Audi Q3 2019, presentation and road test of the renewed German SUV

The German firm Audi has launched on the market a new generation of one of its best-selling SUVs, we are talking about the Audi Q3, which has been completely renewed in its second generation after selling more than one million vehicles in the first.

The new Audi Q3 2019 changes in every respect, from a renewed exterior design (with much more character), greater interior spaciousness (it grows in all its interior dimensions) to the incorporation of the latest safety and multimedia technology. The first units are already arriving at dealerships and it is available with diesel and petrol engines of up to 230 CV, many associated with Quattro all-wheel drive.

New design with a more robust exterior and a spacious, avant-garde interior

At first glance, the new Audi Q3 exudes robustness on all its sides, and never was a phrase more fitting, since its lateral ridges give it strength and character, while its shapes are straighter than the previous generation and it incorporates the new octagonal-design grille -inherited directly from the Q8-.

It features LED headlights for all lighting functions (except the indicators, where LED is optional along with the rear lights), and the lower bumper trims, front and rear, are available in contrasting colour depending on the chosen version, for a more sporty or more off-road look.

The interior change is even more profound than the exterior, the dashboard inherits the main lines the brand debuted with the Audi A8 and has since been incorporating into the rest of its models, keeping the respective differences in range. The central panel incorporates a touchscreen (as standard it is 8.8 inches and optionally it can have one of 10.1 inches). The instrumentation is also loaded with technology with the incorporation of the virtual cockpit, giving the Q3 an avant-garde and sporty interior design.

The quality of the materials has improved notably, the upper part of the dashboard has pleasant-to-the-touch plastics of excellent quality; as for the climate control, it uses the typical controls of the A3 (and not a screen as in the A8 or A7), but the operation is excellent. It even offers a personalisation pack that allows us to incorporate a section of Alcantara on the upper part of the dashboard and on the front door armrests (in orange, brown or grey).

If there is one thing that defines the Q3’s interior it is the space. The car grows in all its dimensions, with a longer wheelbase, which means more interior space both in the front and rear seats. The boot grows, with a capacity of 530 litres, and also with the possibility of extending the space thanks to the sliding rear seats (the bench can be moved and the backrest angle adjusted), making it very versatile.

This solution makes the Q3 a very interesting alternative for those looking for a car with family-sized room but SUV design, since not all SUVs offer this boot capacity or the versatility of the rear seats.

Technology at the service of safety and entertainment

The striking central screen is the same as the one fitted to its bigger siblings in the range, with a sublime touch and loaded with all kinds of multimedia and vehicle control functions. As standard, the screen is 8.8 inches.

As an optional extra, it offers the MMI Navigation plus system (2,500 euros), which enlarges the screen to 10.1 inches and offers the brand’s full technical potential, with updated navigation and multimedia services that allow us to check the weather and access Google Earth mapping, among other functions. In addition, with this equipment the Q3 owner will receive free map updates.

The optional package is complemented by an improved speaker system and advanced voice control system that lets us interact naturally with the system (an element carried over from other models in the range). As an option, a premium sound system signed by Bang & Olufsen is available, with virtual 3D sound thanks to its 15 speakers and a total output power of 680 W.

When it comes to safety systems, the Audi Q3 has a true roster. As standard it incorporates the Audi pre-sense basic and the Audi pre-sense front (which brake the vehicle in an emergency if there is a risk of collision, recognising vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists). At no extra cost, the blind spot warning system and the lane departure warning are also included.

Optionally, it offers the rear traffic alert, the 360 cameras, traffic sign recognition or the notable adaptive driving assistant, which combines adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and traffic jam assist (which detects when the car in front starts moving in a traffic jam and automatically moves ours off too).

Dynamics: diesel and petrol engines of up to 230 CV with Quattro four-wheel drive

The initial engine range consists of three petrol engines and two diesels. The petrol engines are the 1.5 TFSI with 150 CV, with cylinder deactivation and paired with front-wheel drive. The next powertrain, the 2.0 TFSI with 190 CV, can be manual or automatic (S-Tronic) and comes with four-wheel drive (Quattro).

The top petrol offering is the 2.0 TFSI with 230 CV paired with the S-Tronic automatic gearbox and Quattro drive. In diesel, the range is formed by the 2.0 TDI with 150 CV , manual only with Quattro drive (there will be no 4×2 version), and the 2.0 TDI with 190 CV with S-Tronic gearbox and Quattro drive.

On another note, the Audi Q3 2019 debuts a new platform and therefore new running gear, with several driving modes available through the Audi Drive Select and a new Off-Road mode that improves the operation of the gearbox (if automatic), the throttle and the stability control when tackling complicated surfaces or where traction is compromised. The Q3 is available with three types of suspension, depending on the version: standard, sport (with S Line finish) and adaptive (which can recognise the type of terrain and driving style and adapt to it).

Behind the wheel of the Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI 230 CV S-Tronic Quattro

During the first contact near Salamanca we were able to test thoroughly, on a mountain road, the Q3 equipped with the most powerful petrol engine in the range under the bonnet, namely the 2.0 TFSI with 230 CV. This engine is paired with the S-Tronic automatic gearbox and Quattro drive. During the first kilometres what you notice inside is the increase in quality and the improved soundproofing, it has gained in interior comfort.

The technological side is present both in the instrumentation -fully digital- and in the enormous touchscreen from which we can control all the multimedia equipment. In addition, our Q3 in a discreet orange (to each their own colour) featured an interior with Alcantara finish on the upper part of the dashboard and on the door armrests, making it original and eye-catching.

On the dynamic side, the two-litre petrol engine together with Quattro drive offer a forceful response, with more than enough power and very composed, stable behaviour in all kinds of situations. The automatic gearbox, however, is tuned more for comfort than for dynamism (a problem that disappears in sequential mode). The route where we tested it was very demanding, more typical of a sporty city car than of an SUV, and despite this the Audi Q3 kept its composure perfectly, with a more than correct cornering performance and an interesting middle ground between comfort and dynamism.

Prices of the new Audi Q3 2019

The Q3 is available in three trims -base, Advance, S Line- and a special launch edition called “Black Line”. The base trim is quite complete in terms of safety equipment: it has 17-inch alloy wheels, a radio with an 8.8-inch touchscreen, LED front headlights (except indicators), among other features, with a starting price of 35,920 euros for the 150 CV petrol.

The special launch edition “Black Line” uses black as a contrast on numerous exterior elements (front grille surround, door frames, mirrors and bumper trims), in addition to 19-inch alloy wheels and the rest of the equipment of the sportier S Line trim, with a starting price of 43,920 euros for the 150 CV petrol.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira and Audi Spain

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