For a front-wheel drive, mid-sized luxury sedan like the Audi A3 or the S3, you need to find wheels that complement the philosophy of the car. The last thing you want are cheap tuner or drag wheels!
Any strong and durable, vibration-free lightweight wheel should do the trick but if you are looking for the best of the best, read on for the recommendations.
Since both the A3 and the S3 come with same lugnut configuration i.e 5 X 112.00, you need to be mindful of it while wheel shopping as any other configuration will not fit without adapters.
The Best Wheels For Audi A3 and S3
Here’s an overview of the recommendations. We have recommended both 17 and 18 inch wheels as the Audi A3 comes in two wheel sizes from the factory.
- Enkei Raijin 18 X 8, 5 X 112.00 (Editor’s choice)
- Flow One Race Spec F2 18 X 8, 5 X 112.00
- Vision Boost 17 X 7, 5 X 112.00
- MB Wheels Crux 17 X 7.5, 5 X 112.00
- Konig Lockout 17 X 8.5, 5 X 112.00
1. Enkei Raijin 18 X 8, 5 X 112.00 (Editor’s choice)
The best looking one among the pack…
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Killer looks
- Brand panache
- Very durable
Cons:
- A bit pricy
The 14 spoke design looks especially elegant, in my opinion and Enkei wheels, generally, tend to do that. The black painted finish especially excels at accentuating each of the sleek spokes to make the wheel appear larger than life.
The Enkei Raijin is a member of the Tuning series of Enkei and is Spec E tested as well. Keeping in mind that the Spec E standards are much higher than most authorities’, you can rest assured with the quality and performance side of things.
Raijin has been manufactured by MAT technology and rim-rolled technology that expands the material without putting strength at risk. This helps keep the weight low without compromising the structural rigidity.
This wheel comes in at around $260 a pop which is not exactly cheap and is considerably higher than a lot of great alternatives. But then few of them are as aggressively lightweight and technologically advanced as this one.
2. Flow One Race Spec F2 18 X 8, 5 X 112.00
A true racing pedigree, indeed…
Pros:
- Classy design
- Beautiful gloss black finish
- Lightweight
- Flow forming construction
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Lip sticks out
Flow One Race Spec has been typically preferred by enthusiasts and the mod community alike. This is because they provide lightweight wheels in sizes that are typically not catered for by other brands.
The F2 can perfectly complement A3/R3 with its gloss black finish. The finish is adequately durable as well. You also have the option of a black machined, bronze painted or a gloss gunmetal finish. If you choose to order gloss black, do request in the notes to send black lug nuts.
The design language is simple and elegant. The lip is over sized which makes the wheel appear bigger. The downside to this is that you have to be especially careful of the curbs.
The 18 X 8 wheel weighs just 20.4 pounds. This is not the lightest in the category and certainly heavier than Enkei’s. But it is sufficiently lightweight to significantly improve performance for most users. On top of that, structural strength is not compromised due to the flow forming technology.
Priced at just $250, F2 gives a really good value for money. All in all, it is a good option to consider.
3. Vision Boost 17 X 7, 5 X 112.00
Simple, sleek, elegant…
Pros:
- Decent design
- Durable finish
- Very economical
Cons:
- Heavy
If you prefer wheels that blend in better with the environment and do not stand out as much, then these are a perfect fit for you. Vision Boost has a simple yet elegant design which might be a bit boring for some, classy for most.
Each spoke has a unique touch to it. It has machined accents around each spoke that carry over into the lip of the wheel to make it appear bigger than it really is.
The silver finish looks pretty decent and seems to go with the design philosophy better than others. The finish is also satisfactorily durable like all other wheels from Vision.
Three finishes; silver, satin black and gloss black mirror machined mace finish are being offered in a myriad of sizes and lugunut configurations.
One downside opting for this wheel is the weight which is slightly on the higher side considering the size. This does appear to negatively influence handling whilst increasing unsprung weight.
The 17 X 7 retail at just 120$ over at Discount Tire which is a bargain considering the size. The total cost of the set thus amounts to just 480$ which is pretty much the bare minimum you’ll have to cough up with for half-decent wheels.
4. MB Wheels Crux 17 X 7.5, 5 X 112.00
Manufactured exclusively for Discount Tire…
Pros:
- Modern mesh design
- Economic
- Suits Audis really well
- Available in both 17 and 18 inch sizes
Cons:
- Looks dated to some
MB Crux has a modern mesh design and this design tends to especially suit Audi, in my opinion. Also, these wheels somehow appear to look better on neutral shades like silver and grey although this is not a restriction, by any means.
The split 7 design blends in with the tire seamlessly and each of the spokes also merges with the lip of the wheel gracefully. A word of caution, though: this wheel might appear to be a bit dated to some, as it does to me.
The popularity of this wheel is what has forced me to include it in the list. This is greatly due to the pricing; $125 for a 17 X 7.5 wheel looks pretty solid to me! And you even get a snap-in centre cap with the MB logo on it included.
This wheel is available in both 17 and 18 inch sizes with the required lugnut configuration which offers you more room to choose in this regard.
5. Konig Lockout 17 X 8.5, 5 X 112.00
Tuner-inspired and affordable…
Pros:
- Gorgeous
- Affordable
Cons:
- Finish is not durable
The Konig Lockout is a tuner-inspired 8-spoke wheel that looks pretty decent, in my opinion. The design is not too showy and does have a lot of design elements. It also features Konig’s dual drill hole PCD.
However, do not be fooled by its underwhelming number of design elements. This wheel has all the capability it needs to elevate your Audi’s look from pretty basic to a head-turner.
Konig, although a pretty recent big name in the industry, has become known for providing unparalleled performance for tune junkies at an affordable price that has been historically craved for.
Despite whatever claims Konig makes regarding its build quality, one thing is for sure; the paint finish is very much prone to scratches and will only appear scratchless for the first 2-3 years of use.
This is, possibly, due to the fact that Konig has had to pack so many performance features in such an affordable price that they had to cut corners somewhere. At 120$ a pop, there is little we can complain about especially with all the aesthetic enhancements it has to offer.
How to Buy the Best Wheels for Audi A3/R3?
If you are out in the market searching for a suitable pair of shoes, keep these few things in mind and you’ll do great:
Bolt Configuration
Bolt configuration is the pattern, number and spacing of the lug nuts. It is specific for every car. Any other lug nut configuration simply will not fit except with the use of adapters which most people are not familiar with.
For Audi A3/R3 the required lug nut configuration is 5 X 112.00.
Wheel Diameter
Audi A3 and R3 come with either 17 or 18 inch diameter wheels from the factory. This is already a good looking and sufficiently aggressive setup. There is no need, in my opinion, to upgrade to larger wheels.
Larger wheels will decrease comfort and fuel economy and increase the cost of wheels and tires.
Wheel Width
You can choose wheels with 7 to 8.5 inch widths. Above, I have recommended wheels with various widths to cater to a wider audience.
Users have found ways to fit in 11 inch wide wheels but we do not suggest the average reader to try it simply because it is not necessary. You can fit sufficiently aggressive tires on 8.5 inch wide wheels, so why bother.
If you found this guide helpful, checkout our equally simple wheel guide for other cars:
