Audi S3 vs Toyota Corolla
What's the difference?

Audi S3

$73,980 - $98,888

2025 price

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Toyota Corolla

$29,990 - $46,990

2025 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

2025 Toyota Corolla

By Emily Agar

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Inline 4, 1.8L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

7.9L/100km (combined)

4.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

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

Fuel efficient
Fun to drive
Cheap to run

Dislikes

Tiny back seat
Missing some premium features
Lots of road noise

Cabin not as practical as rivals
Tiny boot volume
Ageing interior

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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2025 Toyota Corolla Summary

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time.

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Audi S3 2025 Toyota Corolla

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

The final score for this review makes it look as though the Corolla is a middling effort. The scores for each individual section of the review are well considered and fair. The Corolla does lack the practicality of some of its rivals. A lack of an ANCAP rating isn’t great and the powertrain is just okay. But it remains one of the most fun-to-drive hatchbacks on the market today, even seven years into its life, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Corolla to anyone looking for a small car. If you can forgive some of the quirks, it is a reliable, adorable, fun and efficient small car favourite.

Audi S3 vs Toyota Corolla What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi S3 vs Toyota Corolla
What's the difference?