When you think of good family cars, your mind might not go straight to sporty compact luxury sedans. However, the venerable Audi S3 has earned the top spot for Best Luxury Compact Car on Good Housekeeping’s list of best new family cars.

Obviously, the S3 isn’t ideal if you require three-row seating. However, if you only need room for up to five people and can abide a smallish trunk, the S3 has a lot going for it as a small family car. With a starting price of $46,800, you could even argue that the S3 is pretty good value for a proper German sport sedan.

Here are four ways the 2023 Audi S3 is a surprisingly superb family car, according to Good Housekeeping.

1. The 2023 Audi S3 is easy to drive, maneuver, and park

The small footprint and agile handling of the Audi S3 make it an easy car to drive just about anywhere. Its lithe handling lets you easily hustle around city streets, but it’s still comfortable on the highway.

Getting in and out of tight parking spots is no problem for the S3, which is nice when you’re taking your family to school, the grocery store, piano practice, or anywhere else where it’s nice to have a small car in the parking lot.

2. Easy-to-use tech throughout the cabin

User-friendly technology is a strong suit of the Audi brand, and the S3 is no exception. The Audi MMI infotainment system has a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. These smartphone connectivity features make it easy to connect your phone to the screen in the car without fumbling with wires.

We also love the available Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus. This customizable 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster can show detailed map data and entertainment info in addition to the basics, like a speedometer and fuel gauge. It’s standard on the Premium Plus and Prestige trims and easy to recommend if your budget allows it.

3. The 2023 Audi S3 is populated with many safety features

A generous list of standard safety features on every Audi S3 includes Audi Pre Sense Basic, which automatically tightens the seatbelts and closes the windows if it detects a collision, and Pre Sense Front, which provides forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, and parking sensors. Optional safety tech includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with lane guidance, and a head-up display.

The S3 also has the Quattro AWD system as standard equipment on every trim. If you live in a snowy climate, this certainly counts as a safety feature, contributing to the fun driving experience on dry pavement.

The long list of safety features and favorable crash test scores earn the S3 the coveted IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, which is always good to see when considering a family car.

4. Separate climate controls for the driver and front and rear passengers

Dual-zone climate control is common, but tri-zone climate control is pretty rare in compact cars, even from luxury brands. This feature, normally found in minivans and three-row SUVs, comes standard in the Audi S3. That means the driver and passengers are always comfortable in this sedan, even if everyone has different definitions of comfort. It’s also automatic, so you just set the desired temperature without fussing with the fan speed.