S sport suspension, lowered about 25 mm vs the A3; adaptive magnetic ride optional.
13.4 in (340 mm) front / 12.2 in (310 mm) rear discs.
The Audi S3 Sedan (Typ 8V, US 2015-2016) is the performance version of the compact A3 sedan on the Volkswagen Group MQB platform, built at Audi Hungaria in Győr. Power is a 2.0 TFSI turbocharged four (EA888 gen 3, code CJXC) rated at 292 hp in US SAE trim (300 PS in Europe), sending drive through a 6-speed S tronic dual-clutch and quattro all-wheel drive. In the US it was S tronic-only; no manual was offered.
It's essentially a Golf R in a small Audi sedan body: quick, compact, understated, and easy to live with every day. The chassis leans nose-heavy at the limit like most transverse-engine quattros, but the point of the car is usable pace in an unobtrusive package. This entry is the pre-facelift US car; the mid-2016 8V.5 facelift moved to 310 PS and a 7-speed gearbox.
US NHTSA campaigns for this model. A listed campaign may not apply to a particular car, and may already have been remedied — check a specific car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
The 2015-2016 pre-facelift 8V makes 292 hp (US SAE) through a 6-speed S tronic. The mid-2016 8V.5 facelift bumped European power to 310 PS and switched to a 7-speed. If you're cross-shopping, the transmission and model year are the giveaways.
© 2026 SPORTS CARS, ETC. LLC