MODEL
Audi RS 3
NHTSA safety across every Audi RS 3 model year we cover.
Across the 6 model years of the Audi RS 3 we cover (2020 to 2026), the strongest crash-test showing is the 2020 at 85 on the NHTSA Safety Index. 1 recall have been issued across those years.
The Audi RS 3 is a compact performance sedan that punches well above its size, targeting driving enthusiasts who want a daily-usable car with genuine track credentials. Built on Audi's MQB platform and powered by a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, it competes in a narrow but serious segment alongside rivals like the Mercedes-AMG A 35 and BMW M2. It is a focused, premium machine aimed at buyers who refuse to compromise on excitement.
At MotorCaliber, we measure safety, and the RS 3's record across the 2020 to 2025 model years is notably clean for a low-volume performance sedan. The best NHTSA Safety Index we recorded is 85 out of 100 for the 2020 model year, landing it in the Strong performance band. Rollover resistance earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars in the best-tested year, which is respectable for a compact sedan with a relatively low center of gravity. Frontal and side crash ratings are listed as not rated in our data, meaning shoppers cannot draw direct star-for-star comparisons in those categories against more thoroughly tested mainstream rivals. That is a meaningful gap in the safety picture and worth acknowledging honestly. On the recall front, the RS 3 has accumulated just 1 recall across the covered model years, a genuinely low figure for any modern vehicle. Owner complaints are nearly nonexistent, with only 2 total filed and zero reports of crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths among them. These are unverified allegations, but the volume alone signals an unusually quiet ownership experience from a safety-complaint standpoint. The bottom line: the RS 3's safety data is limited but largely positive. The thin crash-test coverage is the one honest caution for safety-conscious shoppers.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAYReviewers generally celebrate the RS 3 as one of the most viscerally exciting compact sedans available, praising its distinctive turbocharged five-cylinder soundtrack, sharp all-wheel-drive handling, and premium interior quality. Most acknowledge it carries a significant price premium for its segment and that practicality takes a back seat to performance, but the consensus leans strongly favorable for enthusiast buyers.
- Frontal and side crash-test star ratings are not available in our covered data, which limits direct safety comparisons against more extensively tested competitors in the compact sedan segment.
- The RS 3 earned an NHTSA Safety Index of 85 out of 100 in the 2020 model year, placing it in the Strong performance band, with a 4 out of 5 rollover rating representing the most complete crash data on record.
- Only 1 recall has been issued across the 2020 to 2025 model years, making the RS 3 one of the lower-recall-count vehicles in its competitive set.
- Owner safety complaints total just 2 across all covered model years, with zero reported crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths among those filings, suggesting a very quiet complaint history, though these remain unverified allegations.
Most-recalled year on record: 2022 Audi RS 3 with 1 recalls.