The Practical Side

Drivers who put fuel and space efficiencies as their top priorities when choosing a car are unlikely to consider either one of these little beasties. Still, we do live in the real world and from time to time need to pick up the in-laws at the airport or meet monthly budget numbers for fuel costs. Plus, a few practical concessions help keep the anti-enjoyment revolutionists at bay.

So, to that end, for drivers needing the more practical choice, the Audi S3 is it. Four doors are better than two for allowing passengers access to the rear seat (which is surprisingly tight in either car). The Audi will seat five passengers en route to their eating disorder support groups (because three normal-sized people will not fit abreast in the back), the BMW will only seat two behind those great front seats. The M235i’s rear seat duo will enjoy slightly more head and shoulder room than they would in the S3.

The BMW will also hold more junk in its trunk than the Audi (390 L versus 348 L), but the S3 has a larger fuel tank (55 L versus 52 L) and achieves greater fuel efficiency (9 L/100 km combined for the S3 versus 10 L/100 km combined for the M235i) despite the BMW having auto stop/start and coasting mode. This means the S3 will have a greater cruising range.

Satisfied? Now, let’s get back to what really matters here…

The Drive

Both of these cars remind us that driving is about much more than simply conveying people and stuff from point A to point B. It can – and should – be about passion and enjoyment; about stimulating multiple senses simultaneously, while giving your heart a workout. It’s about sizzling acceleration, tenacious lateral grip and fierce stopping power, and these cars deliver all of that by the bucket-load.

A modern turbocharged engine is a sweet thing, and in the case of Audi’s boosted 2.0L four cylinder it presents 280 delicious, lag-free, kick-in-the-pants lb-ft of torque from only 1,900 rpm. Paired with 290 galloping horses, those torques help the S3 reach 100 km/h from rest in a claimed 4.9 seconds, while making a sound akin to an out-of-control industrial vacuum system.

The M235i is served well in this xDrive trim as its 332 lb-ft of torque threatens the grip of all four wheels clawing at the pavement from only 1,400 rpm – or essentially idle. Prodigious torque and considerably more power – 322 hp to be exact – are to be expected from an engine with 50 percent more displacement and cylinder count. BMW claims a 0-100 km/h time of five seconds flat, just behind the Audi, though the seat-o-the-pants meter suggests the Roundel company may be sandbagging their claims a bit.

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