Audi S3 vs Abarth 595
What's the difference?

Audi S3

$73,980 - $98,888

2025 price

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Abarth 595

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2018 price

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Aston Martin Vanquish

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA250

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Summary

2025 Audi S3

2018 Abarth 595

By Emily Agar

By Tim Robson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.9L/100km (combined)

5.8L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

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

Good engine/chassis combo
Surprising grip levels
Unusual

Dislikes

Tiny back seat
Missing some premium features
Lots of road noise

Terrible driving position
Ride not great around town
No reversing camera

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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2018 Abarth 595 Summary

Since 1949, Abarth has been giving the venerable Italian brand, Fiat, a patina of performance, based largely on giant-killing feats in small modified cars like the Fiat 600 of the 1960s.

More recently, the brand has been revived to boost the fortunes of the smallest Fiat on sale in Australia. Known formally as the Abarth 595, the tiny hatch packs a bit of a surprise under its distinctive snout.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Audi S3 2018 Abarth 595

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).

Verdict

It’s tough to be kind to the Abarth 595. Based on a platform that’s more than a decade old, the car has been left behind by its rivals in many ways, including basic ergonomics and its value equation.

The larger engine does work well in this smaller package, and its road-holding ability belies its size. However, only die-hard fans of the Abarth brand will be able to cope with the uncomfortable seating position and a complete lack of even the most perfunctory features that cars costing $10,000 less are able to offer.

Audi S3 vs Abarth 595 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi S3 vs Abarth 595
What's the difference?