{"id":1787294,"date":"2026-02-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1787294"},"modified":"2026-02-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:00:00","slug":"audi-q3-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1787294","title":{"rendered":"Audi Q3 review"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s Audi\u2019s fourth-largest seller in Britain, rejigged and rejuvenated for its third generation. Surprised it\u2019s not the firm\u2019s biggest hit here? Us too \u2013 the blighters seem to be everywhere \u2013 but the A3<\/a>, Q4<\/a> and A1<\/a> currently pip it to the podium.<\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s a ginormous deal, not least when the mid-size crossover market is being so exhaustively assaulted by new Chinese brands. Several each week, it feels like. While Audi ought to occupy the premium seating looking down on the mainstream bloodshed, the Q3 may still be in danger of having its heels nipped at by the Jaecoos of this world. Not to mention more traditional rivals like the BMW X1<\/a>, Mercedes-Benz GLA<\/a>, Range Rover Evoque<\/a> and Volvo XC40<\/a>. Plus the Cupra Terramar<\/a> with which it shares its factory, powertrains and wheelbase…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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No wonder this Mk3 massively ramps up the visual drama, then. By chance, we pulled up alongside the outgoing Q3 at traffic lights in the first moments of driving this new one. Its previously chiselled looks appeared dowdy beside its replacement; there\u2019s a lot going on, what with its bold, singleframe grille, squinting LEDs (more on those in a sec) and split taillight design.<\/p>\n

It has confidence, alright, as well as a muscular stance more reminiscent of the Q-models above it. It\u2019s still pretty compact, at 4.5m long, but has the air of the larger Q5<\/a> about its design. What the future of Audi SUV design holds off the back of the minimalist Audi Concept C<\/a>, we don\u2019t yet know\u2026<\/p>\n

Looks like the interior isn\u2019t minimalist.<\/h2>\n

Nope, that concept\u2019s dinky screen philosophy feels a million miles from the new Q3, which \u2013 in Audi\u2019s words \u2013 brings large-car tech to a smaller footprint.<\/p>\n

A vast curved panoramic display combines an 11.9in instrument cluster and 12.8in central touchscreen that runs on Android and incorporates AI. Behind the wheel is a new concept of indicating, windscreen wiping and gear selecting, traditional stalks making way for stubbier buttons. Visually, the set up looks a bit blunt and clunky, but it feels more satisfying on the move \u2013 even if it\u2019ll take a few goes to properly get your head around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Those new lights we discussed? Micro LED technology up front calls upon 25,600 hair-width bulbs to carve out patterns in the light beams you cast ahead. They work together with your indication (or lack thereof) to warn you of blind-spot dangers during late-night driving \u2013 or help keep you between the white lines on dark, wending country lanes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Too bad the technology is flummoxed by too much rain, not least when the car was launched in autumnal Scotland. Audi\u2019s always liked its lighting gimmicks but this one doesn\u2019t feel much beyond a fun talking point so far. You\u2019ll get more satisfaction from the choreographed dances the LEDs do as you approach or walk away from the car.<\/p>\n

Enough lighting. What about power?<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s tonnes of choice, none of it fully electric. The Audi Q4 e-tron<\/a> is clearly doing a pretty good job of hoovering up demand there. You\u2019ve the option instead of pure petrols, a plug-in hybrid and even \u2013 gasp! \u2013 a diesel. They\u2019re either front or four-wheel drive but all deploy an automatic gearbox; cupholders and a ventilated wireless charging pad have leapt into the space a gear lever would previously have occupied. Just like a Terramar, Skoda Kodiaq<\/a> or Volkswagen Tiguan<\/a>, then, with the same powertrain options. Only everything\u2019s a bit plusher and techier in here.<\/p>\n

A 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol kicks the range off at \u00a339,045. It deploys mild-hybrid<\/a> and cylinder-on-demand tech to eke out efficiency, combining 148bhp power and a 9.1-second dash to 62mph with mid-40s mpg.<\/p>\n

Above that sit two 2.0-litre petrols, both of which have a Quattro badge to signify 4WD. They offer 201 or 261bhp (the latter being what you\u2019ll find in the sportily badged Skoda Kodiaq vRS<\/a> or, indeed, a base VW Golf GTI<\/a> for 0-62mph in either 7.1 or 5.7s. The perkier car even nudges 150mph.<\/p>\n

But I care about running costs\u2026<\/h2>\n

Then perhaps you\u2019ll favour the plug-in hybrid<\/a>. It pairs a slightly uprated version of that base 1.5-litre engine with an 114bhp e-motor for a 268bhp total \u2013 plus an official claim of 134mpg+ and CO2 emissions as low as 39g\/km to dance triumphantly into generous Benefit-in-kind (BIK) rates, assisted by its 73 miles of claimed e-range \u2013double that of its predecessor and making it one of the longest range plug-in hybrids available on our shores<\/a> \u2013 when its 19.7kWh battery is fully topped up, something you can do in under\u00a0half an hour at 50kW on a rapid public charger.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s front-wheel drive, as is the sole diesel on offer in Britain, a 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI with 52mpg claims and some easily exploited torque (and thus real-world performance). Don\u2019t knock it \u2018til you\u2019ve tried it \u2013 diesel ain\u2019t dead just yet.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Audi has launched regular SUV and swoopier Sportback versions simultaneously, the latter (pictured above) bringing a lower roofline and a smidge less boot space for a \u00a31,500 premium. There are no dynamic changes; you\u2019ll be choosing it on looks alone \u2013\u00a0we think it looks slightly awkward but you can make your own mind up. Small wonder UK sales are typically split 60\/40 in the more conventional car\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n

But whichever version you choose, it hits all the Audi SUV notes with near perfection. Easy to drive with just enough sporting nous, and strong perceived quality inside (even if it\u2019s a mite downgraded over the larger cars). If you\u2019re an existing Audi Q-car driver, you\u2019ll step merrily into this without breaking stride \u2013 despite its flashy tech and weird indicator stalk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The new Q3 nails everything an Audi SUV should be: comfy interior, tidy if uninvolving dynamics, and a generous choice of engines and power sources. If you\u2019re stepping across from its predecessor (or even downsizing from an old Q5 or 7) it\u2019ll coddle you immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What it stops short of is inspiration or excitement \u2013 but then we reckon you knew that going in. The design is bolder and more extrovert than before, and its screens much larger. But the basics beneath them haven\u2019t much altered \u2013 it\u2019s a trim \u2018n\u2019 tidy up rather than a whole new hairdo. Q3 gen3 is a solid, safe bet amid a compact SUV market undergoing something of a revolution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Audi\u2019s fourth-largest seller in Britain, rejigged and rejuvenated for its third generation. Surprised it\u2019s not the firm\u2019s biggest hit here? Us too \u2013 the blighters seem to be everywhere \u2013 but the A3, Q4 and A1 currently pip it to the podium. Still, it\u2019s a ginormous deal, not least when the mid-size crossover market […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,237],"class_list":["post-1787294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-topgear-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1787294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1787294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1787294\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1787294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1787294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1787294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}