Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The traffic has been a slog. The kind that concertinas for no apparent reason, all four lanes making choked, frustrated progress as we slowly leave the outskirts of Melbourne behind. But then, just before we turn off the motorway, a gap. Nail it!

The Sonora yellow Audi RS3 leaps forward, the sudden torque demand causing it to shimmy and buck on cold Bridgestones as it rushes towards 100km/h. A glance in the rear-view shows the angry – and equally yellow – nose of the Mercedes-AMG A45 S in lockstep as we both flatten the gas to finally get an inkling of what 2022’s most outrageous hatchbacks can do.

Sub 4.0-second runs in a grocery getter? They feel quicker than that, which begs the question: when did the humble hatch become so mental?

Not so long ago, 200kW was a huge number in hot hatch land but now we have outputs beginning with a three (or around 400hp in the old money), drift modes, six-figure price tags and acceleration so rabid it can make a 911 Turbo feel a touch sheepish.

Audi RS3 v AMG A45 S: The basics

Think the term ‘hyper hatch’ is a touch hyperbolic? Give launch control a try in one of this pair.

In a world of increasingly quick and complex machinery, the A45 and RS3 are the apex predators. Audi and Mercedes-AMG have been slogging it out for hyper hatch supremacy for decades now but their product cadence has been staggered.

AMG last reset the bar back in 2019 when this second-generation A45 arrived, sideways and smoking, onto the scene. It wasn’t only faster and more capable than the frenetic and overly firm original A45, but it made the RS3 of that time feel wooden and off the pace.

Now, though, we have Audi’s riposte: the third-generation RS3. It’s not quite as powerful as the AMG – 294kW plays 310kW – which begs the question of whether the hyper hatch power war is over. Then again, its wailing 2.5-litre five-pot turbo has exactly the same 500Nm of torque as you get from the four-cylinder Benz.

And in virtually every other metric, this pair goes tit-for-tat. Drift Mode? Present and accounted for courtesy of clever torque-splitting rear differentials. Sub 4.0-second 0-100 sprints? The AMG claims 3.9 seconds while the Audi stops the clock at 3.8sec.

Both also offer richly specced cabins, claim to drink exactly the same amount of fuel on the combined cycle and there’s only a whisker between them when it comes to weight: the Audi hits the scales at 1570kg, the A45 S is 15kg portlier.

Acceleration test

In virtually every metric, this pair goes tit-for-tat. Drift Mode? Present and accounted for courtesy of clever torque-splitting rear differentials. Sub 4.0-second 0-100 sprints? The AMG claims 3.9 seconds while the Audi stops the clock at 3.8sec.

Where they differ, slightly, is price. You can have the third-gen RS3 as a sedan but in hatchback form, it retails at $91,391 before on-road costs. The AMG is $99,085 before on-road costs, making it $7694 more expensive in standard trim. That’s not an insignificant sum but consider the options fitted to the two cars we’re testing here and the advantage swings back the other way.

Our A45 includes the Performance Package that for $5790 adds vice-like bucket seats, the boy-racer rear spoiler and other aero addenda plus an AMG Performance Sound system which boosts the volume of exhaust noise that’s piped into the cabin.

The RS3’s options are pricier, though as we’ll get to later, arguably not as desirable. First up is the $13,000 RS Dynamic Package which increases the top speed to 290km/h and replaces the standard steel brakes with larger carbon ceramics.

Our car also has the Carbon Pack, finishing the rear wing, mirror caps and side sills in carbon fibre for $6100. Add it all up and the Audi is $109,074 as tested while the A45 is $104,875. Six figures for a grocery getter? Welcome to 2022.

So it’s even stevens on the value front, yet for all their on-paper similarities it only takes a few corners to realise these cars are actually quite different to drive…

I start in the AMG; benchmark first then the challenger. Immediately I’m reminded of how much more bandwidth this car has over the original A45. AMG’s first mega hatch was brutally quick but also brutally firm to the point of being unpleasantly physical.

But at low speed, this new car is remarkably civilised. There’s hardly any hesitation from the eight-speed dual-clutch, throttle inputs are nice and gradual and the steering is light and direct.

Start to pick up the pace and the A45 is a willing companion. You still notice an underlying firmness, even with the dampers in Comfort mode, but where the old car would bang and jolt, the new A45 absorbs the hits with commendable composure.

Like the RS3, the AMG is riding on 19-inch wheels and while it’s still far from what you’d call supple, it does breathe with the road across all but the gnarliest of bumps.

Worried that the frenzied edge has disappeared? Don’t be. Cycle through the drive modes and the AMG quickly transforms from amenable to aggressive to downright unhinged.

The steering (2.5 turns lock-to-lock) takes on some welcome heft and there’s so much grip, agility and acceleration on offer that it’s hard to imagine many performance cars that could shake a well-driven A45 S on the public road.

At low speed, this new A45 S is remarkably civilised. There’s hardly any hesitation from the eight-speed dual-clutch, throttle inputs are nice and gradual and the steering is light and direct.

It’s the engine that dominates. AMG’s hand-built 2.0-litre M139 was once the world’s most powerful four-cylinder and in Race mode it feels like an angry, buzzing bucket of bees. Against the bigger capacity Audi it doesn’t feel quite as muscular low in the rev range but that’s deliberate.

AMG’s engineers have manipulated the torque curve so that peak twist arrives at 5000rpm, meaning the performance and drama continue to build as you rush towards the 7000rpm redline.

There’s plenty of drama. The A45 is so loud that I actually feel self-conscious driving it hard, but the real stroke of genius is the exhaust note itself. Four cylinders with dual-clutch boxes can sound flat and farty but the A45’s soundtrack is commendably full and engaging.

It doesn’t just get louder as the revs build but the tone and timbre get higher and more manic, too. Doesn’t sound artificial either, which is some achievement given the obvious degree of exhaust noise amplification going on.

The chassis is commendably neutral. You know that immediate and agile ‘go kart’ feeling that Mini has been banging on about for years? Where the wheelbase feels short and you’re planted between the two axles? The A45 has it in spades.

Incredible grip and tenacious acceleration are the AMG's overriding dynamic qualities but there’s also a playful side worth exploiting. Dial in ESC Sport, or turn it off altogether, and you can liberate some small angles of yaw on a twisty section of tarmac.

Understeer only really encroaches at vaguely ridiculous speeds and even though there is a Drift Mode function, you won’t be unsticking the rear end for huge throttle-steer slides on the public road. Instead, you can feel the clever rear differential shuffling torque backwards and, if you commit hard enough to throttle, the A45 does allow you to open the steering a touch as you power out.

It’s an addictive and rewarding thing to drive hard, like an over-stimulated Jack Russell that can’t wait to jump on every leg in the room. Stops well, too, thanks to a brake pedal that’s easy to modulate during hard driving and standard steel stoppers that comprise 360mm discs up front clamped by six-piston calipers.

Complaints? As a performance car, there are very few. The optional bucket seats are excellent, although I wish they went a touch lower. Perhaps the biggest trade-off is that the A45 always feels ‘on’.

It’s like a friend that doesn’t stop talking and there’s a strong sense that the A45 is constantly eager for a scrap. It’s certainly more frenzied and demanding than the RS3…

It’s like a friend that doesn’t stop talking and there’s a strong sense that the A45 is constantly eager for a scrap. It’s certainly more frenzied and demanding than the RS3…

Slip into the driver’s seat of the Audi and it instantly seems bigger and noticeably wider than the AMG. The cabin is roomier and the front contact patch also feels appreciably broader.

Like the previous RS3, this car continues the odd trend of fitting wider tyres up front (265/30 ZR19s plays 245/35 ZR19 out back) and after the narrow and eager A45, the RS3 feels considerably more hunkered down.

It’s quieter, too. Tyre roar is a tiring and intrusive companion in the A45 but the RS3 does a better job of filtering out unwanted road noise. The RS3’s exhaust note also has a quieter, more cultured edge, which only reinforces the sense that this is a more refined and polished package compared with the raw AMG.

Does this make it less exciting to drive hard? Initially, yes. It feels a smidge heavier, doesn’t change direction as zealously and its steering lacks the connection you get in the angrier A45. Where the AMG immediately inspires confidence, the RS3 takes longer to key into. Wasn’t expecting that.

One area it instantly trumps the A45, though, is how it rides. Audi’s engineers have worked hard to make the RS3 a more comfortable daily driver and they’ve ditched the old car’s magnetic ride control for a more sophisticated adaptive damper set-up. It’s a big improvement.

Keep the dampers in Comfort mode and the RS3 feels composed and compliant. Dial up Dynamic and things are noticeably firmer but unlike the A45, which can occasionally skip and bounce over really poor surfaces and cause you to back off, the RS3 is superior in keeping its wheels glued to the road.

Which car would be quicker point-to-point over a typical Aussie B-road? I reckon the RS3’s greater control would give it the edge.

A couple of early niggles? Start to corner hard and it’s clear the RS3’s Nappa leather seats aren’t as supportive as the AMG’s optional buckets. And the Audi’s carbon-ceramic brakes are trickier to modulate, too.

The pedal is firm and grabs aggressively which undermines any additional stopping power the larger 380m discs provide. Our advice? Save your $13,000 and stick with the regular 375mm steel brakes, which we’ve found to be excellent.

Most surprising, however, is how the RS3’s 2.5-litre five-pot measures up. In isolation, it’s punchy, rorty and it pairs nicely with the slick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch. The power delivery is different to the A45. Here the full 500Nm arrives from 2250-5600rpm, which makes the Audi feel more barrel-chested and muscular.

Sounds brilliant, too, and it’s certainly louder than the previous RS3 which had its exhaust note blunted through the fitment of a petrol particulate filter. But after the aural assault of the AMG, the five-pot RS3 sounds a touch tame. Wasn’t expecting that one either.

So it’s an inauspicious start for the RS3. It might be more comfortable and controlled but initially, at least, it can’t match the car from Affalterbach for adrenaline-soaked thrills. Take the time to explore the RS3’s many drive modes, however, and things start to fall into place.

Just like the A45 S, the RS3 is fitted with a ‘torque splitting’ rear differential and Audi has added a host of new drive modes to help exploit its newfound capability. There are now seven settings to choose from but the pair best suited for a fast back-road blast are RS Individual and RS Performance.

Both allow you to configure the steering, powertrain and chassis to your liking but RS Performance also uses a specific map for the rear diff to reduce understeer and oversteer.

With the right mode deployed, the RS3 delivers the same neutral, hunkered-down feeling as the A45 and, just like the Benz, you can feel the system deploying torque to the outside rear wheel as you drive out of corners.

RS Performance also winds back the stability control and there’s just enough leeway to use a sharp lift to back the RS3 into corners and then plant the throttle early to relish in a balance that almost feels rear-driven.

Get it right and there’s a brilliant and deeply impressive car here. You just need to find the right mix of drive modes to unleash it. And that’s the key difference here.

The Audi might be the more accomplished and faster back-road runner but even at six- or seven-tenths the A45 is more exciting. And for a frenetic, no-holds-barred blast, the AMG isn’t only easier to hustle, but thanks to its boosted sense of sound and immediacy, it feels faster to drive.

It’s not, though, at least in a straight line…

With our trusty VBOX datalogger attached and launch control activated, the A45 S rockets from 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds dead.

That’s a tenth away from its official claim, which we have matched previously at the drag strip, but today the AMG is metronomic and clocks 4.0sec repeatedly despite us trying different drive modes and launch techniques.

The Audi’s first timed run makes mincemeat of the A45. It also completely destroys its official claim of 3.8 seconds. With launch control engaged, the RS3 hit three figures in 3.5 seconds. That’s supercar performance from a family hatchback.

And just like it drives on the road, the Audi was totally unflustered in how it rocketed away from the line. No real wheelspin, no violent gearshifts, just unrelenting acceleration.

The other place the RS3 gazumps the A45? Interior presentation.

When I first drove the RS3 at its Aussie launch I criticised it for having some hard plastics below the beltline but against the A45 it feels a noticeable step above for materials and build quality.

As ever, Audi’s cabin design is modern, the digital driver display and central infotainment screen are easy to navigate, and crucially, unlike most new Volkswagen Group products, ergonomics haven’t been sacrificed in the pursuit of style.

Want to adjust the temperature or fan speed? Simply reach for a neat rocker switch ahead of the gear selector. Nice driving position, too, though like the A45 the driver’s seat feels a touch too high.

By comparison, the A45’s interior is superficially premium. The design and mix of materials looks good initially but once you start to touch and feel and interact with the cabin it begins to feel quite cheap.

In the Audi, hard plastics are mostly kept out of sight but the AMG has a big slab of thin piano black plastic around the central air vents, there’s shiny chrome on the centre console and all the switchgear and stalks feel plasticky and inferior. You don’t get wireless Apple CarPlay, either, which you do in the Audi.

Ergonomics are sound, though, and AMG’s Manettino dial on the steering wheel is the better solution for cycling through drive modes at speed. The Audi combines a drive mode button on the centre console with an RS hotkey on the right spoke of the steering wheel but it’s more finicky to use and requires you to take your eyes off the road.

The AMG reclaims some more ground in terms of boot space. Needing to fit the new ‘torque splitting’ diff has seen the Audi’s boot shrink to a measly 281L. The A45’s luggage bay is noticeably larger at 370L.

As for how they look, that’s down to you. Both are a riot to behold with their jutting noses, bright paintwork and huge rear wings but for us, the RS3’s wider proportions, chunkier front rubber and box-like vent on the trialling edge of the front wheelarch are more pleasing to the eye.

VERDICT

It all begs the obvious question: which of this pair is best? There’s no obvious winner. Just like their on-paper spec, there’s very little to split the A45 S and RS3 if you’re looking for an objective verdict.

Both are ferociously fast, phenomenally grippy and thanks to their complex all-wheel-drive systems, they’re more engaging and talented to drive than ever.

There’s also something to be said for their size and form factor. They’re remarkably easy to place on the road, which only adds to their sense of real-world pace.

Both are ferociously fast, phenomenally grippy and thanks to their complex all-wheel-drive systems, they’re more engaging and talented to drive than ever.

But for all their similarities they do have distinct personalities. And that’s how we’ll split them.

The A45 is more fun. It’s highly strung and visceral, has the more exciting powertrain and while it might be slower against the clock, it’s the one that squeezes your adrenaline gland the hardest. But if a more balanced approach to performance is what you’re looking for, then the Audi is superior.

It’s more refined, has a better ride and its cabin is more luxurious, which is why it just edges ahead in the final tally.

Need a simpler way to decide? If engagement and driving thrills are your top priority, go for the AMG. But if you want a hyper hatch that’s outrageously fast but also easier to live with day-to-day, the Audi reigns supreme.

SCORING

Audi RS3: 8.1/10

Mercedes-AMG A45 S: 8.0/10

Scoring breakdown

Audi RS3 v AMG A45 S: Specifications