Quote:
Originally Posted by CanAutM3
The RS3 is really an awesome runabout. The rear seating area is very usable. We have two kids 5 and 8 and they amply fit in their kids seats back there. In fact, when we went shopping, it was to replace my wife's aging 2006 B7 S4. We had test driven the B8 S4 when it was released and really did not like it, so my wife decided to stick with her old B7. The B7 was however starting to get old, so we went to test drive the B9 when it came out. While the B9 S4 was very nicely appointed and looked very nice, we simply did not like the way it drove. It felt big, soft and heavy. It did not feel special dynamically, it did not have an "edge" like our old B7 did. Then we saw the RS3 in the showroom and took it for a spin. We both fell in love right away with the driving dynamics. I then looked up the size to realize it was in fact only 0.7" shorter in the wheelbase compared to the B7 S4, while the B9 S4 was a whopping 7" longer in the wheelbase.
I actually find the RS3 more enjoyable to drive around town than my M4cs. It is more nimble and launches consistently like a rocket. Hold the brake, floor the throttle, release the brake and off you are to 3.5 second 0-60mph sprint every time without fail. The RS3 is not that heavy, right around the weight of a lightly optioned 6MT M3 and about 400lb lighter than our old S4. The Haldex system is definitely not as good as the the true Torsen Quattro, but when you put the Quattro in Dynamic, it locks up the center diff for a 50-50 split, which is not too bad. A quick lift going into a turn sends the rear slightly sideways and mash the throttle to power out on a smooth 4 wheel drift. Quite enjoyable, however far from the scalpel like F8X handling. The infotainment is actually quite good. The B&O sound system is far superior to the HK in my old M4 and the configurable digital cockpit is awesome. We optioned it with the sport exhaust and the sound of that I-5 when in Dynamic mode is really intoxicating  .
The 7 speed DSG works well enough when pushed, but I find it slurs the clutch engagement a bit too much for my taste when driving sedately. I also dislike the action of the shift lever, where it is push to upshift and pull to downshift. I'd say the main drawback resides in the humble origins of the RS3's VW Golf chassis. It does not have the substance and heft of a true Audi chassis.
All in all we are very pleased with our RS3. |
Oh FFS push up to Upshift and pull down to Downshift? I hate going against the g-forces when I drive. I am going to take an educated guess this Audi 7-Speed DSG is the one that was revised and turned into the Porsche PDK that resides within the Macan S/GTS/Turbo then since it is exactly the same lopsided feeling in our Macan S. Granted I think they finally changed this in the Porsche on 2018 and beyond. I still make that mistake in the Macan to the point I have given up trying to self shift because it keeps confusing me when I jump between my M3 and the Macan. Other than the PDK's delay when I manually shift.
Been trying to get a feel for the RS5 but for some reason a lot of Audi dealerships here in LA hesitates to allow you to touch the RS5 because it is "expensive" but I want more room in the car.
I am kind of stuck in this odd limbo area on my next car. I want more space but I despise driving large cars. I think anything larger than the BMW X3, SQ6, Macan would be too much but there are times when I do need a car big enough to comfortably fit 5 people. After going through 3 BMWs in a little less than 3 and a half years, I want to give another brand a shot.
When I drove the 2018 Audi S3 and made the thread about it, I felt the weight driving the car. It really annoyed me for some reason. Haven't drove the RS3 because they didn't have one available to me to drive. I actually liked the CLA45 more but... that car's rear seat is near unusable for adults, I'm not even that tall and it even gave me a headache. I agree with the B&O though, the time I drove the S3, that stood out immediately. B&O is better in every way in comparison to the H&K in our F8x.
Mind if I ask how much you priced your RS3 to? Was it close to 65k?
P.S. Good thing about Audi cars from what I can tell is, they don't charge you more for having more doors. Like if you want a RS5 Fastback, it isn't more than the Coupe version, which is great. Unlike BMW and their annoying Gran Coupe $$$