Audi delivers a mild update for one of our favorite subcompact sedans ahead of its big RS3 news, still about nine months away; for now, the S3 makes do with some freshening here and there.

We’d guess that freshening makes a better car, but the 2017 S3 is essentially what it already was: a well-finished small sedan that’s good at lots of things and one that delivers rational daily transport without fear of frequent malaise. The S3’s ultimate appeal might come down to brand or exactly how much you believe a luxury badge is worth.

Its 2.0-liter inline-four is carryover and different from the new, 186-hp 2.0 T in the base A3 sedan. The iron blocks are the same, but the S3 has a different head, fortified innards and a different turbo. The S3’s engine is identical to that in the Volkswagen Golf R (a close corporate platform-mate), with the same 292 peak hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It’s the most powerful car in its luxury-brand class, save the alpha pups: the fully tuned Mercedes AMG CLA 45 and the BMW M2. More on that in a minute.

The S3 keeps its six-speed dual-clutch automatic, too, as opposed to the seven-speed introduced in the base A3. The only noteworthy change in the drivetrain is a new control strategy for the all-wheel-drive system -- the so-called "RS strategy." Based on the Audi TT RS, the S3’s AWD has a more pronounced rearward torque bias and less willingness to shift power forward, even if it oversteers.

There are the familiar S-grade enhancements, including larger brakes than the standard A3, quicker steering (14.3:1 versus 15.3:1) and optional electro-magnetic adaptive suspension. The S3’s wheels measure 18 or 19 inches in diameter, with full performance tires available.

What, exactly, is new? Some fairly subtle styling adjustments, starting with a new-but-familiar-looking grille, reworked front and rear fascias and aluminum caps for the side mirrors. Inside, an updated infotainment system can record lap times. The standard audio pumps 180 watts through 10 speakers and a sub, and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit -- a high-res video display in place of conventional gauges -- is optional. The new S3 also offers an expanded suite of safety features and driver aides, including standard Pre-Sense emergency braking.

The new S3 is trickling into Audi dealerships as you read this, starting at $43,850 with the $950 destination charge. The base price is $400 more than last year but now includes full LED headlights (an $1,100 option in 2016), with standard manual leather seats, dual-zone climate control and a big sunroof. Premium Plus and Prestige packages add more stuff, like the adaptive suspension, audio upgrades and driver aids.

Since it launched the original A3 hatchback for 2006, Audi has had a better go at the bottom of the luxury class than its German competitors had previously. Even with more competitive entries from BMW and Mercedes -- the 2-Series and CLA -- Audi still leads in sales. With 30 percent of the U.S. market for the smallest luxury-brand sedans, the A3/S3 holds one of the largest market shares of any Audi.

And soon, Audi will add one more element to its 3-level equation. At the S3 introduction, company officials confirmed U.S. sales of the new RS3 this summer, powered by the 2.5-liter five-cylinder currently offered in the TT RS. With 400 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, it will out-power both the M2 and CLA 45.

What's it like to drive?

The 2017 Audi S3 doesn’t feel particularly luxurious. It just feels like a well-engineered, well-appointed and generally well-finished car. There are things to pick at, given the $44,000 base price, but the person who spends time in its driver seat is not likely to be bored.

The engine is engaging, four-cylinder or not, and generally punches above its weight. This 2.0T can get some weird harmonics going when it’s held at certain revs, but you’ll notice only if you’re looking for it. It never intrudes in the normal course of business. Cruising along at 90 on an empty freeway, engine turning a bit past 3,000 rpm, you’re never inclined to think “this thing has a four.”

It’s plenty quick, too -- enough so that reviewers of a certain age will remember when this S3’s acceleration times would have been approaching supercar territory. The engine runs out of steam over the last 800 rpm or so, so there’s really no point in revving all the way to redline. You’ll notice this when there’s room to keep the gas pedal flat for two or three upshifts, but it actually adds a certain visceral enhancement. When horsepower peaks and the engine keeps spinning toward its limiter, acceleration briefly wains. At the next upshift, when the engine drops back into the fat part of its torque range, the S3 surges again with a subtle kick in the small of the back.

The six-speed is smooth as dual-clutch automatics go -- nowhere near the point where annoying, light-throttle lurches overwhelm its performance or efficiency advantage -- and tuned almost perfectly for the S3’s power delivery. Automatic shifts come often and quickly, up or down. Manual operation is satisfying enough to be worth the trouble on swooping two-lanes through the Blue Ridge Mountains, but it might present issues on a racetrack. Unless there’s a super-secret input code we failed to find, the S3 transmission won’t hold a gear at the redline. It always shifts up, whether you want it to or not.

The brake pedal grabs quickly, with much of the stopping force concentrated near the top of its travel, but it’s fairly easy to get used to. Adaptation might be complicated by the relative placement of pedals. The brake sits quite a bit closer to the driver than the gas, rather than something more like level.

The S3’s suspension is firm, even with the adaptive switch set to auto mode, adjusting on the fly to road conditions and driver behavior. It can bounce a bit even on relatively smooth roads in the South. If you’re troubled by that, you might be a candidate for the much less expensive A3, though the bounce never translates into shimmy or rattles inside the car. There’s nothing luxurious about the smack and chatter of performance tires on the 19-inch wheels, either, but the payback in the P Zeros is big lateral grip and fabulous transient response.

On the road, where you’re likely to trail brake into previously unexplored curves, the S3 still defaults to a slight bit of understeer. It’s possible to get some throttle-induced oversteer in an empty parking lot, but anyone doing so on a public road should probably be considered a menace to society. The steering is excellent -- particularly for what is fundamentally a front-drive car. There’s nothing we’d call a soft spot on center. It feels just heavy enough, reactive and easy to modulate. Transitional handling inspires confidence, and the S3 is a fun car to push along, stress-free, at a decent clip. On long stretches of interstate, there’s that firmness, but also impressive stability in crosswinds. With the audio at conversation level, it’s snug and quite quiet as subcompacts go.

The soft, pliable plastic on the dash and upper door panels falls short of peak-Audi quality. That’s likely a function of the base A3’s price point, and the materials are at least as good as Audi’s competitors have managed in this slot. Switch placement, switch operation and the center console are all good; Audi’s MMI operational interface might still be the least annoying and easiest to learn in luxury-badged cars. The Virtual Cockpit display in front of the driver offers lots of options, but it’s easy to get it where you want it to go. And unlike the new-age video screens in some competitors, it’s actually shaped like a traditional gauge cluster, rather than a tablet computer.

The manual seats adjust easily, and they make it easier to find a just-right position than the typical 25-way luxury car seat. They’re more than supportive enough for road driving but easy to climb in and out of. They’re also on the firm side, measured by cushiness or give. Yet after uninterrupted hours in the driver’s seat, neither of this oldster’s cheeks -- nor any joint or muscle -- was complaining loudly. The S3’s backseat works for small- to medium-sized adults, though anyone taller than, say, 5 feet 10 will get antsy quickly.

There’s much to like in the S3, and there’s one thing we really like: Compared to some other competent, very capable luxury-badged sedans, the S3’s inherent goodness seems less obscured under a modern muck of endless adjustments, complicated driver/machine interfaces and necessary safety systems or driving aids.

Do I want it?

Wouldn’t try to dissuade you, though we might observe: You could get a comparably configured, more raucous and substantially more powerful Ford Focus RS (when you can find one) or a polished and nearly identical Volkswagen Golf R, for at least a few thousand less than a base S3. And you could get a manual transmission or the extra cargo space of a hatchback if you’d like that.

It might depend on how much the prestige (and maybe the dealer experience) of Audi’s four rings is worth to you. If you’re into brand, you might wait for the new alpha-pup --the RS3. That’s going to cost a minimum $10,000 more.

If you do want an S3, we don’t see many opportunities to go wrong.

Vehicle Model Information

ON SALE: November 2016

BASE PRICE: $43,850

POWERTRAIN: 2.0-liter turbo I-4, 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, AWD

OUTPUT: 292 hp @ 5,400 rpm, 280 lb-ft from 1,900 rpm

CURB WEIGHT: 3,462 lbs

0-60 MPH: 4.7 sec (mfr)

FUEL ECONOMY: 22/28/25 mpg

FUEL ECONOMY: 25.5 mpg

PROS: Comfortable, rational and good clean fun

CONS: You could buy a VW Golf R, or a substantially more powerful Ford Focus RS, for less

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