Looks like the 2025 Audi S3 is getting an active rear differential like the RS3 as well as more power, faster shifting, and better aero. I wonder if Audi decided to try to bridge the gap to the RS3 a little better since those are so rare these days. This could be a much more entertaining car to drive if you like a fast shifting DSG. In fact, this article claims that "full-bore shifts" now take half the time: https://carbuzz.com/news/2025-audi-s...s-best-feature

 

Today was only the second day of driving the Type R because it has been cold here and we are supposed to get snow tonight.

Here are a couple of surprising things I noticed.

-The Bose stereo is really crisp, clear, and has nice tight bass. I like it so much that I find myself listening to songs I wouldn't normally because I am hearing things in the songs that I don't usually hear. This is strange to me because I have a Bose system in the Ariya and I think that sounds good, but the Type R Bose is better. Maybe the smaller cabin has something to do with it?

-The handling is so good that you actively seek out roundabouts and then completely forget you just went through one because the car corners so flat that there is zero drama.



-The brakes are so powerful that it takes a second to recalibrate your brain as to how much pedal pressure you need when heel-and-toe downshifting into a corner.

-The range of high performance to comfort and how well the car pulls off this trick is really nice. You can run errands all day in comfort and then switch to individual mode when you see a twisty road or want a little more involvement. Unfortunately, this means that Sport and R+ modes are both a bit useless. I'm still wondering how much difference I will notice in ride quality with the Acura Type S suspension module.



-I discovered that the car has a brake hold button which makes no sense to me with a manual transmission. I guess it would come in handy during an uphill traffic jam? It does seem to automatically apply the parking brake when you shut the car off if you want that. I'm still not sure how I feel about an electronic parking brake. I guess that means it might be less likely to freeze in the winter than a mechanical cable.

-The shift **** actually warms up pretty quickly and is perfectly fine to use in the cold with gloves. @Rochester However, this means my funny hoodie cover is completely useless since it is pretty sloppy to use. Kind of like wrapping a supermodel in a big fluffy blanket. Anyway, maybe a cover that comes off more quickly would be useful in the summer to keep it out of the sun.

-As aggressive as the seats look, they are still easy to get in and out of and still comfortable.

 

Fantastic comments. Keep them coming. Those sport bucket seats look like serious business.

I'm seeing red BBK in the front, but what are the rear brakes like?

In your pic, the sidewall looks really narrow, exaggerating the wheel gap, and rears that seem a little tucked. Is it just this pic, and the fitment is actually perfect?

 

Thanks! The seats hold you in place around corners without being too tight. The rear brakes are also red, but just single piston sliding calipers. So not as easy to swap pads for track days, but I'm sure good enough considering how light the car is.

The rear wheel is an optical illusion because the black fender liner blends in with the tire and stops where it meets the rear bumper. With black wheels, black tires, and a black fender liner it all blends together. Here is a little better angle.

 

Oh yeah, fitment looks really good in that pic.

 

I had an 04 Nissan 350GT convertible. Then in 2011 added a 2008 Infiniti G37 S coupe. Son wrecked the Z, replaced it with a 2012 G37 Vert. I'd see a black, lowered Infiniti QX55, on a set of 22" Vosson super concave wheels as a nice replacement had I the sedan. I have the QX50 to go with the two G37s. I do plan on getting the QX55. Drop it 2", add the 22s. That'd be my pick.

 

And I just realized how blurry that picture is. Whoops!

Holy Infiniti's Batman! At least you are loyal to the brand.

 

I've actually been looking at juke nismo rs recently. I was one of the few that likes the unique styling of the juke when i first saw it and the nismo really adds to it in a good way. Awd, 211 hp, 3200 lbs. Seems like a fun daily to me. Went to go try one at a dealer near me but was told i couldn't test anything unless i was ready to buy that day. It was way overpriced anyway but would have liked to try it. I've heard bad things about cvt transmissions but I've never had owned one myself. My dads 2015 altima had it but couldn't tell much of a difference between a regular automatic. That being said 180 hp isn't going to feel the same as the 320 whp on my g37 or the 410 whp on my charger with a valve body upgrade.

 

The Nismo Juke is a fun car for bombing around town. If memory serves me correctly it was the Nismo RS that came with the stick shift, ridiculous Recaro seats, and an LSD, but it was only available in FWD. Neat cars in their own way, but probably not a lot of them out there.

 

Getting parts for the Renault 1.6T can be less than convenient as well. Cool oddball car though.

 

There is an awd option with the cvt. I'm not much for manuals myself anyway. I've heard mixed reviews on the cvt reliability but most said if you keep up on changing the fluid it's as reliabile as any other automatic transmission. Actually might be getting one fairlu soon. My buddys g37 coupe got totaled out after a woman pulled out and hit him. He's gonna buy my charger off me and with that debt gone i can afford another car. Went to go test drive one near me on Saturday but the salesmen told me i couldn't test drve anything without setting up the financing first and being ready to buy that day. Theirs was way overpriced anyway so i just left.

 

This front end is drop-dead gorgeous.

 

Hmmm. I usually agree with you on aesthetics, but not so much on this one. I actually don't mind the car from the profile, but I'm not a fan of either the front or rear ends.

 

That's OK. I suspect we can both agree that being a Dodge, the interior will be cheap and tacky.

 

Haha.. I actually very strongly disagree with that. Although many of the older and lower level Dodge models have cheap "rental car" interiors, I think you'd be very surprised how far FCA group has come since Stellatis took over, especially in regards to the interior design, fit and finish. Have you seen the interior in the new Ram 1500 Tungsten, which they just released this year? Both my Ram 1500 Limited and my wife's Durango SRT have some of the nicest interiors of any of the vehicles we have owned or driven and these include Porsche's, Audi's, BMW's, C8 Corvette, etc... I think the only vehicle I have been in that has a nicer interior than my truck is my friends wife's 2023 S Class Mercedes. So there is definitely hope for the new Dodge Charger EV!