rlove

I'm upgrading from a 2015 S3 to a 2018 S4 and couldn't be more excited to join the ranks of S4 owners. Anyone else make the S3 to S4 move and have any observations or surprises to share?

Did a custom order, finalized this week, with an ETA of early November:

2018 S4 Sedan
Prestige
Daytona Grey
S Sport Package
Dynamic Steering
Driver Assistance Package
Carbon Atlas Inlays

I'm particularly excited to move to the rear-biased AWD and the sport differential, as the FWD-bias on the S3 (and its small trunk) are my only complaints.

ClemsonAudi

I've had mine for two weeks--and it's my first German made car. I'm still on cloud nine. In two weeks--1200 miles LOL! I ordered the same options, except no carbon, but I did upgrade the wheels. This is just an amazing car--and it has a learning curve--I'm about 90% with all the features, but I'm still learning something new each time I get in LOL! For you coming from an Audi, not so much to learn--but no doubt you will love it!

NHman

rlove, welcome the S4 side of Audi. I suspect you will like the newer tech and additional space. What color interior did you opt for?

I looked at the S3 (with strong consideration for the RS3) but I preferred the AWD system in the S4 along with the tech and interior space.

rlove

The standard black Alcantara with grey stitching. The magma red would have looked sharp with the Monsoon Grey exterior but was a bit loud for me.

Agreed. I also evaluated the RS3. Ultimately I went for the S4 based on the trunk size, additional tech, RWD-bias, and the sport differential. I prefer smaller cars, and the S3's nimble size never felt a compromise to me, except for the trunk. But I'm looking forward to the S4.

rlove

Congrats! I love the upgraded wheels, much better looking, but I'm in New England and the standard 18" are easier to fit with all-seasons and winter tires. Otherwise...no brainer. So gorgeous.

milestonenong

yeeeeah me too from MY15 S3. My s4 avant is expected to come in Oct. Changing from s3 to s4 because of the practicality but keeping the sporty gene at the same time.

pretty much fully loaded excepted the dynamic steering.

mplsbrian

Having spent some time driving both of these cars (I have a 2015 S3 in my family and own the exact spec S4 you ordered minus dynamic steering), I have direct experience with the move you just made.

• you are going to LOVE how the S4 sounds.
• The S3 to me felt to be a bit more fun to drive and go-karty, but I after putting a few thousand on the S4 I'd say you should withhold your driving experience observations until you've put some mileage on the car, corrected your tire pressures (READ YOUR OWNERS MANUAL, the tire pressures on the door jamb / what the dealer probably sets them to are max inflation pressures and not what you should be running for daily 1-or-2 occupant driving). I've also found the dynamic shocks needed time to break in and settle so it's going to feel a little weird at first, as if the rebound is too high (causing the car to "bounce"). They smooth out to full awesomeness after 1000 miles or so.
• And the additional tech is insane.
• the extra space is substantial.
• it looks a lot less like a "starter Audi," inside and out.

Spartan-S4

I test drove an S3 back in 2016 and I agree with a lot of what you said.

It definitely felt like the 'starter' Audi and honestly that is what Audi was going for with it but it seems somewhat disconnected from the rest of the line up. And yes it felt like a little pocket rocket/go-kart but in the end, I didn't want that Jetta/GSI classification/relation. The S4 is just more 'mature'.

The thing that originally attracted me to the S3 was the concept car but as usual even with keeping 90% of the concept they f'd up the 10% which was the look of it. The A3/S3 that came out just seems squished and when I saw the new A4/S4 I felt that was more in line with the concept A3

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....eneva-2011.jpg

All the extras you get in the S4 just make it such a great car. It's so much better then going up to an S5SB which I think they are just completely taking people to the bank over and having to pay for extras that come standard on the S4...and the S5SB will not age as well as the S4.

The A4/S4 just looks great and you're making a good call going from the S3 to S4.

rlove

Picked up the car last week. The comments from mplsbrian and Spartan-S4 are spot on. I loved my S3 but this is totally next level. The first thing you notice is the exhaust—huge improvement over the S3's whimper—but most of all I love how this car feels on the road: Incredibly planted, balanced, and neutral.

Some other random thoughts:

• The interior and additional tech is a significant step up from the S3. Admittedly my S3 was barebones and this S4 is fully loaded, but the jump from one to the other is large.
• Although I'm bummed to lose the DCG transmission, the S4's automatic shifts faster and smoother than the S3. I hope Audi can find a way to get a DCG back in future models, but this ZF is great.
• Wasn't sure what I would think of it, but I love the Virtual Cockpit. The "sport view" with the giant tachometer in the center is excellent.
• Huge trunk compared to the S3 (40% larger but also much more usable as wheel wells don't narrow entry).
• Although the S3 is smaller and more go-kart-like, the S4 is much more fun to drive, because of how it handles and delivers power to the road.
• I lack a control (S4 w/o dynamic steering), but I love how the steering feels in Dynamic.
• I don't know how non-tech people figure out Audi Connect, between the contract validation, car code, and key user crap, it is needlessly complicated.

Overall I am very happy. I cross-shopped between the 2018 S3, S5 Sportback, and BMW M3. All very different cars—am glad I made this choice.

markcincinnati

The "features" (they are grouped together) called Driver Assistance are a point-of-inflection in automotive history. I realize these features when activated to engage traffic jam assist are a hint at what's coming in that for brief periods of time you can actually believe the thing is smart enough to drive itself.

Overall, ACC (when set to respond in a fashion you find comfortable) is a fantastic piece of technology. I turn mine on as I pull out of my driveway, I like it so much. My daily drive from suburban Cincinnati to an office park north of the city means that I spend my daily commute on an Interstate. The nominal speed seems to be about 74 - 77 MPH, I just set ACC to 75 and steer. The car keeps me out of trouble with aplomb. On the way home, I engage traffic jam assistant and for the first few miles the S4 really does virtually drive itself as we putt-putt along between 2 and 22 MPH. I turn on an audio-book and since the car is minding the tedium of the clogged Interstate, I find the entire process considerably less frustrating.

When you turn off the ACC and you are able to "get into" the throttle on that increasingly rare stretch of secondary road, the '18 S4 makes virtually everything you "will" to happen come true -- even better than my 2014 S4 which had the DSG 7-speed transmission.

With the proper inflation of your tires (and here's hoping you don't have the dreadful OEM all-season GT tires), the S4 (I don't have the sport-package) is able to carve through corners impressively. The key, I've found, is that the front tires should have +2 to +3 pounds more pressure in them than the rear tires (check the owners manual and go with the 2 passenger setting). If you are really aggressive, you will engage the standard torque management system (the inside front and rear tires -- when needed -- have the brake applied to help the S4 mitigate its understeering tendencies) very similar to the system used on the new RS3.

Then, after an all-too-short stint on a lightly traveled secondary road, it's back to the "clog, already in progress" and the ACC turned back on.

Another cool feature are the automatic headlights (high and low beam switching) which is enabled by pushing the turn signal stalk away from you (as if you're turning on your high beams) which will make a symbol on the dash light up and show a graphic of a headlight with the word "auto" beneath it.

The technology allows you to have your LED high-beams turned on and off more quickly and more appropriately than you could do and virtually never blind on-coming traffic. Winner.

The various "senses" the S4 has are also quite impressive as they will likely save you from yourself more often than you would have thought would be the case.

As long as your key in on your person, you can open the trunk with a kick of your foot under the rear bumper -- even that impresses when both hands are full as you walk out of Kroger's.

If this car is this good, the upcoming A8 and A6 will certainly have to raise their "IQ's" just to keep up with the S4.

Enjoy and Congratulations!