Audi A3, S3 and RS 3 trim levels explained

By CarWhere Research · Updated November 4, 2026

For 2027 the Audi A3 family is three cars: the A3 quattro ($40,700, 201 hp), the S3 ($52,500, 328 hp) and the RS 3 ($67,500, 394-hp five-cylinder), before a $1,395 destination charge. Audi moved the A3 to a single trim with option packages for 2027 and gave the line a new 11.9-inch plus 12.8-inch Digital Stage dashboard.

Current A3, S3 and RS 3 trim levels: A3 sedan, 2027 refresh (2027–present)

Audi calls the 2027 update a mid-cycle refresh: an all-new interior built around the Digital Stage (11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus and 12.8-inch MMI touch display), a single-trim structure with curated packages, magnetic 25-watt wireless charging and standard direct tire-pressure monitoring. The RS 3 carries forward for 2027.[1][2]

Audi A3, S3 and RS 3 A3 sedan, 2027 refresh (2027–present) trims in ladder order with 2027 model-year base MSRP (USD), engines and key standard equipment
Trim	Base MSRP (2027, USD)	Engines	Key standard equipment
A3 quattro (single trim)	$40,700excl. $1,395 destination	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (201 hp, 236 lb-ft)	One trim with packages replaces Premium / Premium Plus for 2027 New standard 17-inch wheels; S line exterior now available with the Black optic plus package Park assist pro with remote parking via the myAudi app and Trained parking now offered [1][2]
S3	$52,500excl. $1,395 destination	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (328 hp, 295 lb-ft)	S3 badging returns to the front grille with revised DRL signatures New flat-top/bottom steering wheel with shift paddles quattro and 7-speed S tronic standard [1][2]
RS 3	$67,500excl. $1,395 destination	2.5L TFSI turbo I5 (394 hp, 369 lb-ft)	Carries forward for 2027 alongside the new interior Five-cylinder turbo, quattro and S tronic [1]

MSRP excludes destination unless noted. "—" means we could not confirm the price from an Audi pricing source.

Previous A3, S3 and RS 3 trim levels: A3 sedan, 2025 update (2025–2026)

For 2025 Audi made quattro standard on the A3, raised torque to 236 lb-ft and gave the S3 22 more horsepower plus the RS 3's torque splitter. For 2026 the former Technology package (12.3-inch virtual cockpit plus, MMI navigation plus) became standard on A3 and S3. Prices below are 2026.[3][4][5]

Audi A3, S3 and RS 3 A3 sedan, 2025 update (2025–2026) trims in ladder order with 2026 model-year base MSRP (USD), engines and key standard equipment
Trim	Base MSRP (2026, USD)	Engines	Key standard equipment
A3 quattro Premium	$40,100excl. $1,395 destination; 2025 Premium was $38,200	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (201 hp, 236 lb-ft)	quattro standard from 2025 (front-drive A3 dropped) Former Technology package content standard for 2026 [3][4]
A3 quattro Premium Plus	$43,000excl. $1,395 destination; 2025 Premium Plus was $40,800	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (201 hp, 236 lb-ft)	Adds top-view camera and Park assist plus for 2026 Offers an S line plus package with a 15 mm lower sport suspension [3]
S3 Premium Plus	$52,000excl. $1,395 destination; 2025 S3 was offered from $48,700 (Premium) to $54,900 (Prestige)	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (328 hp, 295 lb-ft)	2026 adds standard SONOS 3D sound and auto-dimming mirror with HomeLink 2025 S3 gained 22 hp and a torque splitter [3][4]
RS 3	$66,100excl. $1,395 destination	2.5L TFSI turbo I5 (394 hp, 369 lb-ft)	Head-up display, traffic sign recognition and MMI navigation plus standard for 2026 [3][5]

MSRP excludes destination unless noted. "—" means we could not confirm the price from an Audi pricing source.

Previous A3, S3 and RS 3 trim levels: A3 sedan, launch years (2022–2024)

The all-new 2022 A3 and S3 sedans launched at $33,900 and $44,900; the RS 3 followed at $58,900. Front-wheel drive was still offered on the A3 40 TFSI. Prices below are 2024 model year.[6][7][8]

Audi A3, S3 and RS 3 A3 sedan, launch years (2022–2024) trims in ladder order with 2024 model-year base MSRP (USD), engines and key standard equipment
Trim	Base MSRP (2024, USD)	Engines	Key standard equipment
A3 40 TFSI (FWD) Premium / Premium Plus	$35,800excl. $1,095 destination; 2022 launch price $33,900 (excl. $1,045 destination)	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (201 hp, 221 lb-ft)	Front-wheel-drive entry model with S tronic Premium Plus $39,400 [6][7]
A3 40 TFSI quattro Premium / Premium Plus	$37,800excl. $1,095 destination	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (201 hp, 221 lb-ft)	quattro all-wheel drive optional on A3 before 2025 Premium Plus $41,400 [6][7]
S3 Premium / Premium Plus / Prestige	$47,400excl. $1,095 destination	2.0L TFSI turbo I4 (306 hp, 295 lb-ft)	Premium Plus $50,300, Prestige $54,300 2022 S3 launched at $44,900 [6][7]
RS 3	$62,300excl. $1,095 destination	2.5L TFSI turbo I5 (401 hp, 369 lb-ft)	2024 adds a standard Carbon atlas matte inlay 2022 launch price $58,900 (excl. $1,095 destination) [6][8]

MSRP excludes destination unless noted. "—" means we could not confirm the price from an Audi pricing source.

Related A3, S3 and RS 3 research

See which trim and packages an A3 was built with.

Trim names on a used listing are not always right. The CarWhere Audi build sheet reconstructs factory colors, options and packages from licensed VIN-level build data — availability is checked free, and it is $9.99 only when detailed build data is found for that VIN.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the 2027 Audi A3 trim levels?

For 2027 Audi sells the A3 as a single trim (A3 quattro, $40,700) with option packages, alongside the S3 ($52,500) and RS 3 ($67,500). All prices exclude the $1,395 destination charge.

Is quattro standard on the Audi A3?

Yes, since the 2025 model year. Through 2024 the A3 40 TFSI came standard with front-wheel drive and quattro was optional; Audi made quattro standard on all A3 models for 2025.

What is the difference between the A3, S3 and RS 3?

All three use quattro and a 7-speed S tronic. The A3 has a 201-hp 2.0L four-cylinder, the S3 a 328-hp 2.0L four-cylinder, and the RS 3 a 394-hp 2.5L five-cylinder.

What happened to Premium and Premium Plus on the A3?

Audi dropped the Premium / Premium Plus / Prestige structure on the A3 for 2027 and replaced it with one trim plus packages, such as Black optic plus. The 2026 A3 was still sold as Premium ($40,100) and Premium Plus ($43,000).

How much horsepower does the RS 3 have?

Audi rates the current RS 3's 2.5L five-cylinder at 394 hp and 369 lb-ft. Audi's 2024 lineup release listed it at 401 hp.

Sources

Prices and equipment are as published by Audi for the model year shown; trim content changes between model years, so confirm a specific vehicle against its original paperwork or build sheet.

Audi advances digitalization, Driver Assistance features, and packaging simplicity across model year 2027 lineup (Jul 8, 2026; updated Sep 9, 2026) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
2027 Audi A3 / S3 / RS 3 Technical Specifications (PDF) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
Audi 2026 lineup launches with Audi Signature Care Scheduled Maintenance included on all models (Aug 21, 2025; updated Aug 3, 2026) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
Audi updates 2025 model lineup with streamlined trim selections, compelling option packages, and extended included connected services (Jul 10, 2024) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
2026 Audi A3 / S3 / RS 3 Technical Specifications (PDF, updated Aug 3, 2026) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
Audi updates 2024 models with new standard features and expanded connected technology (Jun 22, 2023) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
The all-new 2022 Audi A3 and S3: more spacious, more powerful, and more dynamic than ever (Jun 10, 2021) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)
The all-new Audi RS 3: Legendary performance revolutionized (May 4, 2022) — Audi of America (media.audiusa.com)

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Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by AUDI AG or Audi of America. Audi, quattro, TFSI, S tronic, e-tron and the model names are trademarks of their owners.