Compare the2025 Toyota GR CorollaVS 2024 Audi RS 3

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GR Corolla are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RS 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GR Corolla has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the RS 3’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GR Corolla has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the RS 3.

The GR Corolla’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The RS 3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GR Corolla and the RS 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the GR Corolla 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the RS 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the RS 3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the GR Corolla for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the RS 3.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GR Corolla’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 50 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 128 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 29th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 19th.

On the EPA test cycle the GR Corolla gets better fuel mileage than the RS 3 (21 city/28 hwy vs. 19 city/29 hwy).

An eight-speed automatic is included on the Toyota GR Corolla Premium Plus, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the RS 3.

The GR Corolla stops much shorter than the RS 3:

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GR Corolla is 2.6 inches wider in the rear than on the RS 3.

The GR Corolla handles at 1.02 G’s, while the RS 3 pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the GR Corolla’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the RS 3’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Toyota GR Corolla may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Audi RS 3.

The GR Corolla is 5.2 inches shorter than the RS 3, making the GR Corolla easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the GR Corolla a Compact car, while the RS 3 is rated a Subcompact.

The GR Corolla has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the RS 3.

The GR Corolla’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The RS 3 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GR Corolla has a standard rear wiper. The RS 3 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The GR Corolla’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The RS 3’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

On extremely cold winter days, the GR Corolla Premium’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The RS 3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Insurance will cost less for the GR Corolla owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GR Corolla will cost $1365 to $5745 less than the RS 3 over a five-year period.

The GR Corolla will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GR Corolla will retain 57.74% to 59.52% of its original price after five years, while the RS 3 only retains 51.36%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota GR Corolla will be $17243 to $31725 less than for the Audi RS 3.

The GR Corolla was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023. The RS 3 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.