Weekend Drive AUDI RS3 SPORTBACK 2022

Ever since its inception, the RS3 has been defined as much by its cracking turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. Tragically and somewhat ironically, the same engine that makes the RS3 so unique also hobbles it in some ways. Imagine being at a supermarket and trying to steer a trolley full of watermelons, that's what happens when you put a big heavy 5-cylinder engine ahead of the front axle. I should know because I owned a first-generation 8P RS3 briefly.

- Kenny Yeo

It was shockingly fast, but it steered with an uneasy vagueness and was nose-heavy in corners. The new car sees big changes to the all-wheel drive system. It still sends most of its power to the front, but there's now a torque-vectoring rear differential that can send 100% of the power it receives to the wheel that is under load. Elsewhere, the new RS3 also gets unique dampers and there's more negative camber too. Finally, in true RS3 tradition, the front tyres are wider than the back - 265 vs. 245 and Bridgestone Potenza Sports, in case you were wondering. All of this is done to give the new RS3 more front grip and improve turn-in.

Happily, these changes work. This is by far and away the best handling RS3 yet. It feels light, tight, and eager. It also steers with an accuracy that was sorely missing from earlier models. And when you find the apex of the turn and give it a full whack of gas, you can feel the rear differential working to tighten your line and kick you down the road. Admittedly, the way it happens is a little abrupt and artificial, but you cannot argue against its effectiveness and how fun it is to finally have an RS3 that genuinely feels like it has power sent to all four wheels.

The ride is firm but remarkably pliant. Even in the stiffest mode, it still rides over uneven surfaces without tossing the driver around too much. In fact, I suspect the ride quality might be even better than the regular A3 I drove last year.