In this section:
- Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2
- Equipment, options and extras
- Reliability
- Safety and security
Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2
If you’re buying outright, the Audi Q3 will cost you a bit less than the BMW X1, the Range Rover Evoque and the Volvo XC40 but slightly more than the Cupra Formentor and Kia Sportage. The Q3 is predicted to hold its value over three years about as well as the X1 but will lose its value quicker than the Evoque and XC40.
PCP car finance deals and leasing rates are competitive compared with other premium-badged alternatives and so are CO2 emissions and fuel economy. As you might expect, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) TFSIe is the best for keeping CO2 emissions down, so it’ll be the one to have if you’re a company car driver trying to keep benefit-in-kind payments down.
Sport trim is worth a look too, because it gets all of the Technik’s goodies but adds lots of additional styling tweaks and larger 18in alloy wheels. S Line is a good choice if you want your Q3 to handle well because it gets 19in alloy wheels and sports suspension. On top of that, it also comes with privacy glass, ambient interior lighting and sports seats.
Range-topping Black Edition trim is largely an exercise in aesthetic changes, which makes it look rather expensive compared to the rest of the range. It comes with the same equipment as the S Line, but with a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel and bespoke Black Edition styling.
