The 2022 Audi S3 Is a Fun Sport Sedan that Rivals the Golf R 

It seems ridiculous that in the Golf R they decided - "We have a lot of customers who want to MANUALLY change their transmission" yet they also decided that these same people wouldn't want knobs for climate controls.

Doug you deserve serious credit. You bring the exact same energy to every single video. It's content creators like you who make RU-vid great.

I love the closable mesh when the sunroof is open. It's nice getting diffuse fresh air without blaring sun. Or when parked in an area with bugs, still getting fresh air without worrying about the bugs.

I'm glad they're using hard buttons for climate controls. I'd never buy a car where I need to use infotainment system just to adjust the airflow

Daug is a kind of guy that gives his wife 9/10 weekend score

I have a previous gen facelift S3. Picked it up used for $34,000 almost a year ago. Amazing daily, great tech, and very fun when you want it to be. Very happy with the car overall.

New Audi 2022 features: Actual Buttons INTERSTELLAR Main Theme Guitar ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xfB4Ez9IaI0.html Killing Arasaka... | Cyberpunk 2077 Rebel Path Guitar MV ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X3_JrXwr4k0.html Alucard and Trevor Battle Baroque Guitar MV (Lost Cathedral) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KyBRZSNjIFs.html

I’ve had a 2015 S3 since new (barely given me any issues, love the thing), and while this interior is much better than the new Golf R, compared to what I’m used to the interior looks absolutely terrible. All the metal knurling on the controls is gone, no stitched leather shift boot, the rear vents look awful and have zero trim, the doors also look much worse…I could go on and on. I have two other Audis that were designed pre-Dieselgate too (Q5 TDI & S6 4.0T), and every time they launch a new generation the cost cutting is really noticeable.

Doug: It's a very unusual button. iPod: Am I a joke to you?

Some more S3/Golf-R differences USA Golf - R's all have adaptive cruise control, HUD, Matrix LED headlights, & NAV. Getting those features in an S3 bumps the base price up to $52,400 for the "Prestige" trim level. Add another $1,100 for the adaptive suspension that is on all USA Golf-Rs. (And as others have mentioned the R has upgraded brakes, and the torque vectoring rear diff that Audi only puts on the RS3.)

Cable Guy adjusting the volume in the S3: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0uf9hKcvgwQ.html

I've been driving the 2022 S3 for 7 months now and absolutely love it. Throw it into sport mode to stiffen up the suspension and get higher revs if you want the sport side. Or leave into comfort mode for a fun and comfortable daily driver. Get one, if you can find it!

I own the previous gen A3 and am about to step into this new S3. For me the biggest selling point of this car is its size. Its perfect for city driving or carving up traffic and the interior is second to none in its class. Build quality is always phenomenal.

Yay! Doug's reviewed the S3-now all we need is the RS3 review... when it goes out in the 🇺🇸.

If they sold the hatchback version of the S3 in the US I would consider trading in my GTI.

Just got an S3 and I've never clicked on a RU-vid noti so fast!! Can't wait to watch this.

I owned an 8V S3 (previous generation) for several years, and even with the old powerplant and the 6 Speed DSG vs the new 7 Speed, it was a delightful car, especially with a tune. I feel Audi's MMI post B8.5 is vastly improved in terms of navigation and physical control layout. Overall, it was fantastic, I do miss it, anticipate owning one again in the future, and I am sure the new 8Y generation will be just as amazing

"A better place to sit, frankly. Where you're spending all your time" This!!! I've had my MK6 GTI for 10 years and 115,000 miles and one of my favorite things about it is still the interior. A decade in and the interior still has a quality feel, the materials have held up extremely well and it's comfortable whether you're cruising down the interstate at 80 mph or blasting through a canyon. Like a tire being the only part of a car that actually touches the road, the interior of a vehicle is the only part of your car you will interact with while driving. VW apparently forgot this little fact, fortunately Audi remembers. Other manufacturers take note!

I think the starting MSRP you mentioned for the s3 comes with basically no equipment that most people will get their cars with, vs. the golf R which always comes fully loaded with all the gizmos. Not everyone likes all the gizmos but when comparing price I think it's important to keep that in mind

The angular dash, HVAC buttons and volume controls match the same set up in the Q4 E-Tron. One of the reasons we picked our Q4 over the VW ID4 is the combination of a smaller centre screen and the virtual cockpit gauge cluster which looks fantastic 👌🏻

When i was in middle school, a brand new 09 Volkswagen GTI Mk 5 performance model was 25k. I just graduated University, and now the new VW's are 50k!

I like the excitement this guy is sharing in all his movies. It's contagious. It's pure passion over there. And I am watching this channel since I heard "quirks and features" ;))))

I drove a B9.5 Audi S4 for 5 months, it really feels like the S3 is the smaller S4 with the engine mounted transversely. Both cars have identical dashboard, infotainment system, 0-60, quad exhaust, rev limit at 4000 rpm, even the hidden Audi Sport badge on the rims! And both cars give you the fly-under-the-radar feeling in terms of styling

Yo Doug's body language at 1:52 is impeccable. Just a straight masterpiece.

I wish Audi had manuals available, especially for the S models. I have a mk7 Golf & a B8.5 A5 both with 6 speeds. So much fun to drive & the S models world be so much more so with 3 pedals.

Fully loaded Gof R with DSG = $46,700. Fully loaded AUdi S3 with Premium plus= $56,000. It is so abvious that S3 uses more higher quality materials inside since premium brand + 10k more than Golf R

Bringing back the OG iPod tech into the volume knob. Love it

5:02 Audi does offer a hatchback version of the A3, S3, and RS3. I don't know if it is available in the US, but it is something that Audi offers. If it is not available in the US, this seems more like a US problem than an S3 problem. Nevertheless, this is only a minor criticism, and overall, it is still a great review.

It breaks my heart that we won't be seeing this drivetrain in a TT😭😭😭

Great video Doug, you are by far the best car reviewer on RU-vid hands down!

Doug points out all sorts of tidbits in his reviews that other reviewers, no matter how thorough, miss. He really brings it.

Firs time doug is on time with my life XD, just got my new S3 two weeks ago and I LOVE IT, but in Europe we get a nicer steering wheel with a flat bottom.

comparing the Golf R, which comes fully loaded, to a base S3 which is super de-contented is kinda not a fair comparison tbh Doug. If you want a non-shit sound system, HUD, adaptive cruise, adaptive dampers etc you're at $55k. So it's about a $10k price difference, same as it was in the previous generation.

To see the evolution and how far they’ve gotten with their sequential taillights is truly astonishing 😂

I’ve got a ‘21 Jetta GLI and I adore the ability to close the mesh screen with the sunroof open (my nearly bald head appreciates it even more so). Underrated quirk/feature.

Love that you can close the sun shade with the sunroof open. It’s only on the 3 and I’ve missed it since the day I moved up to a 4.

I’m just saying Doug, your videos brighten the worst days. Thanks for your reviews after all these years!

if there was an s3 or rs3 hatch, I'd buy it in a heartbeat

@ 21:12, I love when Doug mentions the Kia Stinger…he’s the reason why I ended up purchasing my GT

Love the review. Love the channel. Just for fun....my 2006 renault clio sport had the same sun roof configuration, you could have it open and still use the shade blind lol

yes! Audis in park are limited for some reason. This has been case with every car I've had with them, until I got a 2017 Performance RS7. Will go to the red line vs the low 3s you mentioned. Not sure why that has been the case.

I love to see how the front armrest mechanism visible from the back hasn't changed since like 1998. Edit: same story goes for the floor lift latch in the trunk.

8:07 My 22 Gli has that same sunroof design, and when its super bright outside, and i still want the sunroof open, that shade does a lot to keep the sun from bearing down on me. Its a great feature that VAG has!

great review daddy dough!

Hatchback isn't always more practical. If you're not constantly hauling tons of stuff nor putting the rear seats down to do so. Having the security of a lockable trunk to store expensive items in it, will always be more practical than a hatch. Can't simply smash & grab with a trunk. You can definitely do that with a hatchback. Smash the rear glass, reach in and take what's inside.

My mom had an A3 45TFSIe competition, 245hp already felt fast, can’t imagine 300+ in the same car

Another point on the S3 over golf R side is availability. Try finding a golf R right now. I wanted a golf R initially but couldn’t find one anywhere and VW told me not to expect any coming in. I was in an S3 within few weeks after that conversation with VW.

Just ordered one. Sport package with sport exhaust. Year end deals were very strong.

I think everybody’s favourite moment is when he says “this!”

Doug, at least mention that there's an A3 S3 RS3 Sportback in other Markets outside the USA please

Super cool video Doug keep it up :)

Doug DeMuro is single handedly carrying the car enthusiast community through these unpresidented times. Between the quality, unbiased content and the genuinely incredible Cars and Bids platform (really the only place for enthusiasts not to get completely ripped off buying OR selling) this man is a legend!!

They should have stayed with similar design language on the interior as the outgoing s3, with the circular cooling vents and the pop up infotainment. That was slick. This dash board looks clunky

Doug is the typical guy who instead of singing in the shower, imitates car sounds 😂

It has been mentioned before in the posts the Golf R comes very well equipped and once you start equipping the S3 you jump into the 50k range....The local dealer had one coming in at $57k. Looking at the build / price of the RS3 I priced one out with the options I wanted and I was in the low $60k range. Again the RS3 comes well equipped.

Keeeep 'em coming Doug

I love the new interior on these new 3 models, I do like the old exterior tho.

I've put 50k miles on my 2016 S3 and love the darn thing so much. I am debating a 22 S3 or hold off a bit and buy the new gen RS3. I might do the latter if I can buy at sticker...

Very nice sporty little sedan. Need more of these. A hatch version would of been great!

My MINI Cooper has the same feature with the sun shade closing independently of the sunroof!

The Golf R also has better brakes. They went with a larger 2 piston front brake setup. Its like they dont want people to buy the new S3 this year

Doug is the kind of guy to listen to MetalCore while wearing a dog collar.

I had 2 B5.5 A4s, and always dreamed of having an S4. Now I have a B8.5 S4 and I get what you are saying about the size - though I am closer to 450 crank now... hehe

The small storage next to the steer so to say? It's for a small umbrella, so that you can pull it out before getting wet.

Audi kills you on options. I was cross shopping this w/ the Golf R, GR86, Supra 2.0 and the new 230i. The S3 priced out WAY above the budget w/ similar options.

No torque vectoring awd, no cooled seat option, less power and torque than Golf R, no hatchback S3 in the USA = not worth it over the R imo

My mother's 2009 saturn outlook's sunroof also lets the mesh close independent of the sunroof

Nice review, you're completely right on climate control, steering wheel (yay, real buttons there too), seats and interior quality. the one thing this car is really lacking in, is the "connected feature" functionality in the infotainment sadly.. Mine has several issues with the infotainment, not letting me log in with my myAudi User account (so most of the app stuff, like sending destinations from your Phone etc don't work), very slow and spotty feature updates and bug fixes (on the early infotainment version i had, the useer account thing worked but the rear cam was seriously laggy, now the cam is fine and the user doesn't work anymore, been in contact with Audi for almost 2,5 Months now and they still have no idea how to fix it) But overall it's a really fun car, shame you in the american market don't get the hatchback (though i'm also driving a sedan)

Ehh. to me the sweeping turn signal is still not ideal compared to the euro version. maybe it’s just me but i can barely see that is sweeping. If I was behind a car like this, I might have not noticed which is a shame since the euro sweeps are so damn cool

Golf R has heated steering wheel and rear seats plus ventilated front seats, stuff you can’t get on the S3 even on the top $55k model. I’d prefer physical controls for climate as well, but not enough to pay $10k more for a worse equipped, less practical car.

The volume control is basically an iPod. Love it

Doug, we love you Doug

Canadians would say it looks like a hockey stick. Doug being a gun loving America immediately says oh it looks like a gun 😂😂😂

There is an S3 Sportback sold outside of North America.

Love that the solution for radio/volume controls is to use an iPod classic wheel

Can you do a review on the updated veloster n, the 2022 version with the new safety features and bucket seats, and new dct. I really want to hear your thoughts on it and how it improved upon the original models and it’s competition, especially cuz the dct model has a faster 0-60 than the type r.

Have one, put it in sport mode and the exhaust note opens up. Also if you preload the turbo in 3rd around 3500rpm you get some pretty nice backfires. Missed out on a lot of things the car offers, 3 different speedometer/tachometer options. Exhaust sound , suspension, launch control adjustments in the personalized dynamic option. Good review but didn’t do the car justice…you didn’t even launch it.

Cutting costs on rear door trim is not cynical, it's how automakers keep cars affordable. They have to cap budgets somewhere and rear door cards is a reasonable spot. What owner spends their time anywhere but the driver's seat?

17:00 I'm glad they used an amber turn signal here and not a red turn signal like other North American-spec Audis.

I'm actually surprised that Audi doesn't offer the S3 hatchback in the US. One disappointing thing is that the folding rear seats are now an optional extra you can pay for even on the hatchback.

You're leaving out some important data during your price comparisons to the Golf R. The MSRP of the Golf R is already fully loaded and in order to get a similarly equipped S3 you need to option it out to 53k or more. Then, even AFTER adding those packages, the Golf R includes the following that the S3 does not: - Golf R has a torque vectoring rear diff whereas the S3 does not. You have to jump up to the RS3 to get that. This is a big deal in terms of driving experience. - The Golf R dynamic chassis control is far more flexible (up to 15 different damper settings in individual mode) - Golf R has ventilated seats, S3 does not. - Golf R has heated rear seats, S3 is front only.

Doug always making the best videos in the industry

I had the B5 Passat V6 (2004), and I bought it due to its near luxury feel. Then the nightmares (reliability issues, as you mentioned), began. I’ve owned 20 cars in my lifetime, German, American, Japanese, and Korean. The Passat was easily the least reliable and most expensive to fix. I now daily drive a 2018 Miata GT, and while not the most practical car (my son’s Mazda3 works for that), it’s much easier and less expensive to live with. As a widowed father and teacher, I need an affordable car. As an enthusiast, I need a fun car. Germany no longer offers affordable cars.

I’m a fan well versed it automotive though there’s only one Audi that has excited me in the last seven years and I’d love to see you review it, the RS5!!!

Sweet

Loaded Golf R with DSG and sunroof package in Canada is now $48,645 Loaded S3 (similarly equipped and minus some of the packages) is $61,810 So yeah, definitely not a $2,000 difference, and in my opinion, definitely not worth a $10k+ premium over the Golf R

Just wanna say thx. In a world with soooooooooooooooooooooooo much drama, insanity, ego and evil you bring some very much needed stability, lightness and quirkiness to our reality! Thx Doug!! 💙

The sunroof/shade trick is also possible on Fords, at least here in Europe

This is more of a Golf R derivative than a rival

I’m surprised the RS3 is not out in the US yet, as it has been available in Europe for months now.

There is a lot to like about this car. I've been waiting for my golf r for 5 months now... if we got the s3 hatch that Europe has I probably would have went with that. Hard to fit all my gear and anything else in that little trunk.

Great video

I’m actually a huge fan of the shift “lever”. I hated all the other designs for it, but the truth is a shift “knob” in an automatic is just unnecessary so this is a good replacement imo.

Why they can't give us the hatchback S3 in North America is a crime. Just to drive more sales for SUVs by making the cars as impractical as possible.

I think one big difference between the S3 and the Golf R is the rear differential. In the Golf R you get the new e-lsd in the rear which gives you proper torque vectoring.

The R53 Mini Cooper S has a similar sunroof/mesh windscreen combination, which allows air ventilation but limits sunlight.

I remember almost buying a S3 two years ago. It was so much fun to drive: it was fast, sounded great and looked awesome. But decided to go for a more practical car (Q5) with more cargo space and a tow hitch to be able to carry my bikes. My car ia not slow either with 250hp, but i still think about how i loved that testride in the S3. 😅

why don't you switch the driving to a pov style like everybody else so we can see the infotainment and the street? Would be much appreciated!

S3 has rubber seals on the doors for wind noise reduction, not available in the VW. Opposite situation in the MKV generation (A3s didn't have them, Jettas did) al least here in Argentina.

Nice to see the center MMI screen integrated into the binnacle rather than a "tacked-on" tablet which in my opinion is tacky.