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Audi S3 vs. Audi S6

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi S3 and Audi S6 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 S3 and the Audi S6.

When we compare the Audi S3's and the Audi S6's specifications and ratings, the Audi S3 has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, fuel efficiency, resale value and overall quality score. The Audi S6 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, interior volume and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the Audi S3's and the Audi S6's specifications and ratings, the Audi S3 is a better car than the Audi S6.

Pricing: For a new model, the Audi S3's price is between $53,402 and $62,353, with the Audi S6 priced between $81,399 and $93,005.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi S3 loses 42.8 percent of its value and the Audi S6 loses 54.6 percent of its value. This means the Audi S3 retains 11.8 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Audi S6.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi S3 is 8.1 out of 10 while the Audi S6's quality rating is 7.3 out of 10. This results in the Audi S3 being ranked 10 out of 36 Best Luxury Small Cars and the Audi S6 being ranked 16 out of 29 Best Luxury Midsize Cars.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi S3 is 6.6 out of 10. For the Audi S6 the reliability rating is 7.6 out of 10. This gives the Audi S6 a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Audi S3.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi S3’s base engine makes 306 horsepower, and the Audi S6 base engine makes 444 horsepower. The S3 is rated to deliver an average of 26 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 464 miles. The S6 is rated to deliver an average of 22 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 502 miles.This gives the Audi S3 the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Audi S6 the advantage in maximum range. Both models use premium unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: The Audi S6, 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: The Audi S3 has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.

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Model & Pricing
Audi S3
Audi S6

2024 Audi S3
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Audi S3 for Sale

2024 Audi S6
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Audi S6 for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$53,402 - $62,353

Starting MSRP:

$47,400

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

$58,130

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

$38,800 - $98,950

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$81,399 - $93,005

Starting MSRP:

$75,500

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

$73,001

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

$38,395 - $138,800

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$53,116

Price Range:

$46,971 - $58,315

Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

$67,794

Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

$47,250 - $119,964

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

19

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

8,505

# Good or Great Deals:

1

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

Price Range:

-

Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

$78,175

Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

$44,925 - $144,288

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

7

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

1,005

# Good or Great Deals:

0

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$20,851

Depreciation %:

44%

Resale Value $:

$26,549

Residual Value %:

56%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

42.7%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

40% - 44%

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$41,860

Depreciation %:

55.4%

Resale Value $:

$33,640

Residual Value %:

44.6%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

52.5%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

38.3% - 63.1%

Audi S3 Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.1 / 10

Reliability:

6.6 / 10

Retained Value:

7.8 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Audi S6 Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

7.3 / 10

Reliability:

7.6 / 10

Retained Value:

7.1 / 10

Safety:

Not available



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

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

1.8%

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi S6

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

8.7

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:

0.1%



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2.2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

3.2

Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact Cars)

2.1 - 10.4

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2.2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

2.2

Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Midsize Cars)

0.8 - 16.7

Audi S3 Rankings

Best Family Luxury Small Cars

8 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with the Most Legroom

9 / 36

Best Luxury Small Cars

10 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with Best Resale Value

15 / 36

Most Affordable Luxury Small Cars

18 / 31

Most Reliable Luxury Small Cars

19 / 36

Luxury Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

23 / 36

Most Comfortable Luxury Small Cars

32 / 36

Best Luxury Small Cars for Tall People

34 / 36

Audi S6 Rankings

Best Luxury Midsize Cars Under $80k

1 / 1

Best Luxury Midsize Cars for the Money

7 / 9

Luxury Midsize Cars with the Most Legroom

9 / 29

Luxury Midsize Cars with the Most Horsepower

10 / 29

Most Affordable Luxury Midsize Cars

13 / 20

Most Reliable Luxury Midsize Cars

14 / 29

Best Luxury Midsize Cars

16 / 29

Luxury Midsize Cars with Best Resale Value

18 / 29

Most Comfortable Luxury Midsize Cars

18 / 29

Best Luxury Midsize Cars for Tall People

19 / 29

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Audi S3 Trim Levels

2.0T quattro Premium, 2.0T quattro Premium Plus, 2.0T quattro Prestige

Audi S6 Trim Levels

2.9T quattro Premium, 2.9T quattro Premium Plus, 2.9T 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:

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

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

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

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

444 hp @ 5900 rpm

Torque:

442 foot-lbs @ 2700 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.099 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 / 32 / 26

Range (city/hwy):

334 / 464 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Premium Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2.9 liters

Engine Configuration:

V

Number of Cylinders:

6

Transmission:

Automatic

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

AWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


19 / 26 / 22

Range (city/hwy):

367 / 502 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Premium Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Automatic Parking:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Heated Seats

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Standard

Paddle Shifters:

Standard

Parking Sensors:

Standard

Power Lift Gate:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Internet Radio:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Wifi:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Massage 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

Automatic Parking:

Available

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Heated Seats

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Standard

Paddle Shifters:

Standard

Parking Sensors:

Standard

Power Lift Gate:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Internet Radio:

Standard

Navigation System:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Standard

Wifi:

Standard

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

Standard

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

Standard

Massage Seats:

Available

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Available

Lane Keeping Assist:

Available

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Available

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Available

Lane Keeping Assist:

Available

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Available

360-Degree Camera:

Available

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

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

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:

98.0 cubic feet

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

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

4486 lbs

Width:

83.1 inches

Height:

56.9 inches

Length:

195 inches

Wheelbase:

115.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

Not yet available

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

18.0 x 8.0 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

225/40R18

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

21.0 x 8.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

255/35R21

Exterior Colors

Black

Mythos Black Metallic

Blue

Navarra Blue Metallic / Turbo Blue

Gray

Daytona Gray Pearl Effect

Red

Tango Red Metallic

White

Glacier White Metallic / Ibis White

Yellow

Python Yellow Metallic

Silver

Not available

Exterior Colors

Black

Brilliant Black / Mythos Black Metallic

Blue

Ascari Blue Metallic / Firmament Blue Metallic

Gray

Chronos Gray Metallic / Daytona Gray Pearl Effect

Red

Grenadier Red Metallic

White

Glacier White Metallic

Yellow

Not available

Silver

Florett Silver Metallic

Interior Colors

Black

Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching

Gray

Steel Gray w/ Anthracite Stitching

Red

Not available

Interior Colors

Black

Black w/ Rock Gray Stitching

Gray

Rotor Gray w/ Anthracite Stitching

Red

Arras Red w/ Agate Gray Stitching

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