Here in the U.S., we would love to get our hands on the Audi RS3, but for one reason or another, we just aren’t worthy of such greatness. Instead, we have to settle for lesser compact models from Audi.->ke14 Sure there is the A3,->ke1086 but that’s a little too bland for some of us, which is why we were so excited when the S3->ke1303 came to the States for 2015. The S3 entered its third generation in 2013, which means the 2017 model year is about the right time for a mid-cycle update and update Audi did.

That last sentence may influence you to think there are some radical changes to talk about, and in some ways there are, but for the most part, the updates were pretty mild. We do have some new technology->ke1701 to talk about, some new safety features, and even some drivetrain upgrades that will keep us happy until Audi can enlighten us with a fourth-generation model. Furthermore, most of the front end has been updated to bring a sleeker and sexier looking cabriolet->ke144 to the masses.

For now, we’ve only seen the European specifications for the updated S3, but it should give us a good idea of what will be coming to U.S. shores, if the cabriolet actually makes it here. With competition like the BMW M235i lurking in the waters, Audi has some pretty stiff competition to keep up with. Do this new updates bring enough to the table to satisfy consumers enough to draw them toward the four rings? Well, let’s take a look and see.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Audi S3 Cabriolet.

Exterior

Just like the Audi A3 Sedan, the S3 got a pretty decent aesthetic upgrade up front. To kick things off, the headlights now have a jagged bottom edge that gives them more character. Furthermore, the LED strip inside the headlight lens now runs halfway across the bottom edge. Down below the headlights, the corner vents take an all-new shape, now featuring a single horizontal louver just below the center point. Looking at the grille might have you thinking it’s the same old Audi grille, but when you compare it to the current model, the grille now has sharper points on the sides, further enhancing the sharper look of the front end. Down below the grille, that small air dam vent has been restructured, now curving upward around the bottom of the grille. Oddly, this gives the car a “smiley” look that somehow really works. The hood has remained the same, but that doesn’t really matter because the rest of the enhancements to the front end put together a pretty damn good package.

To the sides, you won’t notice much of anything new. The side view mirrors and body lines are all identical to the pre-facelifted model. The lower side skirts may have a slightly different look, but that could be an illusion due to lighting and body color. The big news here is the 16-inch, five-spoke rollers that come standard. New wheel designs in 17-, 18-, and 19-inches are also available as an option.

Around back, the most notable change comes in the form of the taillights. They are roughly the same shape, but the deck-lid-mounted units are now a little taller to the inside. Furthermore, the layout of the lens has been changed, further distinguishing the new model from the old. Down below the reflectors don’t appear to wrap around the rear fascia as much as before, and the rear splitter appears to be the same with four vertical louvers between the twin, dual exhaust outlets.

Interior

If you were hoping to see a redesign of the interior, you’re out of luck, but don’t get disappointed just yet. You’ll notice the same upholstery as last year’s model, including the diamond-quilted seat backs and the S3 logo in the headrests. The heating and air conditioning vents have been tweaked a little to provide a little more detail. At first glance, the steering wheel is the same flat-bottom unit as before, but on closer inspection, you’ll notice that the lower spoke is a little longer, and the hole between the two spoke arms is outlined in aluminum. That’s not all, thought, and it does get better.

Instead of that boring old analog instrument cluster, the S3 is now equipped with a 12.3-inch diagonal TFT display screen that has two different modes. In classic mode, the screen simulates the old instrument cluster with two large gauges and a small information center in the middle. Switching over to infotainment mode will improve the driving experience by bringing navigation, and lists for the radio and connected smartphone to the display. In this mode, the speedometer and tachometer are displayed as two small round clocks.

Outside of what we’ve already discussed here, the MMI infotainment system has a new menu structure that mimics that of today’s smartphones. Functions are controlled by the rotary knob on the center console, with the buttons just ahead of the knob being used to navigate the various menus. The knob is touch-sensitive and can be used to enter characters, and accepts multi-finger gestures similar to that of smartphones. The seven-inch MMI display is standard, with MMI navigation and MMi navigation plus with MMI touch as available add-ons. With the optional Audi Connect module, the system now supports Google Earth, Google Street View, and traffic information in real time. A high-speed LTE data connection comes standard with the supplied sim card, which also permits roaming in most European countries.

The Audi MMI connect app is free with this system and enables streaming and data transfer from smartphone devices to the MMI system. iOS- and Android-powered phones are compatible with the system. The Audi phone box in the center armrest uses near-field coupling (NFC) to link smartphones to the system while simultaneously charging them wirelessly.

Drivetrain

The standard A3 now puts out a maximum of 190 horsepower, but since we’re talking about the S3, you can bet there is even more power on tap. The S3 is powered by a 2.0-liter TFSI that now outputs 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. That is a 10-horsepower and 14.8-pound-feet increase over last year’s model. Furthermore, all that power is available at just 2,000 rpm and up to 5,400 rpm. Power is routed to the wheels through a newly developed seven-speed S Tronic transmission that utilizes a wet clutch system. Audi hasn’t divulged details on whether or not the S3 will have the quattro AWD system, but considering we’re talking about the S3 here, it isn’t premature to assume it will come standard.

According to Audi’s press release, engineers have integrated S3-specific control for the multi-plate clutch and Electronic Stabilization Control. This new control is said to provide greater driving dynamics, driving pleasure, and more importantly, safety. As of the time of this writing, Audi has yet to release performance figures for the S3, but previous models could make the 60-mph sprint in 5.4 seconds and had a top speed of 155 mph. Expect the top speed to remain electronically limited at 155 mph, but the 0-to-60 mph time may drop by one tick thanks to the slight bump in power and torque output.

Safety

The S3 comes with the same safety features as last year’s model, but there are a couple of new features to talk about. First off, the Audi active lane assist and Audi pre sense front have been developed further, now providing predictive pedestrian protection. The S3 also gets an optional traffic jam assist system, which works together with the adaptive cruise control, as well as its Stop & Go feature. This system automatically keeps the car a safe distance from the vehicles in front of it, and will automatically put the car back into motion after a brief stop. It can even take over steering in stop and go traffic at up to 40.4 mph on well-paved roads.

Another optional system now available on the S3 is Emergency Assist. This system will automatically brake and stop the vehicle if no steering activity from the driver is detected. Don’t worry, though; there are warnings announced before the Emergency Assist system kicks in. Rear cross-traffic alert is also available on the S3 going forward, and will warn the driver about crossing traffic when maneuvering out of a parking spot.

Audi also focused some effort into reworking the suspension system. It has now be tuned to provide better balance and a sportier ride. With sport suspension equipped on the S3, the ride height is dropped by 0.6 inches, but going with the S line sport suspension will drop the ride height by one inch all the way around. The S3 still come standard with electrically powered progressive steering to provide the best steering feedback and experience available.

Prices

Audi has yet to give too much detail on the pricing front, but it did say that the new entry-level A3 would go for €23,300. The current S3 is currently going for €49,350, so given the updates and new technology, I would expect the new S3 to somewhere around €50,500 at the most. At current exchange rates, that would put the S3 at about $57,393. Stay tuned for updates to the pricing schedule once they become available.

Competition

BMW M235i

BMW has already made it clear that there isn’t going to be an M2 convertible, so to find a competitor for the S3 Cabriolet, we need to look to the BMW M235i. Here in the U.S. it starts out at $48,750 and goes up to $50,750 for the M235i xDrive. The xDrive is more than likely to be the best competitor given its all-wheel drive status. The car is powered by a 3.0-liter, TwinPower, six-cylinder engine that delivers 320 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 4.8 seconds.

Given the estimated performance of the S3, the 228i xDrive could be considered a closer competitor, but it doesn’t have as sporty of a look and is subpar in comparison to the design of the S3. Price-wise, the M235i will be a little cheaper than the S3, which makes the S3 a tough sale given the shorter sprint time to 60 mph. If you’re indecisively caught between the two, think hard before making the decision. And please, do yourself a favor and actually drive them both.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

I’m impressed with the work Audi put into the S3’s facelift. Everything on the front end except for the hood was changed, which is actually more than what we’ve seen from some models that have gone through generational changes. Sure, Audi didn’t do much to the rear or the interior, but I think doing more would have been too much for a mid-cycle update.

Also, it is nice to see the virtual cockpit come to the S3. At this point, digital instrument clusters are becoming the norm, and the fact that the S3 didn’t have one yet was a little obscene. With everything done to the S3, it’s hard to imagine what Audi will present in the next few years when it is time to usher in a new generation.