2025 Audi RS 3 Receives Mid-Cycle Refresh
The 2025 Audi RS 3 has set an impressive lap time of 7:33 at Germany's Nürburgring racetrack, showcasing its remarkable performance.
The 2025 Audi RS 3 has been updated alongside the entire A3 range, with the latest A3 debuting in March and the S3 following in April. These models are expected to hit U.S. showrooms later this year, and only the sedan body style is anticipated here, while Audi offers a hatchback alternative called the Sportback in other markets.
For the 2025 RS 3, particular attention has been paid to the chassis updates. Audi claims that recalibrating the all-wheel drive, electronic stability control, adaptive damping, and brake-based torque vectoring systems allows the car to deliver higher cornering speeds. These changes have already been proven at the Nürburgring, where the 2025 RS 3 set a new record for compact cars with a time of 7:33.123, achieved using the available Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tires and carbon-ceramic brake rotors.
Audi also stated that it is now easier to make the car oversteer in a controlled manner, which in turn makes drifts easier to execute. New controls are included to help extract maximum performance quickly. A new checkered flag button places the car into Performance mode, while a red RS button on the steering wheel offers quick access to RS Individual mode.
The 2025 RS 3 continues with a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-5 engine. While the power figure for the U.S. market has not been announced, in other markets, the engine delivers a peak of 394 hp.
Drive is sent to all four wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Audi states that owners can expect 0-62 mph acceleration in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph.
The 2025 RS 3 also benefits from updates introduced across the A3 range, including minor styling tweaks, new interior trim options, and updated in-car technology featuring a range of on-demand features that can be added or removed via the MyAudi app.
Unique styling changes for the RS 3 include headlights with a checkered flag pattern for daytime running lights, a diamond-shaped mesh pattern for the front grille, and side intakes in the front fascia finished with a black blade. At the rear, there's a new diffuser design featuring a red reflector in its center.
Inside, there's a new steering wheel that is flattened at the top and bottom, sports seats in the front (bucket seats are available), and carbon-fiber accents. The ambient lighting package has also been updated, now providing a welcome sign by displaying RS rhombus logos when locking and unlocking the vehicle. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.1-inch infotainment screen carry over unchanged from the outgoing RS 3.
Prices for the U.S. market will be announced closer to the market launch.