It offers prodigious power, has a high-quality interior and looks the part.

The Audi RS3 Saloon is a 400hp sports car that’s likely to tickle the fancy of anyone looking for a fast four-door.

Part of its appeal lies in the fact it offers so much power within a practical package. Indeed, it’s a small-yet-big-booted saloon that’s perfectly suitable for everyday use.

But there’s no getting away from the fact that anyone buying this car would be primarily interested in performance.

In that respect, the RS3’s engine, offering a 395bhp output, should prove more than satisfying.

While the five-cylinder power unit may have been tweaked to give it a thorough cleaning to meet new emissions laws, it hasn’t lost its potency.

It can perform the sprint to 62mph in a shade over four seconds, producing some pops and burbles from the exhaust as it does so.

If there was one slight complaint, it would be that the splendid exhaust sound you hear on the outside doesn’t quite translate into the sound you hear inside the cabin, which is sadly rather more muted.

Nevertheless, the soundtrack is more emotive than the often artificially enhanced turbocharged four cylinder engines of most rivals, and conjures up memories of the Group B rally car Audis from the 1980s.

Audi’s excellent four-wheel drive Quattro system ensures the power is well-controlled, offering reassuring levels of grip and making the car easy to drive.

The car hugs the road and feels beautifully balanced when cornering, although there could perhaps be a little more feedback through the steering wheel, which isn’t the most communicative.

It’s when exiting corners that the RS3 arguably feels at its best, inspiring confidence for you to put your foot down earlier, with such dependable grip levels.

The transmission is the quick-shifting S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which helps the Audi achieve its outstanding performance.

Not surprisingly, a car with this type of power comes with a price, both in the form of the £45,000 purchase price and also in the form of fuel economy. Official figures suggest you can extract over 30mpg, but a stint of spirited driving places you below 20mpg.

In terms of looks, the RS3 Saloon has a flowing silhouette, with styling that’s typical Audi, characterised by some very aggressive features and sharp lines.

Its sporty credentials are underlined by the 19-inch alloys, the twin exhausts and an eye-catching Quattro emblem on the front splitter that let’s you know it’s not the average model.

tail lights, with sharp lines and a nicely flowing

Inside, the cabin looks and feels superb, with no shortage of high-quality materials to the fore.

Notably, there’s plenty of Alcantara,which has a similar appearance to suede but can endure much harsher environments without spoiling its soft and silky characteristics.

The seats are massively supportive and comfortable, while the driver is positioned within the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital display system, which can be adjusted to place the sat-nav map, rev counter or other key information directly in your eyeline.

Meanwhile, the infotainment system, along with its seven-inch display screen, is operated through an easy-to-use rotary controller.

Sporty elements are present throughout the cabin, including a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a good number of RS badges dotted around.

In conclusion, the RS3 is a great all-round model, offering an appealing combination of performance and potential for everyday use.

The all-wheel-drive system underpins the dynamics of this model, making the car hugely stable and providing a real ease of driving swiftly.

Audi RS 3 Saloon 2.5 TFSI S tronic

PRICE: £45,290

ENGINE: 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol

TRANSMISSION: Seven-speed dual clutch, four wheel drive

ECONOMY: 33.2mpg combined

ACCELERATION: 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and top speed of 155mph

EMISSIONS: 194g/km