Audi has become something of a master of car interiors over the past 10 years, especially quick car interiors.
In light of this, the S3’s cabin seems ever so slightly disappointing. Beside most other rivals the smart instruments, decently supportive front seats, generously proportioned rear seats and boot and would look the business.
But compared with the high standards we’ve come to expect from Audi it’s a tiny bit ordinary inside the S3, albeit typically well bolted together and ergonomically excellent. Even the driving position (not something Audi has been great at until very recently) is faultless. And yes, that includes the pedal box, which is perfect for heel-and-toe gearchanges.
The problem is not so much a lack of basic equipment; for your £26,975 you get climate control, black silk Nappa leather, CD player and even xenon headlights. But the dashboard itself looks and feels no different from that of the regular A3. Perhaps the odd bit of carbon or aluminium would help to lift the S3’s look and to distinguish it more from the interiors of lesser A3s.
Yes, it costs £27k even before you go for extras such as sat-nav, cruise control or those gorgeous RS4 front seats. And yes, it’s in insurance group 18, which means it will be virtually off-limits to anyone who isn’t at least 30-something or exceedingly well off.
But unless you absolutely thrash it everywhere, there’s no reason why our touring average of 29.1mpg isn’t possible most of the time in real-world driving.
And when it comes to depreciation, the S3 will surely remain one of the most resilient hatchbacks money can buy. Its desirability, not to mention its considerable dynamic appeal, will mean that the S3 is sure to hold more of its value in the long run than just about any other rival.
