Quick Answer: The 2026 Audi S3 at a Glance
For 2026, Audi condensed the S3 sport sedan into a single, fully loaded trim — the Premium Plus, with an MSRP of $52,000 before the $1,395 destination charge. Under the hood sits a turbocharged 2.0-liter four making 328 horsepower and 295 lb-ft, sent through a 7-speed S tronic® dual-clutch to standard quattro® with a torque-splitting rear differential. Audi quotes 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds; the EPA rates it 23 city / 31 highway on premium fuel. Equipment that cost extra last year — the Sonos® sound system, navigation, blind-spot monitoring, the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit plus — now comes on every car. The 2026 S3 is sold in the borough at Audi Queens, 30-35 College Point Blvd in Flushing.
Total price, including every dealer-imposed charge: $53,570 all in for the S3 Premium Plus. That total includes the $1,395 destination charge and the $175 documentation fee (an optional dealer charge, not a New York State or DMV fee) on top of a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $52,000; it excludes state and local taxes, title, registration, and any optional equipment.
The small Audi that answers the on-ramp question
Every Queens driver knows the merge: the short ramp onto the Van Wyck where traffic is already doing 60, the Grand Central entrance that gives you five car lengths to commit, the LIE at the hour when hesitation costs you the gap. A 201-horsepower A3 handles those moments competently. The S3 erases them. With 328 horses and all four tires biting, the gap you see is the gap you take, and the drama stays optional — dial the drive-select knob back to Comfort and the car settles into an easygoing commuter that happens to have a rear spoiler.
That dual personality is the whole pitch. The S3 is still the compact four-door that fits a Flushing street spot and a Long Island City garage ramp, still returns an EPA-estimated 31 mpg on the highway, and still carries the same 10,000-mile service intervals as the rest of the A3 family. It just adds the part the A3 can't: a genuinely quick car underneath the sensible one. You can see both personalities in one visit at Audi Queens in Flushing, where the A3 and S3 share floor space.
One trim now, and it's the loaded one
Here's the 2026 headline: the trim ladder is gone. Audi sold the 2025 S3 in three versions; this year there is exactly one, the Premium Plus, and Audi moved most of the old upgrade content into it as standard equipment. Navigation, the blind-spot system with rear cross traffic assist, the wireless charging pad, and the 680-watt Sonos® audio setup with fifteen speakers all come on every car now. So does the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit plus instrument display, newly standard across the A3 family this year. The result is a simpler decision than sport-sedan shopping usually involves: pick a color, pick your packages, done.
Pick your 2026 S3
S3 Premium Plus · from $52,000 MSRP
The only trim, and it wants for little: 328 hp, torque splitter, Sonos® audio, virtual cockpit plus, panoramic roof — all standard.
What 328 horsepower feels like with a torque splitter
Audi quotes 4.4 seconds to 60 mph.
The hardware story matters here, because it's what separates the 2026 S3 from the fast-compact crowd. The turbo four is familiar VW Group architecture tuned to 328 hp and 295 lb-ft, and the 7-speed S tronic® swaps gears faster than a driver can. The interesting piece sits at the back axle: a torque splitter that can send available power to whichever rear wheel can use it. Rotate the drive selector into Dynamic Plus — one of five modes, alongside Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual — and the differential actively pushes torque outward in corners, which turns a safe, planted sedan into a playful one. Standard S sport suspension keeps the body honest, and an optional S sport package adds adaptive damper control plus red calipers for drivers who want the firmer end of the dial.
None of it demands sacrifice at the pump that a buyer wouldn't expect: 23 city, 31 highway, 26 combined on premium gasoline, per the EPA. For a car that beats plenty of six-cylinder machinery to 60, that highway figure is the quiet flex.
Inside: sport seats, screens, and a Sonos® concert hall
Front sport seats with integrated headrests are standard; Fine Nappa leather with diamond stitching is the upgrade.
The cabin runs Audi's current two-screen layout: the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit plus ahead of the wheel and the MMI® touch display in the center, with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ connecting wirelessly. Front sport seats with integrated headrests are the S3-specific touch, and buyers who want the showpiece interior can order Fine Nappa leather with diamond stitching. The standard Sonos® system — 680 watts through fifteen speakers and a 16-channel amp — was an option on last year's car and an easy one to skip; making it standard is one of those 2026 changes owners will appreciate every single day on the Whitestone.
Outside, the S badge earns its keep visually: S-specific bumpers with big air inlets, a rear diffuser wrapped around quad exhaust tips, a trunk spoiler, and full LED headlights with selectable daytime-running-light signatures. Standard wheels are 18-inch 10-spokes; two 19-inch bicolor designs are available, and the Black optic package swaps the brightwork for gloss black with anthracite rings.
What S3 buyers say about this store
Audi Queens carries a 4.5-star Google rating across more than 1,250 reviews, and the S3 appears in them by name going back years. One out-of-state buyer, Josh M., wrote: "The team at audi queens was exceptional in their service during my purchase of an S3... what wouldve taken hours took less than an hour." Kristine H. described her S3 deal this way: "There was no hassle of going back and forth because the best price was given upfront." And the store's S-car clientele extends up the range — Sarah V., who bought a new SQ5 this January, wrote that her salesperson "answered all of my questions, and made the entire process smooth and stress-free... I'll definitely continue coming back to Audi Queens."
Audi Queens, College Point Blvd, Flushing.
The showroom works in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, and the rest of the ownership loop — Audi financing, factory-certified service, genuine parts, and a collision center — operates from the same Flushing address, serving all five boroughs and Long Island.
Frequently asked questions: 2026 Audi S3
Is there a 2026 Audi S3?
Yes — it's on sale now, in a single Premium Plus trim at $52,000 MSRP plus $1,395 destination. The three-trim structure you may remember (Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige) belonged to the 2025 model year; for 2026 Audi consolidated the lineup and made most of the formerly optional equipment standard.
How much does a 2026 Audi S3 cost?
MSRP is $52,000, and the destination charge adds $1,395. Packages — S sport, Black optic, Driver Assistance, Nappa leather, 19-inch wheels — move the number from there, and New York taxes and fees apply at purchase. The Queens pricing & leasing guide breaks down the full out-the-door math, and current offers live on the Audi Queens specials page.
Is the Audi S3 a fast car?
By any street measure, yes: Audi's own figure is 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, which puts this compact sedan in the company of cars costing considerably more. The deeper answer is how repeatable that speed is — quattro® and the torque splitter make the acceleration available in the rain, in February, and on the patched pavement Queens actually offers.
Is the Audi S3 a V8?
No. Every 2026 S3 uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder — 328 hp and 295 lb-ft — with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The output that once required eight cylinders now comes from four and a turbocharger, along with an EPA-estimated 31 mpg highway that no V8 sedan ever managed.
Is the S3 faster than a Golf R?
They're close relatives — both build on the same VW Group turbo-four architecture with similar output — so the honest answer is that straight-line performance is closely matched and trim-level differences matter more than badge bragging rights. What the S3 offers that the Golf can't is the sedan body, the Audi cabin, and the S-specific styling. Drive one and the comparison usually settles itself.
Which is faster, the S3 or the RS 3?
The RS 3, clearly — it's the flagship of the family, with a 401-horsepower 2.5-liter five-cylinder and its own distinct character. The S3's case is value and daily temperament: most of the speed, a gentler ride in Comfort mode, and a lower price of entry. Both are conversations the Audi Queens team has regularly, sometimes with the same shopper in the same visit.
Will there be a 2027 Audi S3?
Audi hasn't published anything about the 2027 model year, so we won't guess. What's certain is that the 2026 car is in production and available now — and that its one-trim, everything-standard format is the most equipment an S3 has ever included at its starting price.
Does the S3 require premium gas?
The EPA lists premium gasoline for the 2026 S3, and a 328-hp turbo engine is exactly the application where the recommendation matters. Budget for it the way you'd budget for tires: part of the honest cost of the performance.
Where can I test drive a 2026 S3 in Queens?
At Audi Queens in Flushing — check live S3 inventory or book a test drive. Showroom hours run Monday-Thursday 9-6 and Friday-Saturday 9-5, and the sales floor works in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.
The fast one that still fits the borough
The S3 has always been the A3 for people who read the spec sheet twice. For 2026 it's also the simplest Audi to buy: one trim, the good equipment included, and a price that undercuts last year's mid-level car while out-equipping it. Read the S3 Premium Plus guide for the feature-by-feature detail, the pricing & leasing guide for the Queens math, and the service & repair guide before the first 10,000 miles roll by. Or skip ahead: the current inventory is here, and College Point Blvd is a short drive from anywhere in the borough.
All 2026 Audi S3 guides
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price excludes the $1,395 destination charge and the $175 documentation fee (an optional dealer charge, not a New York State or DMV fee), along with along with taxes, title, registration, license fees, and any dealer-installed options; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates; real-world mileage varies with conditions and driving style. Acceleration figure per Audi of America; always obey speed and traffic laws. Equipment and package availability can change with production timing — confirm current specifications with Audi Queens. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Audi Queens.