2023 Audi RS Q3 Sportback

SUV · 2.5L TFSI I5 · AWD

79/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a suv is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	2.5L TFSI I5
Horsepower	394 hp
Torque	354 lb-ft
0–60 mph	4.5 sec
Top speed	155 mph
Drivetrain	AWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	24 mpg (21 city / 28 hwy)
Range	399 miles
MSRP	$69,800
Body style	SUV

The verdict

What's good

Distinctive five-cylinder exhaust note sets it apart from all rivals
Quattro AWD delivers composed traction in snow and wet without drama
Virtual Cockpit driver display is highly legible at a glance
Sportback roofline sacrifices little rear headroom versus standard Q3

What's not

Rear headroom tighter than non-Sportback siblings for tall occupants
Cargo volume behind rear seats underwhelms versus comparably priced rivals
Firm RS suspension makes urban speed bumps noticeably uncomfortable
Audi maintenance costs add up quickly past the factory warranty window

The engine

TFSI five-cylinder

2.5L Turbo Inline-5

A turbocharged five-cylinder with a famously offbeat, warbling soundtrack and a relentless, building shove that no four-cylinder can replicate.

It revives Audi's inline-five heritage that made the Ur-Quattro a Group B rally icon; the modern 2.5 TFSI (EA855) debuted in the TT RS and RS3 and is built at Audi's Gyor plant in Hungary.

Its signature sound comes from the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, which alternates between adjacent and distant cylinder pairs at 144-degree intervals.
The 2.5 TFSI won the International Engine of the Year award in its category for nine consecutive years.
Audi has confirmed the five-cylinder will not survive Euro 7 emissions rules, ending a layout the brand has championed for over 50 years.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 79 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 2 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault