Audi Q3 review

The Audi Q3 is a family SUV which the German manufacturer hopes will be loved as much as the third quarter (or Q3) of the calendar year, from July to September. Barbecues, holidays, sunshine (sometimes, at least) – what’s not to like?

And Audi knows it has a winning formula on its hands already, with the previous versions of the Q3 proving to be some of its most popular models.

This new third generation version is aiming to address the disappointing interior quality its predecessor suffered from. Meanwhile, a rejig in the engine department delivers a range of petrol options, a diesel and a plug-in hybrid with a very impressive official electric range.

There’s also still a choice between the Q3 SUV, which we’re focusing on in this review, or the coupe-styled Audi Q3 Sportback, which gets the same ingredients but with a sloping roofline.

So, what’s the new Q3 like and how does it compare to its rivals, including the BMW X1, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC40?

How fast is it and which engine is best?

The Audi Q3’s engine range starts with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit badged the TFSI 150. While an equivalent Volvo XC40 B3 is punchier and far more effortless to drive, this is our pick from the Q3’s engine range because it offers adequate performance for most buyers while keeping costs down. Just be aware it needs working hard when you venture above town speeds. There are a pair of four-wheel drive options which are quicker – the TFSI 204 and TFSI 265 – but these cost significantly more.

The company-car-tax-friendly option is the e-hybrid 272. It’s a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that combines the 1.5-litre engine with an electric motor for a combined power output of 268bhp. With the electric motor helping to provide more low-end shove, the e-hybrid is far more relaxing to drive than the TFSI 150. That said, it still doesn’t feel particularly swift and you need to have the big heavy battery charged up to feel the performance benefit, otherwise it feels lethargic when it’s depleted.

Completing the lineup is a diesel TDI 150 which, on paper, offers very similar straight-line performance to the TFSI 150.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

There are three different suspension setups available. As standard, entry-level Sport and S Line versions get the regular “comfort” setup, while range-topping Edition 1 gets firmer sports suspension. On S Line and Edition 1, you can pay extra for optional adaptive suspension, which allows you to adjust the softness between “dynamic” and “comfort” settings, depending on whether you’d prefer a firmer or softer ride.

The Q3 has the best ride and handling setup when fitted with the adaptive suspension, feeling composed in corners, yet well tied down and comfortably settled at all speeds.

On standard Comfort suspension, the ride is far from harsh, but it’s firm enough to thud through potholes and fidget a little more than the Volvo XC40 at all speeds. The upside is that the Q3 resists body lean quite well when cornering, while having plenty of grip and well-weighted, accurate steering gives the driver more confidence than that rival along a narrow country road. The e-hybrid’s ride is similarly firm but feels less agile in the corners.

Edition 1 models come with Audi’s “progressive steering” which gets faster the more you turn the wheel. This happens in a gradual manner and makes placing the car accurately on the road easy; it also means tight, low-speed turns require less arm-twirling. It’s optional on the S-Line.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The Audi Q3 is a reasonably quiet cruiser on the move, with a little bit more road noise than the Volvo XC40 on the motorway, but slightly less wind noise than that rival.

A bigger problem is the fact the TFSI 150 petrol engine produces a distant drone when you work it hard; when you’re joining a motorway, for example. The same goes for the petrol engine in the plug-in hybrid – the transition between electric and petrol power in that car is mostly smooth, but under hard acceleration, the engine can sound strained.

The automatic gearbox on all versions shifts very slickly on the move, but when it comes to stopping, the Q3’s grabby and inconsistent braking response makes it tricky to bring the car to a smooth halt.

What’s the range and efficiency like and how quickly can it charge?

With its 19.7kWh (usable capacity) battery, the Q3 e-Hybrid (PHEV) has an official pure electric range of up to 73 miles – which is very impressive, beating the official 40 miles or so you’d get from an equivalent Ford Kuga or Hyundai Tucson. It rivals the MG HS and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Unlike most rivals, the Q3 e-Hybrid has a CCS socket that enables it to be plugged in to a public charger. At a maximum rate of 40kW, this can top up the battery from 10-80% in 26 minutes, although it’s much more expensive to do so than charging at home.

“I think it’s handy having a button in the plug-in hybrid to force the car into EV mode, if there’s enough juice in the battery, to help keep your fuel bills to a minimum” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

All versions of the Audi Q3 have a massive dual-screen layout on top of the dashboard, providing a fully digital driver display and touchscreen infotainment system.

While the basic layout is the same for all versions, some of the materials change as you go up the trim levels. You get cloth upholstery as standard but S Line adds artificial leather while range-topping Edition 1 gets a microfibre finish. A big plastic panel on the dashboard also changes colour from a light grey to black on the top trim. What’s more, Edition 1 has a no-cost choice of some slightly different colour schemes for the front seats (but don’t expect any bright colours, they are all dark). 

The quality of the Q3’s interior is a marked improvement over its predecessor, but it still doesn’t feel like you’re getting much of an upgrade over cheaper, non-premium rivals. There are more cheaper-feeling plastics dotted around the dashboard than you’ll find in the Volvo XC40, while the buttons and switches - especially those for the indicators and gear selector feel brittle when used.

Speaking of which, Audi has opted to reinvent the stalks on the steering column for this generation Q3. Now, instead of having two traditional stalks sprouting out, you have a single block which runs along the top of the wheel and houses the controls for the indicators, wipers and gear selector on either side. This seems unconventional but mostly functions like a conventional setup. The rotary wiper controls are small and fiddly to use, though.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

It’s very easy to get a comfortable driving position in the Q3. There’s plenty of steering and seating adjustment, including electric four-way lumbar support fitted as standard. All versions come with sports front seats with plenty of side bolstering that hold you in place when cornering. You also sit relatively high up, but for a truly commanding seating position, take a look at the Volvo XC40. 

Visibility is great, with a good view out of the front, and slim pillars that don’t obstruct the view at junctions. Chunky rear pillars can hinder your view over your shoulder, but the view out of the back is good.

S-Line and Edition 1 trims come with Matrix LED headlights, which can automatically adapt their beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers and also project signals onto the road in front of you to highlight hazards, such as icy conditions, and show where the car is placed in its lane.

A rear-view camera and 360deg parking sensors come as standard, but a full 360deg camera setup is part of the pricey Sound and Vision Pack Pro.

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

The top section of the Q3’s digital driver display can be partially obscured if you have the steering wheel set too low, but it should otherwise work fine for most drivers. The system offers a variety of layouts but it’s a shame it’s adjusted by imprecise, touch-sensitive steering wheel controls that are all too easy to swipe by accident.

The 12.8in touchscreen infotainment system, meanwhile, is responsive and displays a good range of icons that are relatively easy to aim for. There is a big ledge at the base of the screen where you can balance your hand while you jab the screen, but, even so, separate physical controls would still be far simpler, especially for the climate controls (which are disappointingly operated only via the touchscreen or the voice command system).

“I don’t really like the look of the infotainment system graphics that come as standard. There are different themes you can choose from but you have to pay for them, which I think is quite stingy on an expensive car like this” – Will Nightingale, Reviews editor

How much space does it have for people?

There’s plenty of room up front, and a decent-sized cubby under the central arm rest. There are two cupholders on the centre console and a shallow lidded storage tray at the bottom of the dashboard where the two USB-C ports are housed, along with the wireless charging tray.

In the back, there’s a generous amount of head and leg room for a pair of six-foot adults. Even with the optional panoramic roof there is a good amount of clearance left above their heads. The Audi Q3 Sportback offers an identical amount of legroom, but because of that car’s sloping roofline, headroom is significantly worse – adults will feel cramped sitting up straight.

There’s a good amount of foot space under the seats in front as well. However the middle seat has a tall transmission tunnel to contend with, and the centre console encroaches into a lot of knee room there as well.

While the Q3 is great in the back, the BMW X1 and Volvo XC40 are even more spacious. The latter, for example, has even more head room and foot space under the front seats. That said, a big advantage for the Q3 over lots of its rivals is the fact that the rear seats slide and recline as standard, offering a big range of adjustment to maximise leg room (or increase the boot space). There’s barely any leg room when they’re slid forward, though.

How much room does it have for luggage?

In total, the Q3 offers 488 litres of boot space below the parcel shelf, but space drops down to 375 litres if you go for a plug-in hybrid version (because the battery takes up a chunk of underfloor storage).

We managed to fit six suitcases in the boot of the regular car (one less than what we managed in the boot of a Volvo XC40). That’s one less than its predecessor, chiefly because of the height-adjustable boot floor frame eats into the width. As a result, it’s not quite as impressive as the BMW X1 (eight casses) or the very practical Volkswagen Tiguan, which can fit nine.

A height-adjustable boot floor comes as standard in all apart from the plug-in hybrid version.

Capacity below the parcel shelf is the same in both the regular Q3 and the Audi Q3 Sportback – but it’s above the parcel shelf where the sloping roofline of the Sportback robs some space compared with the regular SUV version. 

As well as offering a sliding and reclining function, the rear seats split-fold 40/20/40 as standard, which is more versatile than the 60/40 split you get in the Volvo XC40.

“Moving the gear selector to the steering column has freed up space on the centre console, but I think the shallow cubby you’re left with makes that seem hardly worth the fuss” – Stuart Milne, Digital editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Q3’s entry-level price is significantly higher than many mainstream rivals, and even slightly pricier than the BMW X1, and Volvo XC40. It’s similar to the Volkswagen Tiguan, though. Meanwhile, an Audi Q3 Sportback is around £1500 more than the regular Q3 SUV, and therefore difficult to recommend objectively considering it offers less space for passengers.

There are three trim levels to choose from: Sport, S Line and Edition 1. Entry-level Sport comes with lots of equipment as standard, such as 18in alloy wheels, keyless entry, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting and adaptive cruise control. Going up to S Line brings some exterior styling tweaks, including 19in wheels and rear privacy glass, while Edition 1 adds black cosmetic flourishes, 20in wheels and a heated steering wheel but it pushes the price up a lot. You’ll still likely want to consider adding some of the pricey optional packs.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

The new Q3 is too new to have any reliability data for, but Audi as a brand finished a disappointing 22nd place out of 30 manufacturers in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey.

You get a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, which is among the stingiest offerings out there. You can extend it to four years and 75,000 miles or five years and 90,000 miles, but you’ll have to pay.

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The new Audi Q3 achieved the maximum five-star rating when it was tested by crash safety experts Euro NCAP. It scored highly for frontal protection but was marked down slightly for the driver’s lower body slipping beneath the lap belt (known as submarining).

There’s plenty of safety equipment as standard, including lane departure warning and a driver monitor system as well as front and rear cross-traffic alert. 

All Q3s come with an anti-theft alarm as standard.

“I’m always surprised that coupe-style versions of SUVs are more expensive than the regular body shape – because you are paying more money to have a less practical car. And that’s the case with the Q3 Sportback.” – Doug Revolta, Head of video

Buy it if

- You want a family SUV with versatile rear seats

- You want a plug-in hybrid with a brilliant electric range

Don’t buy it if

- You want the softest-riding SUV

- You want a long warranty as standard

-You want an upmarket feeling interior

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