Whiteshadow89

Hi Everyone,
I was recently in the market to upgrade my 2015 S3 to something more. Two of the vehicles I had the luxury to drive as potential replacements were the 2018 RS3 and 2018 S4. Part of me is doing this review just to share my thoughts, but I also wanted to share this review as I found a few articles of people asking "RS3 or S4?". Some of the information in these articles were good, some were not, and you rarely found people that had spent wheel time behind both cars back to back. I am hoping this post provides a good read, and helps those that will ask the question of "which car? RS3 or S4?" Truthfully I am not really sure if I should have posted this here in the RS3 section, or in the S4 section haha. Anyways, onto the comparison
Details
-RS3 driven was loaded minus the dynamic plus package.
-S4 driven was a prestige with every option minus the dynamic steering.
-Both cars were driven back to back on the same roads. The drive had city/around town, highway, and back road spirited driving.

Exterior
Winner: RS3
This is completely subjective so I will keep this short. I prefer the looks of the RS3 more than the S4. The RS3 has added lines to the body that lend an extra level of aggression that the S4 lacks. It is also worth noting that the dual oval black exhaust outlets, diffuser, and black optics package really set the RS3 off. It lets you know there is something to this car without being over the top like the Civic Type R is.

Interior
Winner: S4
This is not to say the RS3 has a bad interior because it doesn't. The RS3 has an interior worthy of its price tag, and areas like the cockpit feel I actually preferred in the RS3 over the S4. Still the RS3 loses here for two reasons. One, there are some key issues in the RS3's interior. Things like power seats (to be fair they adjust better than some power seats), and no home link on a car in this price range blows my mind. Especially when it's little brother, the S3, has a home link. Two, when I thought about which car looked like a $63K+ interior the S4 is what came to mind more. The S4 makes better use of its extra carbon fiber in the option carbon fiber inlay package. The interior aesthetic is better, the technology is better, and the B&O sound system is a little better as well. Both cars should make most parties happy, but the S4 takes the win here hands down in my book.

Driving & Livability
Winner: RS3
To be clear the S4 is a heck of a car. It is smoother, quieter, and more compliant than the RS3 while still being very capable in performance. So how does the RS3 get the win for this segment? Well for starts the RS3 is dangerously close to the S4 in terms of compliance, and smoothness. During both the around town, and highway driving I was shocked as to how well the RS3 handled bumps, poor winter road patch jobs and etc. Having daily driven an S3 for 3 years I actually preferred how the RS3 took rough road sections...go figure. It was quickly clear to me that the RS3 is a car that can easily be a compliant daily driver. You sit in the RS3 enjoying the B&O sound system, and with the radio on the only other thing you really hear is the glorious turbo 5 exhaust. The Turbo 5 is paired to a 7 speed DCT. It isn't as instantaneous as the S4's turbo 6 and ZF auto, but that is the only thing the S4's engine/tranny does better in my opinion. I found the turbo 5 to be tame below 3500-4000rpm, and the DCT shifts smoothly. I also have to admit I appreciated the versatility of the RS sport exhaust. Was nice to have the ability to set the engine sound to dynamic to hear more of that glorious exhaust note, and when you want things to be quieter you set the engine sound to comfort which leaves the baffle closed.

Being "dangerously close" shouldn't be enough to win here, and well it isn't. The final reason why the RS3 won this segment was its playful, yet lovable personality. This is a car that is fine being tame, but it will 100% tempt you to do things behind the wheel that you shouldn't do. This playful and lovable personality the RS3 has is thanks to some of its key attributes. The RS3 is quick, agile, responsive, and its engine has a heart of gold. I found myself smiling, and just having more fun behind the wheel of the RS3 when driving around town, or even on the highway. When you combine this level of fun in life's mundane driving moments, and the fact that the RS3 is very close to the S4 in terms of daily driving compliance, you get a car that just deserves to win.

To me the largest pro of the S4 in this segment was space. Space is not something to ignore but coming from an S3 for 3 years as a daily driver I knew what the RS3 could do. It can hold my rifles for range day, it can hold my golf clubs, go grocery shipping, and it can hold 4 tires for when they need to be replaced. I was also able to go on road trips in comfort with my wife in the S3, and we have double dated with two adults in the back without scuff marks on the doors when they get out. I am sure our friends would have loved some extra space, but no one complained to begin with. I am sure many people need the extra space of the S4, and that is a legit need, just not for me.

Dynamic Driving & Performance
Winner: RS3.
During my time behind the wheel I was limited with what I could do, but I was able to do enough to know that the RS3 feeds the S4 humble pie. If you remember I stated that the RS3 is a car that tries to tempt you into doing things you shouldn't do, well when you do give into temptation the RS3 acts as if Motley Crue's "kickstart my heart" started playing as it screams in joy "OH! YEAH!!" In a corner the RS3 is so eager, planted, nimble, and easy to approach its limits. The chassis is just flat out better suited for spirited driving than the S4's chassis. It doesn't stop here though. The steering is also light years better. From a driving standpoint in the S4, the steering was one of the aspects I just didn't care for. The S4 was numb, and a tad too light in dynamic (felt like my S3 in auto). The RS3 actually does try to communicate, and the weight is proper for the RS3 given what it is capable of. Between the steering and the chassis, the RS3 generates a level of confidence that dwarfs the confidence the S4 inspires.

The engine, and DCT really shine even more under dynamic situations. The S4 is one of the best ZF auto's I have touched, and it does a great job; however compared to the RS3's DCT it takes a back seat. The 7 speed DCT is extremely initiative. For a new car it provided shifts closer to where I wanted them, and it was blazing quick when a shift needed to be performed. Audi has definitely upgraded the transmission tune on the RS3 when I think about how my S3 was. The turbo 5 that burbles around town, just whales and roars over 4k rpm. During my test drive I could only go so with the engine, but enough to know it could punch my spine into the seat with incredible force. This surprise of power when I wasn't even going all out was just intoxicating. Simply put it doesn't feel just a little quicker than an S4, but in a different league of power. It should surprise no one here that the very capable S4 would be humbled here by the RS3.

Conclusion
When I got done with the S4 I was impressed, and I knew I had a real contender compared to everything else driven. The RS3 on the other hand when I had to turn it over, all I could do was my best Will Smith impression from Independence Day as I exclaimed "I have got to get me one of these!" I went with the RS3 because I felt it was a better balance of fun, sport characteristics, luxury, and compliance. The S4 may be smoother, but motortrend uses the term "smoove" for a reason to describe the S4. The S4 is luxurious, and smooth....too smooth to the point where it filters out some of the excitement. It wasn't that the S4 wasn't a good car, it is, but the RS3 was just better. I didn't care that the RS3 ran me 2-3k more than the S4 would have after discount. The RS3 just took it to the other cars that I drove. So far into my ownership with the RS3 it has continued to impressive and provide me a ton of joy while being very tame when I need it to be. I know finding an RS3 to drive is very hard; whether it is finding one to drive, or an Audi dealer to let you drive one. If you get the chance, take it as you won't regret it. If you can’t find one to drive, then take a leap of faith knowing that it is one heck of car that does indeed live up to its hype. I hope you all enjoyed this post. I hope I could help some that were curious between these two cars, and I hope I didn't offend anyone here with what was said here.

Now, here are some pics of the new ride.

Andy Chang

Just Gorgeous. How much are you paying a month for this. Did you lease or buy? Usually high performance versions (like M, AMG & RS's) are doodoo when it comes to Lease.

superswiss

Nice review. RS models are at a different level. Once you've gone RS you'll know what they are truly about and you might not wanna go back ever. At least that's how I feel. My primary car has been a 2013 RS5 for the past 5 years that I picked up in Germany with Audi's European Delivery Program. Best way to buy an RS and really get to experience it on the turf it was built for. Their ability to be a calm daily driver and road trip car, but then be able to rip up the tarmac at a push of a button is very impressive. They are very very versatile, much more than an S. I'm fortunate to having Audi on Demand, Audi's venture into car sharing in my area, so I essentially have a pay-per-use virtual Audi fleet at my disposal w/o having to own a fleet myself. I regularly take cars like the R8 Spyder out for a weekend in the canyons. I haven't driven the RS3 yet, but I have driven the TTRS and it's a fun little car. The A3 platform, though is just too small for my taste as a primary car. The B pillar blocking my peripheral vision is my biggest detractor from sedans in general, but small sedans in particular. I'm more of a GT coupe person. I did take the S3 on a 4 day road trip to Mammoth Lakes, CA, but I wasn't very impressed. It goes back to my earlier point. Once you've gone RS, the S models tend not to live up to expectations anymore.

Whiteshadow89

Thanks man. I ended up buying the RS3, not leasing it. As you said, lease deals typically aren't that good fro high end German cars. I think if the resale is strong though on the RS3 the lease wouldn't be too bad. I remember my breifly thought about leasing his TTRS, and the deal was substantially better than other Audi models, but I don't remember the specifics for that lease.

I 100% agree with you. I loved my S3, and the S4 impressed me. After driving the RS3 though it put both of them as well as the other vehicles I was considering to shame. That is pretty nice you have the ability to swap Audi cars frequently without ever having to take ownership of them. I think the RS3 is worth a try, though if you have driven the TTRS it may not be worth it. My father recently took delivery on his TTRS so I am pretty familiar with it. RS3 drives very similarly to the TTRS, but the TTRS is better. You should try the new RS5 once you get the chance. True statement though that once you make the leap to RS, going back to an S (which are great vehicles) just doesn't feel the same. I remember in one of the RS3 vs S4 articles I read when I was researching cars one person stated that unless you plan to track the RS3 you should get the S4. I couldn't disagree wit that sentiment more haha.

zzcett

Yeah, I'm a bit worried about this fact. I tend to keep my cars a while, but I've gone from a '66 Karmann Ghia to an '01 TT and now to an '18 RS3. I can't imagine what is next in that line, but it's probably not anything that starts with an A, or S!

superswiss

I've already driven the new RS5. Took it out a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it didn't quite do it for me compared to the old one. It lost a lot of what made the old one great for me. That naturally aspirated, high revving screaming engine paired with the awesome track focused S-tronic just puts a lot more smiles per miles on my face. The old RS5 has a lot of R8 DNA, but is overall a more usable package as a primary car. The engine is essentially a smaller version of the V10. The new RS5 was kinda boring in comparison. There are certainly parts about it that are better, but overall I prefer my old one by quite a bit. The ZF8 in the new RS5 while being the best implementation of the ZF8 yet that I've driven just doesn't match the old S-tronic for feel and driving enjoyment. The new one is perhaps a better commuter package, but I don't commute. Most of my driving besides daily errands is mostly for pleasure and the old RS5 has been the best road trip car I've owned so far. Ready to play at a moments notice if a fun road presents itself after some mundane highway driving.

Whiteshadow89

So another RS or an R8 in 10 years? Not bad haha. Yea, I don't foresee myself going back to an A or S after tasting the RS3.

Huh, disappointing it isn't a solid improvement over the old one. Yea the previous gen RS5 was a pretty usable sports coupe. Oh, they still put the ZF in for the new RS? I was hoping that was only for the S4 and S5 models.

superswiss

Yep, ZF8, too. It's got a smaller and lighter torque converter that locks more aggressively and sooner to get some of the feel back. Unfortunately, the dual clutch transmissions are on the way out, too. The powers in charge are convinced that torque converter automatics can be as good. I've yet to see it. But the all-new BMW M5 now has a ZF8. The next M3/4 is rumored to get the ZF8 as well. Many other sport cars use the ZF8 like the Jaguar F-Type etc. Problem is the majority of customers who buy these cars do so because they have the money, but then just drive to/from work and get their groceries with it and then complain if the car doesn't drive super smooth while going 15 mph on the Interstate.

Whiteshadow89

Ew. I mean ZF's can be capable, don't get me wrong, but it isn't my preference for an auto. Yea, many people car about instantaneous responsiveness from a dead stop. Funny thing is, a good DCT is actually smooth. Not as instantaneous as a ZF, but still smooth. My 2015 S3 had horrid lag from a dead stop thanks to the 6 speed DCT, and 2.0T turbo. The RS3, Porsches, current M4, and previous gen M3 were all very responsive when around town. Just don't see how some people could complain with some of the better DCT's.

superswiss

Even the good DCTs can be a bit clunky in stop&go traffic. You'll have to finesse it a bit at times, which I love to do. I would say overall a DCT is more involved and requires some thinking, whereas regular automatics are stomp&go. No thinking required. I think it's the latter that especially American drivers want in a car. For example the A6 is sold with the ZF8 in the USA, whereas in Europe it can be had with the DSG. I feel the new RS5 is primarily targeted at the US market. Performance cars still sell well here, whereas in Europe they are tougher and tougher to sell with taxes based on size of engine and CO2 emissions as well as a growing antisocial image. Audi Sport is after the mass market to sell more RS vehicles. The old RS5 was deliberately limited production and I'm guessing the people who bought one like me, really wanted it. There were none on the lots or in the showrooms when I bought mine. I ordered w/o driving one and only saw it briefly at the San Francisco Autoshow. The new one you can see in the showrooms now. My dealer has one, which they marked up by $10k and it's not selling. I'm wondering if they marked it up to try to keep it in the showroom for a bit, but they certainly have no takers so far.