Audi A6 vs. Audi S3
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi A6 and Audi S3 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Audi A6 and the Audi S3.
In comparing the Audi A6's and the Audi S3's specifications and ratings, the Audi A6 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, interior volume and overall quality score. The Audi S3 has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, resale value and base engine power. The Audi A6 and Audi S3 have the same fuel efficiency. Based on this comparison of the Audi A6's and the Audi S3's specifications and ratings, the Audi S3 is a better car than the Audi A6.
Pricing: A used 2024 Audi A6 ranges from $48,368 to $72,144 while a used 2024 Audi S3 is priced between $46,971 to $58,315. For a new model, the Audi A6's price is between $62,042 and $68,761, with the Audi S3 priced between $53,402 and $62,353.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi A6 loses 57.2 percent of its value and the Audi S3 loses 42.8 percent of its value. This means the Audi S3 retains 14.4 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Audi A6.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi A6 is 8.4 out of 10 while the Audi S3's quality rating is 8.1 out of 10.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi A6 is 8.3 out of 10. For the Audi S3 the reliability rating is 6.6 out of 10. This gives the Audi A6 an advantage in reliability compared to the Audi S3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi A6’s base engine makes 261 horsepower, and the Audi S3 base engine makes 306 horsepower. Both the A6 and the S3 are rated to deliver an average of 26 miles per gallon, with highway ranges of 637 and 464 miles respectively. Both models use premium unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Audi A6, a midsize car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Audi A6 and the Audi S3 have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
62042 - 68761
Starting MSRP:
58100
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
73001
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
38395 - 138800
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
53402 - 62353
Starting MSRP:
47400
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
58130
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
38800 - 98950
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
60397
Price Range:
48368 - 72144
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
78175
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
44925 - 144288
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
147
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
25029
# Good or Great Deals:
56
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
53116
Price Range:
46971 - 58315
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
67794
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
47250 - 119964
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
18
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
11105
# Good or Great Deals:
4
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
33762
Depreciation %:
0.58109334
Resale Value $:
24338
Residual Value %:
0.41890666
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.52546863
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.38325409 - 0.63062227
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
20851
Depreciation %:
0.439897
Resale Value $:
26549
Residual Value %:
0.560103
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
0.42669912
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
0.39968411 - 0.439897
Audi A6 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.409272 / 10
Reliability:
8.292928 / 10
Retained Value:
6.934889 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
Audi S3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.145648 / 10
Reliability:
6.6 / 10
Retained Value:
7.836944 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi A6
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
9.6
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
10.9
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
8.5 - 14.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.04
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi S3
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
11.1
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
11.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
11.1 - 13.0
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.018
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.069243089829005
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
2.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)
0.8 - 16.7
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.1697610394867706
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
3.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)
2.1 - 10.4
Audi A6 Rankings
Ranking
2 out of / 6Ranking
2 out of / 6Ranking
5 out of / 24Ranking
6 out of / 18Ranking
8 out of / 24Ranking
8 out of / 18Ranking
9 out of / 24Ranking
9 out of / 24Ranking
13 out of / 24Ranking
14 out of / 24Ranking
17 out of / 24Ranking
22 out of / 24Audi S3 Rankings
Ranking
12 out of / 36Ranking
18 out of / 36Ranking
18 out of / 36Ranking
20 out of / 32Ranking
34 out of / 36Ranking
34 out of / 36Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Audi A6 Trim Levels
quattro Premium 45 TFSI, quattro Premium 55 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 45 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 55 TFSI, quattro Prestige 55 TFSI
Audi S3 Trim Levels
2.0T quattro Premium, 2.0T quattro Premium Plus, 2.0T quattro Prestige
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
261 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque:
273 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.064 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
306 hp @ 5450 rpm
Torque:
295 foot-lbs @ 3000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.087 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
23 / 33 / 26
Range (city/hwy):
444 / 637 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
23 / 32 / 26
Range (city/hwy):
334 / 464 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Automatic Parking:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Internet Radio:
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Automatic Parking:
Standard
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.3 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57.8 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
37.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Cargo Space:
13.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
99.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
36.8 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
54.8 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
53 inches
Cargo Space:
8.3 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
87.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4101 lbs
Width:
83.1 inches
Height:
57.4 inches
Length:
194.4 inches
Wheelbase:
115.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
4.2 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3527 lbs
Width:
78.1 inches
Height:
55.7 inches
Length:
177.3 inches
Wheelbase:
103.6 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
19.0 x 8.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
245/45R19
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 8.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/40R18
Exterior Colors
Black
Brilliant Black / Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Firmament Blue Metallic
Brown
Madeira Brown Metallic
Gray
Chronos Gray Metallic / Manhattan Gray Metallic
Silver
Florett Silver Metallic
White
Arkona White / Glacier White Metallic
Red
Not available
Yellow
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Navarra Blue Metallic / Turbo Blue
Brown
Not available
Gray
Daytona Gray Pearl Effect
Silver
Not available
White
Glacier White Metallic / Ibis White
Red
Tango Red Metallic
Yellow
Python Yellow Metallic
Interior Colors
Beige
Pearl Beige w/ Agate Gray Stitching
Black
Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching
Brown
Okapi Brown w/ Steel Gray Stitching
Gray
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching
Brown
Not available
Gray
Steel Gray w/ Anthracite Stitching
