Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: £27,480 to £28,020
Quick, holds the road well, high level of comfort.
Pricey, not as involving a drive as it should be.
A very good hot hatch, but not quite as good as the high price suggests.
Audi is known for putting together some of the best interiors in the business, and the new S3 lives up to that reputation.
The improvements to the interior all work well, with the white lettering on the dials now making all the information on the instrument cluster stand out and easier to see.
We also like the chrome trims on the air vents and some of the switchgear, which look particularly attractive if you opt for the aluminium rather than wood inlays on the doors and centre console.
The sports seats in the S3 are comfortable and well supported, so long journeys shouldn't be stressful affairs. There's also the option of adding some very comfortable and supportive bucket seats.
There's enough room in the back for adults, especially in the five-door Sportback versions, making it feel like one of the most spacious in the hatchback segment.
Bootspace is also among the best in its class, with 350 litres in the three-door and 370 litres in the Sportback - which puts it in the same ballpark as the Golf (350) and the Focus (385). When the split folding seats are lowered, the space increases to 1,080 litres (1,100 in the Sportback).
The S3 come fitted with 18" alloys, LED strip daytime running lights and xenon headlights, twin chromed exhaust pipes, the aforementioned sports seats, Nappa leather upholstery, a flat-bottomed multifunction steering wheel, leather-trimmed handbrake and gearknob, radio/CD player and dual-zone climate control.
