Audi A8 vs Audi S3
What's the difference?

Audi A8

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2023 price

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Audi S3

$73,980 - $98,888

2025 price

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Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2023 Audi A8

2025 Audi S3

By James Cleary

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo V6, 3.0L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Diesel/Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.9L/100km (combined)

7.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Refinement
Quality
Value

Athletic and sporty in all the right places
Improved engine outputs
Gorgeous cabin space

Dislikes

Big turning circle
No folding rear seat
No front door bottle slots

Tiny back seat
Missing some premium features
Lots of road noise

2023 Audi A8 Summary

Audi’s flagship is the A8, a long, luxurious sedan where being driven is often as important as doing the driving.

To put this ultra-premium machine in context, it competes with other German heavyweights like BMW’s 7 Series and, of course, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as well as Porsche’s Panamera. Not to mention the Lexus LS or Maserati’s Quattroporte.

What’s life like at the top of the Audi pyramid? Stay with us to find out.

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2025 Audi S3 Summary

In a world where car upgrades often feel like saying, “Can I upsize that?”, it’s refreshing to hop into the updated Audi S3 Sportback.

The flagship RS 3 may still be the holy grail of hot hatch dreams, but with boosted engine outputs and upgraded tech, the S3 is stepping up.

Is the S3 Sportback the smarter pick over pricier rivals? It delivers serious performance and polish without stretching into RS 3 territory. With fierce competition in the segment, let’s see what this contender brings to the table.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Audi A8 2025 Audi S3

Verdict

The Audi A8 swims in a luxury car shark tank where those paying the big dollars expect top-shelf everything. It delivers a serene driving experience whether you’re in the front or the back, in a superbly engineered and executed luxury sedan package. Not perfect, but very, very impressive.

Verdict

The updated Audi S3 Sportback is a fun-sized dynamo with impressive outputs and athletic road manners. It’s missing a few premium features, but its compact size paired with a gutsy engine makes it a compelling option for drivers who don’t want to compromise on performance (just space).

Audi A8 vs Audi S3 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi A8 vs Audi S3
What's the difference?