First offered in a passenger car by Mercedes-Benz back in 1974, the five-cylinder engine has always been a bit of an automotive oddball. The unconventional configuration eventually gained a foothold in the 1980s with manufacturers who needed a transversely mounted motor that was narrower than a V6 but wanted something smoother and more powerful than an inline-four.

For a time, the engine, with its distinctive exhaust warble, became closely associated with Audi’s lineup, aided in no small part by the motorsport successes of five-cylinder rally cars like the Sport Quattro S1 E2. But as technology progressed and turbocharging became more prevalent, the need for a straight-five layout dwindled. Today, the $63,400 RS 3 is the final five-cylinder holdout—not just for Audi, but for production cars in general.

In an era increasingly focused on electrification and modularity, the improbable introduction of the second-generation RS 3 back in 2022 seemed like fan service—an apparition that would likely vanish after a handful of diehards got their fill. But despite the headwinds that traditional performance cars have faced in recent years, the RS 3 not only lives on, it has actually been refreshed for 2025. While the tweaks are more evolutionary than revolutionary, they make what was already a highly entertaining sports sedan even more compelling. Well, for the most part anyway.

Bradley Iger The front fascia is new for model year 2025, as are the headlights. The front fascia is new for model year 2025, as are the headlights. Bradley Iger Bradley Iger The rear fascia is also new. The rear fascia is also new. Bradley Iger The front fascia is new for model year 2025, as are the headlights. Bradley Iger The rear fascia is also new. Bradley Iger

On the outside, the RS 3 scores new front and rear fascias that clean up the look, while new matrix LED headlights and a new 19-inch wheel design bolster the performance-oriented vibe. The cabin, meanwhile, is outfitted with new multi-colored ambient LED lighting, a new low-profile shifter design, and a new steering wheel that incorporates two dedicated drive mode buttons and aluminum paddle shifters. The steering wheel’s C8 Corvette-style flat top and bottom design complements the interior’s angular theme, but the touch-sensitive control panels on the spokes (which replace the physical buttons and dials on the outgoing car’s steering wheel) feel like a step backward in terms of accuracy and overall usefulness.