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Talk me out of an Audi RS3 sedan...

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#21 ·
That RS3 Nurburgring video is hilarious. Especially that someone would make such a video had me in tears.

The RS3 is an amazing car for everyday driving and usability. It's fast as all heck, well put together, a looker, and safe for the kiddos. It's also a great driver's car at about 8.5/10's. Once you start to push beyond that, it just pushes back. The Focus RS is much more fun at the limit. You can ask yourself, how often are you or do you want to be at the limit while driving about your normal commute?
 
#22 ·
The RS3 in the wagon is the way to go. I’m not a big fan of the sedan so much. Ide much rather have a manual, but the auto would be way better for my commute of stop and go rush hour. The 5cyl sounds incredible and just a flash of the ecu pays off with a 127 mph trap speed. Imagine what it can do with a few mods and an E85 tune.
 
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#23 · (Edited)
sgtiger said:
I've had my 2017 NB RS2 since April. I'm at about 2750mi and it's completely stock. I did buy the factory 8yr extended warranty.

The car has been a lot of fun. I love the color, lots of thumbs up and positive attention. It's pretty quick off the line. From a roll it seems like everything else out there is faster. It's a blast in the twisties. I did notice it gets twitchy on certain highways and bad roads.

The Audi RS3 sedan has had my eye for a little while. 400hp, AWD, luxury amenities. Haven't test driven it... I find test drives aren't very reliable for long term happiness. I definitely lose interest in cars quickly.

I have two kids (6mo and 5yr). RS is pretty tight inside, but I love hatchbacks. My old Mazdaspeed3 had more room in the back. My commute is about 1-2mi, so it's manageable, just not great.

What are forum thoughts on the RS3 sedan?
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Because it's an Audi and everyone knows Audi owners are tossers.

Ciao
 
#24 ·
The interiors and tech and ambiance are leagues above the RS. Significantly better put together and actually feels like how much it costs, unlike the RS. And as others have stated, if I had to daily through a ****ty commute than an PVA group dual clutch tranny would be a no brainer.

Never driven an rs3 but a few s3. Nice car but the interior is just way too small for me, and I’m not a big guy. Reminds me of the Lexus is250/350. Not a small car but the interior is cramped as duck. I also live the typical Canadian lifestyle. Camping, skiing, biking, hiking etc. I need a hatch
 
#25 ·
Depends on what kind of car you want to drive...when the virtues of a Car are described as interior quality and tech ambiance, it doesn’t sound like you’re talking about a drivers car to me. Granted, it’s great if the quality of interior materials are high and the tech features are convenient and/or cool, but the RS’s driver engagement is why I bought it....in that regard it reminds me of the two miatas I owned, the 89 civic si, the 1997 M3 I also owned. These weren’t all fast cars to be sure but fast does not always equal fun. And automatics - even brilliantly designed dual-clutch units - are fun limiters....the cars so equipped may be fun despite that transmission but I cannot see how they are fun because of them.
 
#26 ·
Depends what you want. If it were me today buying a new car and I was faced with the choice between the RS LE and the RS3, it'd be a no brainer, RS3 all the way. That's because Ford has jacked up LE pricing in Canada to ridiculous levels.

The videos everyone is posting are the last generation RS3 models, and those have iron engine blocks versus the all aluminum engine in the current RS3 sedan, so it definitely handles better than those older ones.

So it depends what you want. The RS3 is built on an A3 chassis which is arguably a better built base for a performance car than a Focus - just in terms of materials, fit and finish, and technology (virtual cockpit for one). The 5 cylinder is amazing and sounds terrific. But at the end of the day, it's still a Haldex and does not get power down like the GKN system of the RS. So, when you're really going for it, I think the RS is going to be as much if not more fun than the RS3. As a daily driver, I don't think there's any question that the RS3 will be the more comfortable car. As for practicality, you can't beat a hatchback, period. And no, the RS3 Sportback is not coming to North America.

Either choice, you will enjoy the car, but if you want a more premium experience, the RS3 is the one to go for.
 
#27 ·
2017WhiteRS said:
Question for you guys. A good auto (e.g. the DSG) may shift quickly, the system may make shifts at the right time and anything else you could say positively about the unit (inclusive of quicker acceleration times than its manual counterpart), but don’t you mind the loss of engagement that you get with any automatic, no matter how good it is?!
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YES.
 
#28 · (Edited)
with two kids and if it's your only car, buy and audi RS3 no hesitation to have
I'm single still not old enough to care about the harsh ride I just want to enjoy a fun car while they are still allowed on the road (in Europe with their irrealistic and 100% anti-car ecology policies I doubt you'll still be able to buy a RS-like car in 10y) I take curves as extreme as i can lol and will definitely go track racing in 1 year (the time I usually take to acknowledge the car) because it's fun but I would not want my family to live with an RS, RS are and will always be "hooniganing" cars if you're not going to don't buy one and if you have a wife and kids also don't buy one it will kind of work but it's not meant for that use

DSG kicks ass BUT one thing tough be wary of the warranty if you can and it covers the gearbox take an extension, cause they aren't cheap at all and you can easily end up with 5-10k+ bill that's a pretty big problems for all high mileage dual-clutch gearbox cars, one that of course they don't talk about
also you'll loose a bit of engine braking (well I was told this last week from someone with a BMW but don't know if it applies to all DSG like gearboxes)
 
#29 ·
#31 ·
Amen brother.
Also - what makes the RS unfit for two little kids? Decent back seat and hatchback....been down the kid road pretty far (15 and 11 year olds now)- and Many parents go overkill on the space needs for their kids. If you need to haul more stuff than an rs does, get a car carrier....and in the context of this thread, we are talking about comparing two cars, neither one is particularly spacious. The Audi has a great interior (as they all do), powerful motor, no hatch and the wrong transmission. Oh and it’s probably a third more costly when all is said and done. Seems to me that cross shopping these two suggests the buyer doesn’t get the spirit of the RS in the first place.

The RS is a hot hatch with the benefit of technological andvances and the Audi is a GT for the affluent millennial. I don’t even see them as direct competitors.

cont
targetarcher said:
Already a pretty good discussion of why the RS is better than the RS3 http://www.focusrs.org/forum/2-news...best-hot-hatches-2017-our-ultimate-test-picks-best-car-modern-boy-racers-2.html

(1) Too high cost to be in same category as RS $65K versus $40K
(2) Not manual shift
(3) Very fast, but too sedate

Number (2) is key, two pedal driving is Blah, Meh, Passive, Boring
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Discussion starter · #32 ·
Seems to me that cross shopping these two suggests the buyer doesn’t get the spirit of the RS in the first place.

The RS is a hot hatch with the benefit of technological andvances and the Audi is a GT for the affluent millennial. I don’t even see them as direct competitors.
Click to expand...
Really? To me they appeal to the same buyers: Car enthusiasts.

There's a reason I purchased the RS and ditched my AWD Infiniti Q50. I wanted a manual transmission, turbo, hatchback, AWD, eye popping paint. It was a modern equivalent of my college dream car, the Integra Type-R. It has fully lived up to my expectations, minus the tight fitting seats... and getting slaughtered from a roll.

The RS3... It has the speed, and I admit the auto transmission bothers me. My wife doesn't drive a manual, and I like that.
That said, the RS3 offers some things that the RS doesn't. Great interior. Real engine sounds. Killer speed from a roll and a dig. Handling, I'm not sure about. The RS is a dream in the corners -- but it's very twitchy on highways with odd crowning. I also secretly love the attention I get from the RS. It's fun to share that connection with people. A thumbs up every drive. Comments in parking lots. Even non car people talk about it! I doubt that would happen with the RS3.
 
#34 ·
Rear Leg Room -A little Overated ..but not much

2017WhiteRS said:
Amen brother.
Also - what makes the RS unfit for two little kids? Decent back seat and hatchback....been down the kid road pretty far (15 and 11 year olds now)- and Many parents go overkill on the space needs for their kids. If you need to haul more stuff than an rs does, get a car carrier....and in the context of this thread, we are talking about comparing two cars, neither one is particularly spacious. The Audi has a great interior (as they all do), powerful motor, no hatch and the wrong transmission. Oh and it’s probably a third more costly when all is said and done. Seems to me that cross shopping these two suggests the buyer doesn’t get the spirit of the RS in the first place.

The RS is a hot hatch with the benefit of technological andvances and the Audi is a GT for the affluent millennial. I don’t even see them as direct competitors.

cont
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Okay, the rear leg room of the RS is 33.4 inches, which is the almost the same as the ST (33.2). I lived with an ST for 3 1/2 years and took Four Adults on longer trips and the rear seat room, albeit a little snug, is acceptable for adults.

Okay the RS3 has a rear seat room of 35.1 ( 1.7 inches greater than RS) ( for comparison Golf R has 35.6 inches). I have a Golf R and the rear seat room is 2.2 inches greater than the RS and it is more comfortable ( as well as dynamic shocks). However, the RS can accommodate four 6 footish adults in reasonable comfort. The RS is way,way more fun than the RS3 because it has 3 pedals and has a raw, raucous manner than never fails to plant a big smile across your face everytime! :victorious:
 
#35 ·
And where exactly are those measurements taken? Chances are younger kids don't need tons of leg room. I fit a rear facing car seat in the middle and still drive comfortable at 6' tall.
 
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#36 ·
This seems like such a strange comparison. The RS is 40k and a base RS3 is 55k. I think the allure of the RS is the performance for the price you pay. When you start venturing into 60k territory, a whole bunch of options open up for you. But I know as a poor folk this RS is about as much as I can afford.
 
#37 ·
sgtiger said:
Really? To me they appeal to the same buyers: Car enthusiasts.

There's a reason I purchased the RS and ditched my AWD Infiniti Q50. I wanted a manual transmission, turbo, hatchback, AWD, eye popping paint. It was a modern equivalent of my college dream car, the Integra Type-R. It has fully lived up to my expectations, minus the tight fitting seats... and getting slaughtered from a roll.

The RS3... It has the speed, and I admit the auto transmission bothers me. My wife doesn't drive a manual, and I like that.
That said, the RS3 offers some things that the RS doesn't. Great interior. Real engine sounds. Killer speed from a roll and a dig. Handling, I'm not sure about. The RS is a dream in the corners -- but it's very twitchy on highways with odd crowning. I also secretly love the attention I get from the RS. It's fun to share that connection with people. A thumbs up every drive. Comments in parking lots. Even non car people talk about it! I doubt that would happen with the RS3.
Click to expand...
I had an Integra GSR ( one step under the Integra Type -R) but with a cold air intake and modified exhaust is was an awesome canyon carver. If your college dream car, was an Integra Type-R then by all means you should have bought the CTR. The RS3 is not even close; It is fast , but sedate and 2 pedals means no driver interaction or only minimal interaction : steer , gas, brake. _ BORING
 
#38 ·
@sgtiger - Car enthusiasts aren’t a homogeneous group so saying that the RS3 and RS attract the same buyers is like saying vacation home buyers like the same properties when some want the beach and others want the mountains (for example). sure, it’s by no means impossible to like both (and there’s nothing wrong with it) but you’re listing your dream Car attributes and the Rs checks all those boxes and the RS3 is only fast and makes a pretty noise for way more money and loses the visceral nature of the RS. My wife doesn’t drive manual either and we’ve taken a crack at that now and again over the years....but it doesn’t matter to her that much so she doesn’t drive either one of my cars. If it mattered, she’d learn. The logic doesn’t seem to line up, you love the RS, have had it for less than a year - are gonna get hosed on sale or trade (as anyone does when they have a car for so short a time)....only to spend loads more money on a car that has admitted virtues but none that can be considered distinct advantages over the rs from an enthusiast’s perspective but for a small degree of extra straight line grunt (losing a fair bit of driver engagement in the process). No arguing preference, but it seems like bad logic to abandon the RS
 
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