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The first-generation Audi Q3 made its US debut in 2015, as buyers turned to the subcompact SUV luxury. The problem is that he started selling in Europe in 2011, so by the time he got here, it was not quite new, which made it made to feel like afterwards. This should change with the arrival of the second generation Q3, which will be marketed in the United States next year. It is better suited to competition and with an even more hungry segment, I think everything will be fine.
A fun look, according to German standards
The exterior of the Q3 is much sharper than before, with a serious side sculpting over the wheels and LED dipped headlights at the front. Unfortunately, Audi confirms that the two-color bottom panels of my tester will be colored in the United States. Lame.
The sub-compact segment of SUV requires a relaxed attitude and the 2019 Q3 offers an interesting solution. Optional cars with bright orange pulsed paintwork also receive a touch of microfiber color on the dashboard and armrests of the door panel. Audi of America is still determining the packaging for the models in the United States, so it may not come to the United States, but I hope that is the case. The Volvo XC40 has an entire carpet in almost the same shade after all.
Otherwise, the cabin is very comfortable. The physical switches are expensive, the seats are soft and the shape of the dashboard is much less bland than before. The only thing that amazes me, it's the lighthouse switch, which is now a unique on-off button instead of a dial. However, if it keeps people from driving at night with only the headlights on, I will shut up.
The whole shebang is a little bigger than before, and it is 3.8 inches longer, although the height is pretty much the same. This extra length brings benefits where the loading capacity increases by almost 50%. Rear passengers will not forget that they're in a compact SUV, but at 6 feet tall, I'm surprisingly comfortable thanks to a standard second-row sliding and tilting.
Powerful powertrain, balanced chassis
The second generation of Q3 comes in half a dozen perfumes in Europe, but in the US, we will have our choice between two outlets of a 2.0-liter I4 petrol engine. The base engine offers 184 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, but there is also a 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft variant that you could recognize with the VW Golf GTI. The all-wheel drive and the eight-speed automatic transmission will be the two standards.
Unfortunately, my tester is a Euro-Spec car, while it has the same high-performance engine that we will eventually get in the United States, it is associated with a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. I find this transmission too reluctant to change at the right time, even in the most sporty mode, but the engine is a peach, singing at the right volume because it relies on its sufficient torque to make me climb in the Tyrolean Alps. Based on the experience gained with the eight speeds of Audi, I'm expecting the Q3 of the American standard to provide the pep that I want in its approach.
Regarding the chassis, the Q3 feels much more compound than before. Even with the adaptive suspension in its mildest mode, the Q3 remains virtually roll-free, as it absorbs bumps on the road. Stiffen up up, and he plays as a GTI in designer heels. And that's what I like most about this new Q3: it looks less like an SUV than a hatchback. Yet when it comes time to live family life and store it with kids and errands, it will always do it too.
The only noise I hear is the sound of the wind, which rises when I drive away from highways and can be slightly annoying for long periods.
Audi would not slap bright colors if she drove like a burlap bag filled with tapioca pudding. It looks fun and the driving dynamics is similar.
Audi
Rich in technology
Two gauge clusters and two infotainment screens are offered. The lower offer uses a group of 10.25-inch digital gauges with fixed digital gauges flanking an adjustable center portion and an 8.8-inch infotainment display. Spend a little money and this will result in a fully animated 12.3-inch gage group and a 10.1-inch infotainment system.
My tester has the largest configuration and it gives me virtually all the information I could dream of, no matter where my eyes wander. But I do not even have to move my head to watch the infotainment screen, since Virtual Cockpit takes almost all vital functions, including navigation, phone and audio , and slap him in the group of instruments. And since Virtual Cockpit's controls are on the wheel, my hands never need to move. It is one of the most performing and usable groups of gauges.
The infotainment is the same version of MMI that debuted on the much more expensive models A6, A7, A8 and Q8. It is very fast, very pretty and, even though it does not have the digitized air conditioning controls of its more expensive brothers, it feels even more premium than any other segment offer. It is a lot less complicated than Volvo's Sensus Connect, that's for sure. Of the two USB ports on the front, one is USB-C, which is good if you like the fast charging of the phone.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also coming as they are no longer a requirement these days. An optional connection module will also add a 4G LTE Wi-Fi access point, as well as a wireless phone charger serving as a signal amplifier, using the car's own antenna to enhance receiving your phone in the cabin. It's smart stuff.
The cabin seems more expensive than it should, which is a nice touch in a lower price (but very very competitive segment).
Audi
Brass pins
Obviously, it will take time with a Q3 compliant with US standards to give my full opinion, but based on my abbreviated experience with this tester, the Q3 embarks on a segment of hungry buyers. Its technology and driving dynamics are superior to those of the Volvo XC40, and its appearance is much better than that of the BMW X2 (although, to be honest, it's not difficult). Buyers have to wait a bit to get one, but patience is a virtue.
Editor's note: Roadshow accepts multi-day loans from manufacturers to provide editorial reviews. All the criticisms of marked vehicles are completed on our territory and according to our conditions. However, for this feature, the manufacturer has covered travel and hotel expenses. It is common in the automotive industry because it is much cheaper to ship reporters in cars than to ship cars to reporters.
The judgments and opinions of the Roadshow editorial team are ours and we do not accept paid editorial content.
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