ROAD TEST AUDI Q3 2.0 TDI QUATTRO S-TRONIC S:THE SUV'S OBITUARISTS need to think again. They might say it was the mobile epitome of economic excess, now destined for the scrapheap through a combination of emission-based taxes and more sensible purchases, but the reality is somewhat different.
It’s true the large SUV market has all but disappeared, but that’s if you only take a Eurocentric view of the world. Elsewhere the SUV is alive and thriving. Even here, where the three-letter acronym has become something of a motoring slur, a host of models with SUV DNA have slipped on to the market cloaked in terms like “crossover”, “soft-roader” and “activity vehicle”. The reality is that they are being purchased by people who like the rugged looks of the SUV but not its brash scale, its costs or its connotations.
But according to figures presented by Audi, while the overall car market has been beaten down by recession, in percentage terms the SUV share of the market has grown from 8 per cent in 2009 to 9.9 per cent so far this year. And it’s not just because of the continued fondness for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai. While it and other of the smaller SUV-styled hatchbacks made up a whopping 80.5 per cent of the SUV market this year, the share of the market held by the larger behemoths has grown from 4 per cent in 2009 to 9.4 per cent. It seems we still harbour a strong affinity with the off-roader.
Audi has been remiss of late in not offering anything to compete in the booming hatchback-SUV market. Its Q5, designed under the guidance of Dubliner David Caffrey, has sold relatively well here, but the real focus of interest is in a premium alternative for those with A4 or BMW 3-Series money to spend. These buyers admit to harbouring an admiration for the likes of the Qashqai and Ford Kuga but can’t shed their premium-badge prejudice.
The Q3 is in reality a chunky hatchback. You only really realise this when you take it into its natural habitat: the shopping-centre car park. Sat alongside the great and good of the public’s metal, it suddenly looks a lot less SUV and a lot more supermini on steroids. The roofline doesn’t tower above the rest; nor does it swallow up parking spots like an angry ogre.
Yet its proportions and styling wholeheartedly reflect Audi’s Q range of SUVs, only through the wrong end of the binoculars. This means that, despite its average height, it’s got decent ground clearance for its size. In terms of space it’s very much the family hatchback, with better legroom in the back than its BMW counterpart the X1 and a good-sized boot, but neither sets new standards for Tardis-like roominess.
The interior is on a par with the rest of the Audi range; smart and sleek with premium appeal. Audi had a bit of a quality revolution several years ago, suddenly realising that interiors matter. Given that it’s the most visible and physical manifestation of the car to its owner and passengers, you need to get this right. There’s a feeling of quality about the interior trim. It’s the template that its German counterparts should attempt to match. While the bigger BMWs and Mercedes have that air of quality inside, the smaller variants – and direct rivals to this car – just don’t match up.
One great feature that deserves praise is the decision to prepare all Q3s for satnav, which means you simply have to purchase the SD cards with the maps for €265 and away you go. Finally a car firm has come up with an affordable in-car alternative to portable satnavs. Two engines are offered: a 2-litre petrol, in either 170bhp or 211bhp, and a 2-litre diesel, with 143bhp or 177bhp. The lower-powered diesel only comes in manual and front-wheel drive but carries a motor-tax charge of just €156 (at the moment). On the other hand the 177bhp diesel only comes in Quattro with Audi’s automatic transmission and carries a €447 annual motor-tax bill. All the petrols are Quattro four-wheel drive. A Quattro version of the 143bhp diesel with either manual or automatic transmission will arrive next spring, and that is arguably going to be the strong seller.
Our test car was the 177bhp diesel with Quattro and S-Tronic automatic, and for its size the 177bhp is more than ample. The S-Tronic is also very smooth, although when you engage the semi-automatic mode it has a tendency to leave you a little to your own devices and will hold a gear for longer than you might wish. It would also benefit from steering-wheel paddles.
The Quattro system works a charm, as one would expect from an Audi that has built a great deal of heritage on the back of its four-wheel-drive system. For those worried about the snow, it’s a great alternative to the family saloon. Unfortunately it simply doesn’t handle as sharply or offer as much driver engagement as its BMW counterpart. The X1 feels more sporty and vibrant than the deadpan steering feel and responsiveness of the Q3. This car is more in line with the Range Rover Evoque in this regard.
The Q3 is a smart, tidy package, even if it lacks a little of the dynamism and handling sharpness of BMW’s X1 or the eye-catching beauty of the Range Rover Evoque. Yet it does come across as a much better-finished car than either of those two. It should be said that our test car was loaded with nearly €7,000 of extras, many of which I never really noticed, such as the €757 side-lane assist system. At that price I’d be quite happy to keep the money and turn my head to look out of the side window when I’m changing lanes. For my money I’d be opting for the 143bhp Quattro diesel with a few added extras including the admirably affordable satnav system.
If you’re all about the look then the Evoque offers far more appeal, and if you treasure your driving fun on the way to work then the X1 will probably be more your style, but for solid, quality performance that feels properly premium, the Q3 is best choice.
FACTFILE
ENGINE1,968cc four-cylinder turbodiesel, generating 177bhp @ 4,200rpm and 380Nm of torque @ 1,750rpm
PERFORMANCE0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds
ECONOMY5.9 L/100km (47.9mpg)
EMISSIONS156g/km (€447 motor tax)
FEATURESSE versions come as standard with 17in alloys; air con; Bluetooth interface; iPod connection; chrome roof rails; concert radio system; electric windows; electromechanical parking brake; ESP stability control; front and rear foglights; hill-hold assist; satnav ready; rear parking sensors; start/stop system. Options include 18in alloys; climate control (€591); three-spoke multifunction steering wheel (€166); tyre-pressure monitoring (€122); Audi side assist (€757); cruise control (€410); front sports seats (€834)
PRICE€42,900 for SE (starts at €33,850 for 2.0 TDI SE FWD)
RIVALS
Range Rover Evoque 5dr 4WD auto Pure: €44,700 (€630 motor tax); BMW X1 20d xDrive SE auto: €43,788 (€447 motor tax); Subaru Outback 2.0 TD SE: €41,995 (€447 motor tax); Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC ES Sport auto: €46,300 (€1,050 motor tax)
OUR RATING 7/10