Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Sharp new Audi Q3 steps up its game

Post Thumbnail

The Q3 has been an absolute phenomenon for Audi, selling more than 1.1 million since it went on sale in 2011.

Its combination of a premium SUV feel, compact dimensions and upmarket looks won armies of fans.

Since it was launched, a phalanx of rivals has sprung up, and the Q3 now has to contend with the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC40.

This all new second generation model looks to move the game forward again. The original Q3 was beautifully proportioned but its soft looks have slowly begun to date. This new model has a similar overall shape but sharpens up edges and adds contours, making for a more purposeful overall appearance.

The interior has been updated too, with a cleaner look and more technology.

Audi isn’t one of the manufacturers ditching diesel, and the Q3 can be had with a range of petrol and diesel options with power outputs ranging from 147bhp to 223bhp. There’s front or Quattro four-wheel drive and six speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission. Prices start at a little over £30,000 and I drove a 1.5 litre automatic petrol S tronic model, costing £33,260 excluding options. Taking 9.2 seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint, the petrol engine is zippy enough. It’s also very quiet, doing its bit towards creating a very refined car indeed.

Driving north out of Dundee on the A90, the Q3 was whisper quiet at 70mph. The previous model was already better than decent in this regard but the latest version notches refinement up another level.

Tackling some country lanes north of Forfar, the Q3 proved itself an agile beast. It’s no MX-5 of course, but it’s far and away one of the better handling SUVs on the market.

There’s plenty of passenger space and a surprisingly roomy boot. Audi also show why they’re known for making the best interiors in the business. A touchscreen flows seamlessly into the dashboard and is subtly angled towards the driver. All Q3s get Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, a screen behind the steering wheel that replaces old fashioned analogue dials.

The only fly in the ointment is Audi has abandoned its excellent and intuitive rotary controller, which has fallen victim to the craze for touchscreens.

That aside, the new Q3’s impressive all round and looks like it will continue to be a sales juggernaut for Audi.


Price:

33,260

0-62mph:

9.2 seconds

Top speed:

128mph

Economy:

36.7-39.2mpg

CO2 emissions:

133g/km