When looking back at the endless miles I’ve clocked behind Audi’s Q-range of SUVs, the yesteryear Q5 3.0-litre TDI has always stood out. That 3.0-litre V6 with its bowlful of torque represented the best of what the Q-range offered in the country. The right size, the best oil burner in the business and Audi’s famed build quality – a few hundred kilometres in the old Q5, and you could immediately tell why Audi was considered to be at the top of its game.
Flash forward to 2022 and the whole SUV landscape appears to have changed. For starters, Audi has no diesel on offer and the Q-range of SUVs, as of very recently, includes more than two electric offerings and a new hierarchy-topping Q8. It’s at this time that the Q3, once Audi’s best-selling car in India, chooses to re-enter the market brimming with the promise of returning Audi India to its halcyon days.
Brave new world
Back in 2015, the Q3 arrived and further propelled Audi towards market dominance, at least as far as the compact luxury SUV segment was concerned. It was a clean-cut, poker-faced little SUV bearing four rings, four cylinders and a predilection for withstanding weather-beaten roads in a way the A3 and A4 couldn’t hope to. By 2018, a second-gen model had surfaced internationally, and while Audi continued to sell a facelifted version of that, the sheen had begun to fade.
The new Q3 is really that. An all-new version, with very little in terms of looks tying it to its predecessor. For starters, it’s larger now in every way that counts. It’s also got a lot more toys to offer along with a petrol-only powertrain and a bright new range of colours. The grille has been replaced by a more prominent octagonal unit, and the silhouette of the Q3 is a dead-ringer for the older Q8. The shoulder line now lies sufficiently enhanced, the wheel arches; more pronounced.
The LED lamps now look much sharper and the faux air dams, though only marginally effective when it comes to channelling aerodynamic flow, are straight out of an RS model. A new set of 18-inch alloys come as standard, as does Quattro AWD and six airbags.
The second-gen Q3 gets as thorough a design overhaul on the inside as it does on the outside. The floating screen on the dash has been replaced by a larger, centrally-placed 10.1-inch touchscreen, negating the need for the rotary knob and touchpad that previously was central to the MMI infotainment experience. A trick other, bigger Audi’s could learn from the Q3 is to keep a healthy level of analogue functions on board.
As a result temperature and volume modulation is left to a pair of rotary knobs with knurled aluminium surfaces – the latter element serving as a ubiquitous presence across the breadth of the cockpit, with everything from door handles, to the newly designed gear lever featuring aluminium inserts.
The cabin does miss out on a few tricks like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and ventilated seats - even in the higher “Technology” trim. But Q3’s fundamentals remain as solid as ever. The cabin space has also been utilised to offer little storage pockets next to the rear seats in addition to the usual spots.
The low-down
The Q3 is based on VW’s proprietary, modular MQB platform, identical to the one underpinning everything from the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan to the VW Taigun and Skoda Kushaq. Having jettisoned the diesel in the past, it comes with a petrol engine pushing out 190hp and 320 Nm of torque. Impressive enough performance figures, if not exceptional, the Q3’s true strength lies in its ability to deploy power.
Thanks to a relatively lower kerb weight of 1700 kg and a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, power is delivered with startling alacrity. That torquey low-end punch from the old diesel is missing here, but the smoothness of the engine, along with a strong mid-range makes up for it.
Switch to paddle shifters if you want a bit more engagement, but in most cases, the gearbox suffices in standard setting and thrills in “S” mode. For slightly tighter cornering, you can switch to “Dynamic” but most of the commute will be spent in “comfort” mode, so supple is the car’s ride quality.
A light steering, compact dimensions and a very plush ride really help elevate the Q3 among its rivals. The Technology trim also receives Audi’s Drive Select, which allows you to go off-road. Not too far off the road, mind you. But a bit of Overlanding? A few grassy knolls? That’s not an issue for Q3. This is thanks to Quattro all-wheel drive being offered as standard – a feature its rivals cannot match. In the Mercedes-Benz GLA, 4Matic AWD is only available in the top-end diesel while the current-gen X1 hasn’t bothered to include XDrive in the features list. The Q3’s torque figures are also the highest for a petrol motor in its class.
Verdict
With prices starting at Rs 44 lakh, the Q3 offers all the right ingredients you’d want in a compact luxury SUV. It can comfortably seat four and offers great leg and headroom along with top-shelf materials on the inside and a compelling form on the outside. Sure it misses a couple of tricks but it more than makes up by offering proprietary tech, six airbags and more in what is now it's the entry-level offering in India. Yes, the competition might offer diesel or rudimentary driver aids, but as far as petrol-powered performance (in the compact luxury SUV space) is concerned, the Q3 is the obvious choice.
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