2015 head-to-head · Subcompact Car

2015 Audi S3 vs Cadillac ELR

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$2,279/ year to fuel
26 MPG

AWD · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 6-speed dual-clutch · 26 MPG

✓ Cheaper to run
2015 Cadillac ELRPlug-in hybrid
$1,348/ year to fuel
82 MPGe + 33 MPG

FWD · 1.4L 4-cyl · CVT · 82 MPGe + 33 MPG

The 2015 Cadillac ELR is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $1,348 a year to fuel (82 MPGe + 33 MPG), versus $2,279 for the 2015 Audi S3 (26 MPG). That's roughly $931 a year, or about $4,654 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • Audi S3
  • Cadillac ELR

Side by side

Audi S3Cadillac ELR
$2,279 Your annual fuel cost $1,348
26 MPG Combined efficiency 82 MPGe + 33 MPG
23 MPG City 85 MPGe / 31 MPG
31 MPG Highway 80 MPGe / 35 MPG
— Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) 41 kWh
— Driving range 340 mi
— All-electric range 37 mi
86 cu ft Passenger volume 83 cu ft
10 cu ft Cargo volume 11 cu ft
340 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 91 g/mi
6/10 EPA fuel economy score 10/10
6/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 10/10
— Charge time at 240V 5 hrs
Gas Powertrain Plug-in hybrid
Premium gasoline Fuel Premium gas + electricity
2.0L 4-cyl turbo Engine / motor 1.4L 4-cyl
6-speed dual-clutch Transmission CVT
AWD Drivetrain FWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

Audi S3 vs Cadillac ELR across model years

  • Audi S3
  • Cadillac ELR

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Per EPA interior volume figures, the Audi S3 has more passenger space (86 vs. 83 cu ft); the Cadillac ELR has more cargo space (11 vs. 10 cu ft).

Among 36 2015 subcompact cars, the Audi S3 ranks 20th and the Cadillac ELR 7th for lowest fuel cost.

The powertrains differ: the Audi S3 is a conventional gas model, while the Cadillac ELR is a plug-in hybrid.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2015 Audi S3 or the 2015 Cadillac ELR?

Measured by cost to drive, the Cadillac ELR. The Audi S3 is rated 26 MPG combined and the Cadillac ELR 82 MPGe + 33 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2015 Audi S3 vs. the Cadillac ELR per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $2,279 for the Audi S3 and $1,348 for the Cadillac ELR.

Which has more cargo space?

The Cadillac ELR, with 11 cu ft of luggage volume versus 10 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).

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