Audi Q2 review

Although the Q2 is a little pricier than mainstream alternatives, such as the Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Roc, it's still a relatively sensible buy. That’s because its sharp looks and premium badge will have people queuing up to buy when you decide to sell on in the future – it’s predicted to hold its value better than both aforementioned rivals. We suspect this will make PCP finance deals surprisingly affordable, too.

CO2 emissions are nothing to write home about, though, so an equivalent Peugeot 2008 would offer cheaper monthly benefit in kind (BIK) tax bills. We have yet to receive official fuel economy figures for the entire range, but a manual 35 TFSI should return over 45mpg – that’s fractionally better than an equivalent T-Roc, but it’s worth noting that a Ford Puma 1.5 Ecoboost 155 is more frugal than both.

Entry-level Technik trim is reasonably well equipped, with highlights including 16in alloy wheels, LED headlights, air-con and cruise control, a 3-spoke leather trimmed multifunction steering wheel, progressive steering, DAB radio, Bluetooth as well as that 8.3in infotainment system with smartphone mirroring we talked about earlier.

We’d recommend taking the step up to Sport, though, because, for a reasonable premium over Technik, you get 17in wheels, digital dials (or as Audi calls it, Virtual Cockpit), aluminium interior trim, and live navigation. It looks a bit jazzier, too, thanks to contrasting bumpers (finished in ‘Manhattan grey’ paint).

S line trim and Black Edition trims add yet bigger wheels, sportier styling and LED rear lights, but they are rather pricey, while Vorsprung gives you a Q2 with virtually every option box ticked. You get massive 19in wheels, adaptive sport suspension, a panoramic roof, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, leather seats and that Bang & Olufsen Premium 3D sound system we mentioned earlier. 

The Q2 didn’t perform particularly well in the 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey, with only the Suzuki Vitara and Honda HR-V proving less dependable in the small SUV class.

Audi didn’t do too well as a brand, either, finishing 22nd out of 31 manufacturers. At least it beat Mercedes. 

You get a comprehensive three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty, which includes breakdown cover. You can extend this for a reasonable cost for up to five years or 90,000 miles.

All models come with lots of airbags, a passenger seat Isofix mounting point, two rear Isofix child seat mounting points, plus there are a number of safety systems to help prevent accidents in the first place. These include automatic emergency braking (AEB), to mitigate the risk of rear-ending the car in front around town.

Range-topping Vorsprung also gets a driver assistance pack that includes adaptive cruise control and Audi Side Assist – the latter system warning you if another car is in your blind spot when you are about to change lane, and can apply the brakes if you haven't seen a car crossing behind you when reversing out of a tight driveway or parking space.

The Q2 was awarded five stars (out of five) for safety by Euro NCAP, although this was back in 2016 at a time when testing standards were less stringent than they are today.

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