Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2026 RS3.
Equipped with an Automatic (AM-S7) transmission and EPA fuel economy estimates of 20/29/23 mpg, the 2026 Audi RS3 presents a reliability profile defined by one recall and a single total owner complaint. This low incidence of issues suggests a stable model year, though the exclusive complaint area involves Forward Collision Avoidance and Lane Departure systems. Researchers should therefore note that while overall defects are minimal, scrutiny remains specific to these reported systems.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S7) |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 20 / 29 / 23 mpg |
| Drivetrain | All-Wheel Drive |
| Passenger volume | 87 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 8 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Premium Gasoline |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the RS3 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan (Dynamic Plus) 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.20 sec | 11.70 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2025 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan (Dynamic Plus) 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.40 sec | 12.00 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2025 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan (Dynamic Plus) 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.50 sec | 12.10 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.30 sec | 11.80 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.50 sec | 12.00 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.60 sec | 12.10 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | RS 3 Quattro Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-5 | 3.70 sec | 12.30 sec | 401 hp | AWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record provided covers only model years 2018 and 2019, so any commentary on the 2026 RS3 must be read in that limited context: complaints dropped sharply from 13 to 5 and recalls fell from 4 to 2 year-over-year, while TSB volume actually edged up from 522 to 559, suggesting Audi was still issuing service communications at a heavy clip even as hard complaints receded. The target 2026 model year itself shows a very thin footprint in the data—just one complaint filed in the Forward Collision Avoidance / Lane Departure area, with zero crash and zero fire complaints reported. With no later years supplied, the "arc" of this generation cannot actually be traced through the record, and the single 2026 data point is too small to confirm a continuation of the 2018-to-2019 downward trend rather than a nascent one. What can be said is that the lone complaint touches a driver-assist feature rather than a core powertrain or safety-critical system, and the absence of any fire or crash-flagged complaints is a positive signal within the limited sample. **Bottom line:** based strictly on the federal record supplied, the 2026 RS3 looks clean, but the dataset is too sparse to declare it a definitively strong used buy—prospective buyers should supplement this with Audi's own recall lookups and a pre-purchase inspection of the driver-assist calibration.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2026 Q3 vehicles. Incorrect software may allow remote sunroof closing from a distance that prevents the operator from clearly seeing the sunroof. As such… Remedy: Dealers will update the sunroof control module software and the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2026. Owners may contact Audi…
Showing 5 of 38 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_2082553_1 | 2026-06-29 | Electrical System | This bulletin gives informaiton when noises area heard from around the panoramic display. |
| TSB_2082554_1 | 2026-06-29 | Unknown Or Other | This bulletin provides information when brake pad mode is cancelled or acnanot be… |
| TSB_2082144_2 | 2026-06-24 | Electrical System | This bulletin provide sinfomraion when the Panoramic MMI dsiplay shows vertical lines. |
| TSB_2082445_1 | 2026-06-22 | Electrical System | This bulletin provides information when there is a partial failure of the panoramic… |
| TSB_2082388_1 | 2026-06-12 | Electrical System | This TSB provides informaiton when the start/stop button is sticking or stiff. |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 20 city / 29 highway / 23 combined mpg.