I love the styling of the previous model so much more but the headlights and some of the interior and driving improvements of the new car are appealing. Maybe I’ll be able to find an Audi dealership that will actually let me test drive a new car so I can see if the drive is worth the uglier appearance. Great review as always Matt!
to me, the updated interior with the HUD and touch screen is worth it, just from a quality of life perspective. ALso a used one is so close in price to a new one... it's just not a good value to me to buy used. you know how RS3 drivers drive their cars too lol
Thanks, I'm glad you liked the video! I personally don't recommend buying anything used currently, I'm convinced this used market bubble will pop at some point, and the new ones likely being the last generation should make them a little more collectible and a little more resistant to depreciation too.
@@MattMaranMotoring Yeah the plan would be to wait for the used car prices to drop if I was going for the older model. Before the craziness a clean 18’ was in the high 40s with low miles. Now it’s almost the price of a new RS3! I’ll see if the looks of this new one grow on me but I don’t love the huge front grill and the mustache on its rear end lol. Thanks for the response Matt! Hope for all our sakes the bubble bursts. I have too many cars on my bucket list that became unaffordable the last year and a half.
@@randyspade1319 Yeah black on black is what I would want for an 18’ too. Just looks so clean and subtlety aggressive. Did you get yours at msrp or have to deal with markup? It took a while but I found a dealer in IN doing msrp so I have an order in with them but the car is a ways a way still so I have time to decide what I want to do.
I saw when you were navigating the performance screens that the car was set to pump fake sound into the cabin. That's likely what your hearing. Turn it off and see what it sounds like
When my B9 S4 reaches its sell-by dats, I’m thinking (hoping?) to flip it for an RS3. I sat in an S3 at the dealership this week and the interior is a few steps down from my S4. At least it has good ergos. I’m 5’7” and fit well, but it seems like it could be cramped for bigger folks. The seat doesn’t get as low as in the S4 and there were only a couple of inches between the top of my head and the roof liner. I might well get one, but only after the initial buying frenzy and egregious dealer markups fade away. If they don’t, then maybe an M240i xDrive or a CT4 Blackwing.
I have heard that controlling the new VW Golf R’s rear wheel dynamics is unintuitive if you familiar with RW dynamics. Since they are related, is this the case in the RS3?
Yeah, you definitely have to "re-learn" a different driving technique. Applying the gas too early coming out of a corner is actually rewarding in this car. In basically anything else, it'll just provoke understeer.
I'd say the Giulia is a more pure handling experience, the Audi uses a lot of tricks to amaze you and improve the dynamics. The Alfa doesn't need any of that, it's just inherently great. The Giulia definitely has faster steering too which makes it feel a bit more eager on turn-in.
@@MattMaranMotoring That's what I expected to hear. I absolutely love the Giulia platform. Incredible steering and balance. One of the most underrated cars around imo. Specifically the 2.0T version. Alfissimo recently came out with a GTAm (200k track version) suspension ECU module that recalibrates the option adaptive dampers on the 2.0T or QV to match the calibration of the GTAm ECU. According to the reviews this significantly improves both the ride and handling (which is already phenomenal) for only $700. Paired with there $500 GMS eccentric uniballs for increased camber and steering feel and there $350 cold pressed sport springs which are stiffer then standard QV springs you would have one seriously sharp yet still very comfortable luxury sedan for under 35K used. Now all it needs is a 5cyl LOL. The 2.0T is a pretty fun torquey quick revving motor though. I have never heard of a suspension ECU tune for any other cars. Have you Matt?
Front wheel drive biased vehicle, that version of Quattro is the Haldex it’s going to send the power to the front wheels first (hence bigger size in the front). I had the same thing on my 19 RS3 until I switched to 255’s all around.
Ah bummer, my buddy managed to order one in Charlotte and I don't believe they're charging him a markup. It's worth shopping around and doing a roadtrip if needed in my opinion!
Great video. $60k MSRP, plus $20-30k markup from dealerships on a used 4000miles engine because human greed has evolved to stupidity after 2019. Car is boss though. RS series are always special.
It sounds like the problem might be your dealership then. I put a deposit down in March, and just got word that it started being built today. I’m supposed to take delivery in 4-8 weeks, so it will be between 8-9 months from deposit to delivery. I can’t be sure, but I suspect the issue is waiting for your dealership to have an RS allocation to give you. If you call around, you might get one quicker. A dealership here in New England even just had one on the lot with nobody’s name on it, but it wasn’t the color or build I wanted. Good luck!
It's so unfortunate that you can't buy these in a manual... My Golf R would be traded in for one in a heartbeat if they offered a proper 3 pedal setup.
The fake vents are a deal breaker for me. Looks cool from a distance, but up close the mockery just makes it look cheap. Audi isn’t the only one. This trend really needs to stop. I’m in the market for a new car and I can’t find anything I like in $50k-$80k.
Should’ve put this motor in the Golf R and brought the Clubsport to the US. The Golf is only compelling in its most basic form at $30,000 this generation. Gotta buy an Audi for anything more from VW group.
And whilst it can theoretically send 100% of the rear axle torque to either wheel, it still has a 50/50 front/rear limitation. Nothing’s changed there.
What are Audis supposed to be? Doesn’t seem very luxurious. And it looks like a Toyota at this point. I get it’s sporty. At that price wouldn’t you have a better looking, sportier, or an entry level luxury car?