Is the 2026 Audi S3 a good car?
No.
1 of 6checks
- Family car: 1 of 4. Rear legroom 35.1 in. Class median 37.2 in.
- First car: 3 of 5. Price $52,000. Class median $51,795.
- Commuter: $107 a month. Class median $99.
- Seniors: 1 of 3. Height 55.8 in. Class middle half 56.2 to 58.9 in.
- Good buy: 1 rival beats it on all four.
- Not enough data: off-road.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | No | 1 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 3 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $107 vs $99 a month |
| Seniors | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | Not enough data | N/A |
| Worth the money | Yes | 14% below predicted |
| Good buy | No | 1 beat it on all four |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the S3 a good family car?
No. Passes 1 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 35.1 in | Median 37.2 in | 67 | No |
| Rear headroom | 36.1 in | Median 37.6 in | 67 | No |
| Cargo behind the last row | 8.3 cu ft | Median 15.4 cu ft | 61 | No |
Is the S3 a good first car?
No. Passes 3 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $52,000 | Median $51,795 | 69 | No |
| Horsepower | 328 hp | 167 hp to 418 hp | 71 | Yes |
| Length | 177.4 in | Median 193.4 in | 68 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 36.5 ft | Median 38.4 ft | 67 | Yes |
| Fuel cost per mile | 12.3 cents | Median 11.4 cents | 69 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the S3 a good commuter car?
No. $107 a month to commute. Class median $99.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $107
- Median of 69 sedans
- $99
- Highway mpg
- 31 mpg, top 52% of 56
Is the S3 a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 55.8 in tall | 56.2 to 58.9 in tall | 70 | No |
| Front headroom | 36.5 in | Median 39.0 in | 66 | No |
| Turning circle | 36.5 ft | Median 38.4 ft | 67 | Yes |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the S3 a good off-road vehicle?
Not enough data.
Is the S3 worth the money?
Yes. Priced 14% below cars like it.
- Price, Base Style AWD
- $52,000
- Predicted price
- $60,740
- Gap
- -$8,740 (-14%)
- Model error
- 13% median, 275 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2026 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the S3 a good buy?
No. 1 rival costs less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Base Style AWD | $52,000 | 12.3 cents | 8.3 cu ft | 328 hp |
| Tesla Model 3 Premium AWD | $47,490 | 4.5 cents | 23.0 cu ft | 425 hp |
Compared with 242 trims of other makes, sedans, 2026.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree