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Alexandra Lawrence11 Sept 2020
REVIEW

Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4MATIC+ v Audi RS 3 Sportback 2020 Comparison

Two hatchbacks with circa 300kW, 500Nm, AWD and the ability to go from zero to ‘Sorry Officer’ in around 4sec? Welcome to the hyper-hatch showdown…
Models Tested
2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4MATIC+ v 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback
Review Type
Comparison
Review Location
Pheasant Wood Circuit, Marulan, NSW

Evolved from hot to hyper-hatches

We’d normally call these hot hatches, but when each of them boasts around 300kW and 500Nm and can launch you from zero to 100km/h quickly enough to distort the red and blue flashing lights in your rear view, we’ve officially moved into hyper-hatch territory.

So, let us introduce you to these spicy little rocket ships.

First up, the brand-spanking new 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+.

To break that down for you, it’s the hottest A-Class hatchback you can get (though it’s also available in CLA four-door coupe form).

Priced from $93,600 plus on-road costs, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ not only has a cabin to put supercars twice its price to shame, its 310kW mill stands as the world’s most powerful series-production four-cylinder engine.

To give it to you sharp – it’s absolutely mind-boggling.

Next on the menu is the potent 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback, which is also available as a sedan. Priced from $83,900 plus ORCs, the RS 3 has a larger five-cylinder engine but it’s less powerful and takes 0.2sec longer to reach triple digits on the speedo.

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Audi is also about to replace the current RS 3 with an all-new model that’s tipped to get a revised version of the same engine, offering more oomph than its current 294kW/480Nm output.

So then, two all-wheel-drive hyper-hatches, a racetrack and a score to settle.

Where shall we begin?

Premium prices and equipment to match

As we said at the outset, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ has the kind of high-tech, next-level cabin you’d expect to find in a supercar.

It’s miles ahead of the cockpit of the 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback which is more understated and even feels a little dated in this company.

The Mercedes-AMG’s back-lit air vents jump out at you like sets of claws, while a colourful mix of leather, metal and suede-like materials adorn the rest of the spaceship-like cabin.

A funky drive mode dial is mounted to the suede-wrapped steering wheel in GT3 racecar fashion, while new haptic-touch pads allow you to scroll through menus without taking your hands off the wheel.

Meanwhile, two 10.25-inch MBUX infotainment displays meet to create one giant screen across the dash, enveloping you in an array of vehicle settings.

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No doubt, it’s a lot to take in at first. However, it’s intuitive enough to find your way around pretty quickly.

Inside the 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback, it’s a different story.

Elegant and minimalist in isolation, the Audi RS 3’s cabin is no match for the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S.

The RS 3 comes with a fold-away 7.0-inch infotainment unit, which, like Merc’s system, is complete with smartphone mirroring, digital radio and navigation.

Audi’s excellent virtual cockpit, comprising of a 12.3-inch display, takes pride of place behind the fat, flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Both hyper-hatches come with wireless phone charging, bright LED headlights and a host of safety and driver assistance features as standard.

If trouble strikes, there is a tyre inflation kit in the boot of each hatch, in place of a spare or even space saver option.

Both can also be optioned with a range of extras. The crystal-effect paint job on our Audi tester costs an extra $728, while a $1600 gloss-black exterior styling package bumps its final price up to $86,128 plus on-road costs.

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Our Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ test car was also coated in metallic paint (Mountain Grey) worth $1190, bringing its total up to $94,790 plus ORCs.

As for service pricing, the RS 3 costs $2320 over the first three years or $3420 over five, based on Audi’s Genuine Care Service Plan. These are due every 12 months or 15,000km.

Meanwhile, capped-price servicing for the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S places services every 12 months/20,000km, at a cost of $3000 (over three years) or $4300 (across five years).

The Merc comes with a generous five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while Audi’s RS 3 Sportback gets a three-year/unlimited warranty.

Safe as very fast houses

As you’d expect, both the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ and 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback are safe as houses.

A five-star ANCAP rating, along with driver assistance features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control come standard on each.

Both get heated seats, but where the A 45 S comes with fully electric front seats and a panoramic sunroof, the RS 3 Sportback makes do with manual seat adjustment for all bar lumbar.

Where audio is concerned, we thought the Audi’s Bang & Olufsen sound system was crisper, while the Burmester surround-sound system in the AMG just didn’t seem loud enough (especially during both audio and phone calls) even at maximum volume.

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This was made worse by the Mercedes’ ever-present tyre roar and road noise, especially over coarse-chip surfaces.

Gaining points back, the A 45 S comes with a 64-colour ambient interior lighting package, as well as a drift mode function, thanks to AMG’s Torque Control System. This can send 100 per cent of the car’s torque to an outside rear tyre – instead of the usual 50:50 torque split.

The result is not kind on tyres, but it’s an absolute riot.

AMG hooligan versus the grown-up little Audi

If this comparison was only about speed and power, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ would take line honours – just.

Around our Pheasant Wood test circuit, the AMG hyper-hatch proved the quicker of the two, both in an old-fashioned drag race and cutting laps.

That said, it requires more from the pilot to get those results – rewarding patience and respect with seemingly limitless potential.

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On paper, the Merc’s 310kW/500Nm 2.0-litre turbo-four engine helps it sprint from zero to 100km/h in 3.9sec, while the 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback takes 4.1sec to reach the same marker.

On track, the A 45 is consistently quicker. Here it completed a lap of the tight and twisty circuit in a time of 1:00:57. The Audi RS 3 Sportback’s best was 1:01.15.

When you first get behind the wheel of the AMG and switch the safety systems off (recommended only on track, by the way) it feels purposeful.

Its steering rack is faster than that of the RS 3, and its launch control delivers a hefty punch in the back upon take-off.

But power comes on more progressively, and, with familiarity, the A 45 S is more playful – although it is much easier to come unstuck.

Things feel slightly tamer and more tied-down in the Audi RS 3 Sportback. It’s surefooted and composed, even with the safety systems switched off.

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The Audi’s 294kW/480Nm 2.5-litre turbo-five is prone to some low-speed hesitation – a combination of its DSG gearbox and turbo lag – but once moving the four-ringed brand’s hyper-hatch fires through gears and produces a wonderful melodic engine note.

The dual-clutch automatic in the Audi RS 3 is mostly harmonious, although it did refuse to downshift on corner approach at times, requiring another go at the shift paddle.

After a number of laps, certain things become apparent. The Audi suffers brake fade after back-to-back laps, while the AMG feels like it could use stickier tyres than the standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

It’s also apparent that both cars probably need more circuit to play with – they aren’t really able to really stretch their legs at Pheasant Wood.

At the end of the day, the Audi RS 3 Sportback feels more mature, is quieter and has better on-road manners for everyday use.

However, it’s unlikely you’d ever tire of driving either.

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Comfort that surprises

Both the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ and 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback are solid performers on the road, too.

In terms of comfort, the Audi offers a lower seating position. That’s not to say the Merc’s is overly high, but you definitely notice the difference when switching between the pair.

From the front row, outward vision doesn’t favour either. However, rear seat passengers will notice a little more vision from the AMG’s slightly wider rear windows.

Both hatches will easily fit four adults, with a decent amount of headroom and legroom, but not a great deal of under-thigh support, in the back row. Both front rows get manually adjustable under-thigh cushioning.

Toe-room in the back also isn’t the best, owing to those relatively low front seats.

Second row amenities are good in both, with the pair each featuring a centre armrest with two cup holders, door pockets and two small air vents. A 12-volt socket is fitted to the Audi and two USB-Cs are hidden in a fold-away pocket in the Merc.

Overall, the A 45 S’s darker interior feels more encapsulating compared to the RS 3’s Lunar Silver (more like off-white) interior which was a no-cost option in our test car. Gorgeous, but we reckon it’d get way too dirty, too quickly.

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If there was one sore point with the A 45 S, it’s definitely the road noise, which is considerable and seems to be a price you’ve gotta pay to live with AMG’s baby rocket ship.

Can we suggest you’re best popping by the hardware store for a set of earplugs on your way home from the dealership…

After you get over the road noise, the next thing you can’t help but wonder about the Merc is how anyone would manage to keep their licence.

Although the same could be said for the RS 3 Sportback with its ferocious five-pot screamer, the AMG feels so much racier – kind of like one of your immature mates from high school that persistently dares you to push the limits just that little bit further.

To hear more on what the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ is like to drive with a tamed racecar driver at the helm, click here to read our own Luke Youlden’s review.

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Next generation, next level

At the end of the day, the decision was unanimous: The 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback is a mega hot hatch, but the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ is next generation in terms of both technology and performance.

We can’t wait to see what Audi delivers with its next-gen version of the RS 3 that’s due to arrive later this year. But it’ll need to be very, very good to better AMG’s larger-than-life A 45 S.

Make no mistake, with its outstanding powertrain, excellent tech and interior presentation the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ wins this comparison hands down.

How much does the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4MATIC+ cost?
Price: $94,790 as-tested (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 310kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 192g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)

How much does the 2020 Audi RS 3 Sportback TFSI quattro cost?
Price: $86,128 as tested (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 294kW/480Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed S tronic automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 195g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2013)

Thanks to Pheasant Wood Circuit in Marulan for its assistance in putting this comparison test together.

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