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The Q3 isn’t Audi’s smallest SUV, but it’s unsurprisingly one of its most popular - an alternative to upmarket models like the BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, or a taller and more spacious take on the A3 family car. It offers all the usual Audi virtues in a fashionable SUV-style body.
The range has expanded in recent years, and now covers everything from the expected petrol and diesels, through the powerful RS Q3, to now a plug-in hybrid TFSI e, another way of helping to reduce your fuel costs from the usual diesel. Many of these features are also available in the sleeker Audi Q3 Sportback - though we’re concentrating on the conventional SUV here.
Fashionable SUV styling is one thing, but another reason you might opt for the Audi Q3 is practicality. While it doesn’t take up much more space on the road than the Audi A3 it shares some similarities with (it’s longer than the A3 Sportback, but shorter than the A3 saloon), the taller body really helps practicality - its 530-litre boot is 150 litres larger than that of the A3 Sportback, and it feels bigger inside too.
It still feels like an Audi, too, which means a well-built and logically laid-out interior. All models are well-equipped but by the time you step up to the range-topping Vorsprung trim it’s more like a scaled-down Q7 than a scaled-up A3. A touchscreen dominates the centre of the dashboard but it’s relatively easy to get used to, and haptic feedback helps you know what you’re prodding at.
Audi has offered quite a wide range of engines in this second-generation model which debuted in 2018. A range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines is ever-present, while the five-cylinder RS Q3 has made a return, this time with 400PS. New though is a plug-in hybrid, which can do up to 30 miles on EV power, which could be enough for a lot of drivers’ commutes before the engine kicks in.
The Q3 lines up against cars such as the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Range Rover Evoque in the compact premium SUV sector. There’s not a great deal to choose between them - the X1 has the sportiest drive, the Evoque the most distinctive styling, but all are well-equipped and project a more upmarket image than cars from mainstream brands. For reliability, quality and efficiency, the hybrid Lexus UX is also worth considering, and the Mazda CX-30 punches above its weight too.
The heart says the muscular, fantastic-sounding five-cylinder RS Q3 - but with a thirst for fuel and a hefty price tag even used, maybe that one should just be the dream. The head meanwhile reckons the 150PS, 1.5-litre, 35 TFSI petrol makes a lot of sense, with economy of more than 40mpg and without the stigma and higher pump costs of diesel. That said, diesel still makes sense if you cover a lot of miles. Technik trim more than does the job spec-wise (and its smaller wheels help with ride quality), but understandably most buyers will prefer the improved appearance and extra kit found in both the Sport and S Line.
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If you’ve ever shopped for an Audi before then you’ll be familiar with the brand’s trim level lineup, as it’s used virtually across the range. That means Technik spec at the bottom, and Vorsprung at the top - not including the high-performance RS Q3, which gets its own equipment though is also available in Vorsprung trim for even more kit.
The Audi Q3’s exterior dimensions are:
The Audi Q3’s boot size is:
If the Q3 you’re buying has plenty of paperwork it’s worth looking through to see how much the car cost when it was new. If that figure is above £40,000, then expect to pay a hefty tax surcharge, taking the annual tax figure of petrol and diesel models to £600, or £10 less for hybrids. This drops down to the figure of sub-£40k cars from year seven onwards, which is £190 per year (£180 for hybrids).
High pricing and a premium badge means you can expect to pay more to insure a Q3 than you would a Nissan Qashqai. A basic Q3 with the 35 TFSI engine starts in group 24, and the range tops out at group 42 with the high-performance RS Q3. These figures aren’t too dissimilar from premium-badged rivals, though.
£36,995
£37,950
£33,500
£33,997
£31,500
£31,884
£29,500
£44,500
£52,000
£55,500
£36,500
£34,000
£29,250
What is the most popular colour for Audi Q3 ?
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How many Audi Q3 cars are available for sale?
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