FIRST DRIVE AUDI Q3:THE BIG Freeze may be a distant memory during the summer months, but it has chilled many Irish motorists into considering what was once unthinkable: purchasing some form of SUV.
Granted their actual desire is for something with four-wheel drive, but for many that equates to an SUV. But what if you don’t want a behemoth like the Audi Q7 or a Toyota Land Cruiser? And what if – more likely – you can’t afford one?
Alongside some rugged crossover estates, car firms have started to fill in this little niche with models that are part hatchback and part-SUV. In the mainstream there are models like the Nissan Qashqai. Despite the enormous success of such models, premium brands have been slow on the uptake. Finally, a range of new entry-level SUV crossovers are taking to the market. BMW was one of the first to stick its SUV in the photocopier and hit shrink. It brought the X5 down in size with the X3 and finally ended up with the X1. Now Audi has followed suit, shrinking its Q7, initially down to the five-seater Q5, and now an even more manageable Q3.
Its diminutive size doesn’t mean it’s small. The package retains the stocky look of the larger Audi, far more so than some form of beefed-up A3. While entry to the rear seats is a little tight for taller adults, once inside there’s an impressive amount of legroom, while the higher roof line makes the entire cabin feel spacious.
The most impressive feat, however, is, once more, Audi’s overall fit and finish. The firm has concentrated its efforts on creating a new benchmark for build quality in the premium class and it surpasses what’s on offer from its German rivals.
On the road, steering feel is not as sharp and responsive as we would have liked, a more neutered feel than we expected from a tidy little crossover package. It was the biggest disappointment in an otherwise impressive package.
For diesel customers, the engine line-up is a revised version of the firm’s 2-litre four-cylinder unit putting out either 140bhp or 177bhp. Petrol buyers get the established 2-litre TFSI engine, putting out 170bhp or 211bhp.
The Q3 is really offering a choice of two cars: a beefed-up hatchback with front-wheel drive and a 140bhp engine; or a diminutive four-wheel-drive SUV.
First up, the Q3 two-wheel drive. Available only with manual transmission, its 140bhp engine is more than capable of powering it along. Its acceleration is commendable and it’s certainly no slouch. The weight savings from dropping the four-wheel-drive system make up for the lower power output and it certainly feels as sharp and peppy as the other more powerful engines. It might take a fraction more time getting off the starting blocks, but it’s not noticeably slow. The biggest boon in opting for this version comes in your bank account: not only is it the lowest-priced version starting at €33,850, but emissions of 138g/km mean it carries a tax bill of just €156.
All other versions for the Irish market will come only in automatic and only with Quattro four-wheel drive, but the added features mean that prices for these don’t start lower than €38,650 and even then it’s for the 2-litre petrol version with its punitive motor tax bill of €630 a year. While the petrol variants have a more refined engine note, slightly more punch and a decent rasp when you rev the engine, the sums simply don’t add up for Irish buyers to opt for these versions over their diesel equivalents. Work is underway in preparing a Q3 version with the potent 2.5-litre petrol engine from the RS3, and on a prototype we drove the steering and performance were intoxicating. The final price tag is likely to be too rich for most Irish blood these days.
The choice then falls between the entry-level 140bhp two-wheel-drive diesel or the 177bhp four-wheel-drive diesel automatic. The latter starts at €42,900 and carries an annual tax bill of €302. Performance is not remarkably better than its smaller, lighter sibling, so the real choice comes down to how much value you think you will get from having four-wheel drive. Two years ago, it would have been a no-brainer for most Irish buyers, but two serious cold snaps later and motorists here are starting to realise the benefits of four-wheel drive in digging you out of the white stuff. The question is whether the reassurance of Quattro power is worth an extra €9,050 up front and €291 a year. If you’re not mud-plugging and only need it for suburban snow, would you not be better sticking with the two-wheel-drive version and getting a good set of winter tyres?
The Q3 is a smart-looking SUV that Audi estimates will represent 10 per cent of its global volume in the coming year. That’s all the more impressive when you consider it will not be sold in the North American markets. Here in Ireland, the firm predicts sales of 200 next year.
Its main rival is undoubtedly the BMW X1 and it just feels that bit more refined and polished than the Bavarian.
However, it will also face a significant challenge from the new Range Rover Evoque, a small SUV aimed mainly at the female market that will carry enormous brand cachet. Prices for the Evoque have yet to be released but we expect it will be more expensive than the entry-level Q3. Next year we can also expect a Mercedes entry in this category, probably part of the completely revamped B-Class range.
For now, however, the Q3 seems to be the best built mini-SUV on the market.
Factfile
Engines2-litre TDI four-cylinder diesel putting out 140bhp or 177bhp; 2-litre TFSI four-cylinder petrol putting out 170bhp or 211bhp
TransmissionsIrish market gets manual six-speed on 140bhp diesel or seven-speed S-Tronic automatic on other variants
Emissions(motor tax) diesel 140bhp – 135g/km (€156); diesel 177bhp – 158g/km (€447); petrol 170bhp – 172g/km (€630); petrol 211bhp – 184g/km (€630)
Pricesdiesel 140bhp SE – €33,850; diesel 140bhp S Line – €37,150; diesel 177bhp Quattro SE – €42,900; diesel 177bhp Quattro S Line – €46,200; petrol 170bhp Quattro SE – €38,650; petrol 170bhp Quattro S Line – €41,950; petrol 211bhp Quattro SE – €42,900; petrol 211bhp Quattro S Line – €46,200