Richard Berry road tests and reviews the Audi S3 sedan with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

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This is the latest S3 sedan. It sits under the hardcore RS3 and above the very domesticated A3. It might look low key but this is little beast - Audi doesn't stick the S badge willy-nilly on its cars. Under the bonnet is a turbo charged four cylinder engine with a new 7-speed dual clutch auto transmission sending power to all four wheels.

The only not so subtle hint that the S3 is a little monster is its roar.

It's tiny. At just a bit under 4.5m it's shorter than a Mazda3 hatch which makes it a natural in cities where it can scamper through laneways and park in impossible places. But it looks almost like every other Audi – just scaled down.

It's small, but big enough – just. I can sit behind my diving position, just. And my head misses the roof – just. It's a five seater but I woudn't want to be in the middle.

The boot is pretty impressive though and it's bigger than the S3 Sportback which is the hatch version, but that said we couldn't get the carsguide pram in here, which is why it's not here.

When it arrived in late 2016 new Audi S3 looked just as understated and subtle as the previous one.

The only real exterior differences between this new S3 and the last one are the LED headlights – they've been redesigned with this jaggered edge and the front and rear bumpers have been restyled.

The new S3's indicators don't just blink, they do this.

Another giveaway that the S3 is a little bit wild is down here – quad exhaust.

There are more changes inside. Not to the seats those are the same but the new S3 has what Audi calls a Virtual Cockpit – it's excellent – the instrument cluster is all digital and it can morph from just a speedo and tacho to a display showing your satnav – it's standard on the S3.

The S3 adds other new tech such as Apply CarPlay and Android Auto, and new advanced safety equipment such as AEB with pedestrian detection.

But the best part of the S3 is driving it . The first thing I do turn that off – it's the stop/start system and it's a pain in the neck because it cuts the engine not only when you come to a stop but when you coast into stop.

Then I go into Drive Select and change the mode to Dynamic – that adds weight to the steering, changes the throttle and firms up the suspension for better handling – this S3 has the magnetic ride option basially there's particles in the oil in the dampers and they become magnetized and cause the fluid to go solid –super cool.

The engine is only 3kW more powerful than the last S3, that's not that noticeable. What is, is the transmission – the six-speed dual-clutch is gone and we now have a seven-speed, which works like a dream and makes this S3 0.2s faster than the old one.

The S3 is all-wheel drive – and that just makes the dynamic drive even better, the car will sense if things may be getting a bit touch and go and distribute the drive to give you a hand – basicvally it makes you a better driver than you really are. Which is fine by me.

What am I not as fan of? Well the sound. I know I know exhaust note is amazing, but there's a bit of sound sorcery going on – in two ways. First there's flaps in the exhaust which give it that rich growl you hear from the outside. But the sound you hear from the inside is enhanced by a resonator under the bonnet which vibrates and makes a nice noise which you can here in the cabin. Yeah OK it all sounds great, butit's a bit fake.

Also the display is feeling a bit small compared to other cars out there – and you really notice this with the reversing camera image.

But there's so much to like – the ride is cofrotable, the handling is sharp, there steering is excellent amd just small things like when my toddler sits in the back he can see out of the windows because the rear seats are higher.

The S3 is the perfect mid-point between the total madness of the RS3 and sedate A3. It means when you've stopped diving like you're on the run, you can slip back into being very civilised. It's basically a thug in a suit.

Honey, I'm home!

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