Compare the2025 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2024 Audi S3

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Elantra N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Elantra N is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi S3, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

The Elantra N has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S3’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S3.

The Elantra N’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The S3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Elantra N and the S3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Hyundai Elantra N achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The S3 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Elantra N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The S3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the S3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the S3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra N for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S3.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra N’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 80 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 77 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 8 places higher in reliability than Audi.

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is optional on the Hyundai Elantra N, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the S3.

For better traction, the Elantra N has larger tires than the S3 (245/35R19 vs. 225/40R18). The Elantra N’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the S3 (245/35R19 vs. 235/35R19).

The Elantra N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S3’s standard 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Elantra N has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the S3.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Elantra N’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the S3 (107.1 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Elantra N is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the S3.

The Hyundai Elantra N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 350 pounds less than the Audi S3.

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The S3 uses conventional rubber.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra N a Mid-size car, while the S3 is rated a Subcompact.

The Elantra N has 13.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S3 (99.4 vs. 86).

The Elantra N has 3.8 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the S3.

The Elantra N has a much larger trunk than the S3 (14.2 vs. 8.3 cubic feet).

The Elantra N’s standard Proximity Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Engine Start/Stop standard on the S3 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

The Elantra N’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The S3’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the S3.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra N will be $8554 to $13610 less than for the Audi S3.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The S3 has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Audi A3/S3/RS 3 by almost 10 to one during 2023.