The 2018 Audi RS 3 is a small car that came with a 2.5L 5-cyl engine. Even at 8 years old, a damaged or broken-down one still has real value for its parts. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Subcompact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.5L 5-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic (AM-S7) |
| Drive | All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,750 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 399 grams per mile |
| EPA fuel economy score | 4 out of 10 |
| EPA greenhouse gas score | 4 out of 10 |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 3,368 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,652 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 1 configuration |
| Age | 8 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls covering the 2018 Audi RS 3. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag.
Risk: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Audi A3 sedan and RS3 vehicles. The latching pins for the center rear seat head restraint may be missing.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the head restraint may detach and cause injury to the vehicle occupants.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Risk: If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2018 Audi RS 3 with NHTSA.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Audi RS 3.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, AWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★☆ | 10.9% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 550 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2018 Audi RS 3. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2018 Audi RS 3.
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fue
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2018 RS 3s that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2018 Audi RS 3; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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