MODEL
Audi RS 3 Safety
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.
The 2020 to 2025 RS 3 presents a largely positive, if incomplete, safety profile. While its frontal and side crash protection remains unrated by NHTSA, a significant gap for consumers seeking direct comparisons, the available data points to strong performance. The 2020 model year achieved an 85 out of 100 on our Safety Index, placing it in the Strong performance band. Rollover resistance for the best-tested year earned 4 out of 5 stars, a respectable outcome for a compact sedan. Further bolstering its record is an exceptionally low recall count, with only 1 recall issued across all covered model years. Owner complaints are similarly minimal, totaling just 2, with no associated reports of crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths. While these complaints are unverified, their scarcity suggests a quiet ownership experience from a safety perspective. The limited crash-test data is the primary reservation for safety-focused buyers.
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.