2025 Audi A3 and S3 sedan is upgraded with more expressive design, greater performance and expanded connectivity
09/06/2024
Audi
Audi of America today announced an extensive freshening for the 2025 Audi A3 and S3 sedans, with all models arriving with standard quattro(R) all-wheel drive. The 2025 A3 becomes more appealing, more comfortable, and more digital than ever, thanks to its sharpened exterior design, extended standard equipment, new interior materials and access to the Audi app store that permits popular apps to be loaded directly into Audi's Multimedia Interface (MMI). The S3 sees substantial increases in performance with added power, chassis upgrades, and the addition of an advanced torque splitter - first introduced for the Nurburgring lap-record holding RS 3.
Sharpened exterior elevates A3 and S3 design
Following a major redesign for the 2022 model year, the 2025 A3 family receives a compelling exterior redesign update, which includes the new laser etched B-pillar badging strategy, two new wheels, and new front and rear LED lighting designs. Also new is an updated front fascia with a new frameless front grille design, and a more pronounced rear diffuser.
Two new wheels for the A3 include a standard 17" 10-V-spoke design with silver finish, and an optional 18" 5-double-spoke-modular design with a bicolor finish. Four new exterior colors available for the first time on the A3 sedan include Arkona White, Arrow Gray pearl effect, Progressive Red metallic, and District Green metallic.
Continuing the balanced performance positioning true of Audi S-models, the S3 has an even sportier and tauter appearance. The hexagonal, frameless Singleframe grille features a new structure that is noticeably flatter and wider. L-shaped design elements accentuate the grille that - along with the large, angular side air intakes - highlights the S3's dynamic character. A striking front spoiler, with two vertical struts inspired by motorsport, connects the two and further visually lowers the S3.
A new rear bumper for the S3 also underscores the car's dynamic look. Distinctive L-wing design elements found in the structure of the front Singleframe grille are also reflected at the rear in the glossy black apron above the diffuser. The rear diffuser is divided into two parts for an S specific design that looks particularly sporty when combined with the vertical side reflectors - a design element found in RS models. The dynamic appearance of the rear of the S3 is rounded out by hot four tailpipes, another characteristic S-model feature.
For the first time on S3 models, it is now possible to select and switch between up to four different digital daytime running light signatures in the MMI. The LED and optional Matrix LED headlights create the digital daytime running lights using 24-pixel elements in three rows on the upper edge of the housing. With their wedge-shaped, flat form and wide light graphics, the headlights emphasize the sporty character of the A3 models.
Significantly upgraded interior
To match the more striking exterior, the interior of all A3 models have also been significantly enhanced, including new designs for the shifter and air vents, and new interior lighting. The new interior inlays accent upgraded interior materials and technology, with the 10.25" Digital instrument cluster now standard. A wireless phone charging pad, and door panel lighting options are now also available along with the Audi App store upgrades that permits popular apps to be loaded directly into Audi's MMI. A Top view camera will also become available during the 2025 model year.
The standard equipment on the A3 has been extended to include a three-spoke leather steering wheel with multifunction plus, ambient light package, and front center armrest. A new blade design running the width of the dash is finished in chrome on the outer surface and makes the air vents appear thinner, further emphasizing the width of the cockpit. The inside door handles and center console have been redesigned and given a new finish, and the standard armrest adjusts in length and angle. The compact shifter, which provides convenient control over the functions of the 7-speed S tronic transmission, features a flatter design and blends seamlessly into the center console.
The now-standard interior lighting adds accents to the doors, footwells, center console and cup holders. Additional lighting elements, including 30 different interior ambient lighting colors to be selected via the MMI, and contour lighting on the switch panel and door sills, are available as options.
A new backlit fabric design element on the front doors is also present. The door panel's fabric covering was laser-cut 300 times to enable this feature, and five segments are illuminated by a light source within the door panel. Their different sizes create a dynamic flow of light - which is also displayed when locking and unlocking the vehicle. The large speakers for the new Sonos sound system are located in the lower part of the doors, making for an immersive listening experience with 3D sound.
The standard ambient light package plus in the S3 adds accents in the storage compartment in front of the shifter, on the doors, and in the footwell. With the model's upgrade, the center console and cup holder now also feature contour lighting. The interior of the S3 features dark colors with a few silver accents, and a black roof lining, stainless steel pedals, illuminated door sills with aluminum inserts featuring the S logo, and aluminum-style interior trim to emphasize the vehicle's sporty character. Artificial leather armrests and two-zone climate control also come as standard.
An available carbon fiber decorative inlay is available across all S3 trims, and a 3-spoke round multifunction Hands on Detection steering wheel with shift paddles is available as standard in both Premium Plus and Prestige trims. Sports seats with integrated headrests and pronounced side bolsters provide enhanced lateral support.
Better connected with new App store integration
For 2025, the Audi connect NAV trial subscription included with the A3 and S3 has increased its term from six months to three years. Audi's integrated in-vehicle App Store is now included with Audi connect PLUS, allowing a wide range of apps, including favorites such as Spotify and YouTube, to be directly downloaded to the Audi MMI.
The 2025 A3 now features as standard equipment a 10.1" touch display along with the Audi virtual cockpit. In addition to the available inductive smartphone charger, two USB-C charging ports in the center console in the front, and two additional USB-C ports in the rear come standard.
Standard quattro, and more power
Both the 2025 A3 and S3 are powered by turbocharged 2.0L TFSI(R) 4-cylinder engines and arrive standard with quattro(R) all-wheel drive paired to 7-speed S tronic transmissions. With quattro now standard on the A3, the model also receives a 15 lb.-ft. increase in engine torque to 236 lb.-ft., reducing the 0-60 mph time by 0.3 seconds (to 6.0 seconds).
The brand's ethos of Vorsprung durch Technik or Progress through Technology is epitomized with the ongoing technical improvements to the 2025 S3. The sedan sees a 22-horsepower bump year-over-year to 328 horsepower. The power increase comes with improved throttle response, thanks to a new turbocharger preload feature. This advancement increases the available torque when returning to the throttle by opening the throttle valve while coasting, helping maintain higher turbo velocities which are designed to reduce turbo lag. The maximum torque of 295 lb.-ft. is now available in a wider rpm range between 2,100 and 5,500 rpm. Top speed for the S3 is limited to 155 mph.
RS 3 derived chassis upgrades elevate S3 dynamics
Driving dynamics are significantly improved thanks to the S3 inheriting components from the ultra-high-performance RS 3 that recently set the lap record at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife. The addition of a new standard rear torque splitter and swivel bearing suspension are designed to improve lateral dynamics, traction and dynamic stability, along with steering response and performance behavior. A new Dynamic plus mode for Audi drive select takes advantage of the S3's chassis upgrades, altering parameters for the torque splitter, electronic stability control (ESC), max engine torque and idle speed, as well as engaging a hard rev limiter.
The torque splitter technology enables fully variable torque distribution between the rear wheels. Integrated into the torque splitter is an electronically controlled multiple disk clutch on each drive shaft which optimally distributes the torque between each rear wheel, whether on the inside or the outside of the curve - depending on the driving situation and the chosen Audi drive select mode. The torque splitter can actively distribute 100 percent of the available torque sent rearward to the outside wheel, significantly reducing the tendency to understeer or creating oversteer when drifting. A maximum of 50% of the total torque can be sent to the rear axle in any drive mode and the front axle always remains engaged.
Audi drive select now offers six distinct modes for a wider range of driving experiences - from an emphasis on the most comfortable, to the most highly dynamic. In addition to the five familiar profiles (auto, comfort, dynamic, individual, and efficiency), the model upgrade for the S3 features the new dynamic plus mode, which as the name suggests, ensures especially high driving dynamics. To do this, the torque splitter sends as much drive torque as possible to the rear axle and to the rear wheel on the outside of the curve, resulting in tuning that is geared towards oversteer.
The electronic stabilization control (ESC) is automatically active in sport mode. Modest interventions by the ESC system ensure an increased and even more emotional driving experience on surfaces with different friction coefficients. The engine and transmission have also been tuned specifically for dynamic plus mode. Compared to the dynamic mode, the idle speed of the 2.0 TFSI(R) engine has increased by 200 rpm to 1,300 rpm to further improve off-the-line performance. The throttle response is even more direct, and in addition to shorter gearshifts, the transmission also contributes to increased dynamics with later upshifts and earlier downshifts.
The transmission in the S3 also receives sportier tuning: The 7-speed S tronic now responds with more immediacy, thanks to higher initial torque load when accelerating from a standstill. This is achieved by compressing the respective clutch pack more strongly. In addition, shift time for gearshifts under full load has been reduced by approximately 50%, and engine speeds are increased under partial load when the transmission is set to "D", which results in improved responsiveness.
Suspension wishbones with stiffer bearings and new pivot bearings that allow more negative wheel camber ensure improved steering response and increased lateral control, which means more grip and responsiveness in corners. Fittingly, the optimized progressive steering helps the S3 take corners even more precisely. Especially in the middle position, the steering, with its angle-dependent ratio, is more centered, which improves handling.
The Audi S3 comes standard with 18" 225/40 tires. Two 19" 235/35 tires are available as an option, including performance tires with optimized dry handling and improved braking behavior. An S sports suspension comes standard on the S3 models, which lowers the body by 15 mm compared to the A3. The same applies to the optional S sport suspension with adaptive dampers, which has been specially tuned for the torque splitter and the respective Audi drive select modes.
A new generation of the electronic stabilization control is also used. Wheel-selective torque control, which selectively brakes the wheels on the inside of the curve slightly while cornering, has also been further developed, as has been the traction and deceleration behavior. Overall, the S3-specific tuning of the suspension control systems results in more engaging turn in and cornering behavior. The improved handling goes hand in hand with improved stability at the limit.