I Traded My Audi RS6 Avant For A Brand New Audi RS3 And Found The Smaller Car More Engaging To Drive, While Saving Hundreds On Monthly Fuel Costs After Getting Just 13 MPG In The Wagon

There’s a mythology to cars like the Audi RS6. Big, brutal, unapologetically German, it’s the kind of machine that makes you feel like you’re commuting in a ballistic missile disguised as a family wagon. The RS6 doesn’t whisper to you, it shouts across four lanes of traffic and begs to be driven like it was meant for the autobahn. 

But here’s the thing, real life isn’t all mountain switchbacks and de-restricted highways. Sometimes the mortgage broker is calling, the fuel bills are piling up, and the driveway needs to make a little more sense. Most enthusiasts view that reckoning as the end of the fun, a forced retreat into practicality. Reddit user Hour-Pie-6447 didn’t see it that way. He traded his RS6 Avant for a smaller, cheaper RS3, and somehow found more joy behind the wheel.

“To get the 'why' out of the way, I did it because we’re buying a house and I wanted to free up some cash flow. Now…

The RS3 is, without a doubt, the most engaging Audi or any sports sedan I have had the pleasure to own. I’ve owned the whole lot of S, RS cars, including the S3, S5, RS5, and RS6. I’ve also owned an F82 M4, and this little pocket rocket is the closest I’ve gotten to feeling that visceral, engaging feeling that makes you just wanna take the back roads home. There’s just something so unique about the sound of the inline 5 that makes you wanna wring it out to the red line. The handling is Superb, the car truly does feel like a go-kart.

I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t point out some negatives based on my ownership thus far.

The car is small, so if you need to carry your whole family, this isn’t it. I take my two girls to school (7 and 10), I’m 5’11”, and I have no issues. We use the Q7 for long family trips, 

but there’s noticeable wind and tire noise at high speeds. I’ve read that the Bridgestone Protenza sports can be very loud, so I might switch them next summer. The quality of the interior is questionable in some spots, although if I’m being truly honest, my RS6 had tons of rattles, and the dashboard quality was also questionable.

The RS6 is truly a remarkable car, which I understand to many is the pinnacle of Audi. Here are some observations based on my ownership of the RS6

Quite possibly the best-looking modern Audi estate. Always admired its exterior design.

Brutally fast, but really shines on the highways.

Spent about $400 in gas per month.

Very comfortable even on the 22” wheels, but cannot win over physics; it did feel quite heavy and big, especially around corners.

Driving aggressively came with some guilt, knowing how much fuel it drinks and how often consumables (tires and brakes) are to be replaced. The RS3 is a no-guilt kinda RS car.”

Financial prudence rarely sounds this joyful. By trading a six-figure autobahn bruiser for a compact sports sedan, this driver not only freed up cash for a new home but also rekindled his connection to driving itself. The RS3, with its lighter footprint and smaller appetite for premium fuel, represents a rare equilibrium, where fiscal responsibility and pure driving pleasure coexist without compromise.

Advanced RS3 Technology Features

• The RS3's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provides customizable performance displays, including g-force meters, lap timers, and power output graphs that transform every drive into an engaging experience. This technology succeeds where many digital interfaces fail by enhancing rather than replacing the fundamental connection between driver and machine.
• The RS3's multiple driving modes create distinctly different vehicle personalities, adjusting throttle response, suspension settings, steering weight, and exhaust sound to optimize performance for different conditions. This adaptability allows a single vehicle to serve as both a comfortable daily driver and track-focused weapon depending on the driver's mood and requirements.
• The RS3's sophisticated launch control manages power delivery, traction control, and transmission settings to enable consistent acceleration performance that maximizes the vehicle's capabilities while protecting drivetrain components. This technology democratizes performance by allowing average drivers to access the car's full potential without requiring professional-level skill.
• The RS3's adaptive dampers adjust compression and rebound rates hundreds of times per second, providing ride quality that adapts to road conditions while maintaining precise handling characteristics. This system enables the vehicle to feel comfortable during daily driving while transforming into a focused sports car when performance is demanded.

The numbers tell their own story. The RS6, with its twin-turbo V8, can easily return 13 miles per gallon in mixed driving and costs hundreds in monthly fuel. The RS3’s turbocharged five-cylinder isn’t a miser either, but its economy and consumables are gentler on both conscience and checkbook. As one commenter, SpecialistLawyer8994, succinctly put it, “As an RS6 owner and someone who has driven the RS3, you’re spot on.” That validation from the faithful is rare. It means the RS3 isn’t merely the practical alternative, it’s the car enthusiasts quietly respect when the numbers stop lying.

Technically, the RS3 remains a gem of modern engineering. Audi’s engineers have preserved the signature 2.5-liter inline-five, a mechanical oddity that gives the car a character unmatched by its peers. 

As Due-Giraffe6371, another RS3 owner, wrote, “For a daily, the RS3 is a hell of a good car and it surprises people who don’t know them with just how quick they are and they are a lot of fun.” It is the sound, the uneven, rally-bred warble, that separates it from the efficient but sterile tones of most modern engines. It makes every commute feel like a sprint stage, without needing a closed course or a radar detector.

Audi RS3 Engineering Marvels

• The RS3's turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five produces a distinctive warbling exhaust note that stems from its irregular firing order, creating acoustic signatures that no other engine configuration can replicate. This unique sound character makes every acceleration feel like a rally stage, transforming mundane commutes into auditory celebrations of mechanical eccentricity.
• Audi's innovative rear differential can send up to 100% of power to either rear wheel, enabling controlled oversteer and dynamic handling that transforms the RS3 from a nose-heavy compact into a genuine tail-happy sports car. This technology allows the car to rotate through corners with precision that larger, heavier vehicles simply cannot match.
• At under 3,600 pounds, the RS3 weighs significantly less than most modern SUVs, creating a power-to-weight ratio that enables instant throttle response and nimble handling characteristics. This weight discipline translates into driving dynamics that feel immediate and connected compared to the isolated experience of larger performance vehicles.
• The RS3's smaller dimensions allow it to exploit road space and parking opportunities that larger vehicles cannot access, turning every narrow street into a potential racetrack and every tight parking spot into an achievable challenge. This size benefit becomes particularly apparent when transitioning from larger performance cars that feel constrained by their own bulk.

There’s also an emotional liberation in this shift. Our protagonist calls the RS3 a “no guilt kinda RS car.” It’s a rare moment when an enthusiast can drive aggressively without the twin burdens of financial anxiety and fuel guilt. The RS6, magnificent as it is, carries the weight of excess. The RS3, by contrast, feels light in every way, light in size, in footprint, and in consequence. 

This sense of rediscovery has sparked a wider resonance among other Audi enthusiasts. Motherofsuccs, an RS5 driver, summed it up with admirable honesty: “Every day is play day. I know I’ll get shit for this, but I enjoy my RS5 over my partner’s GT3.” The idea that joy can come from something more modest, more usable, is the quiet revolution of this story. Downsizing, it turns out, doesn’t mean downgrading; it means recalibrating your expectations and discovering what actually makes you happy.

So maybe this isn’t a story about giving something up. It’s about rediscovering what matters. The RS3 doesn’t match the RS6’s power or presence, but it doesn’t need to. It trades intimidation for intimacy, and expense for engagement. In doing so, it reminds us that the smartest automotive decision doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. Sometimes it feels like freedom, and it sounds like five cylinders at full song.

Image Sources: Audi Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.