The Audi S3 is among the most powerful hot-hatches on the market, but has always suffered from being too serious for its own good.

Is the latest generation model any different? Well, not much. While the standard Quattro four-wheel drive system makes it safe on all types of road, it also takes away some of the fun one can usually have in a 296hp (300PS) car.

Sure, it’s blistering fast, but the driver doesn’t have as much fun as in a BMW M135i for instance, as EVO’s Dan Prosser found out during a test drive on UK country roads and on the Bedford Autodrome West Circuit.

Besides the lack of excitement (which the Audi RS3 would better solve), the reviewer also found the Audi S3’s suspension too stiff for bumpy roads and noticed the standard seats lack lateral support. Find out what else he had to say about Audi’s hot hatch from the video review posted below.

VIDEO