Audi Q3 Review 2023

The second generation of Audi Q3 finds itself swamped with competition from almost every angle. The compact SUV market is booming, and the Audi Q3 has to fight off rivals like the BMW X1 and the Mercedes GLB, along with models from mainstream brands such as the Hyundai Tucson and its Korean stablemate the Kia Sportage. Read on for our full Audi Q3 review.

When the original Audi Q3 was launched back in 2011, it hardly set the world alight with excitement. Compared to its rivals at the time, it offered only a mediocre driving experience, while its interior dated rapidly in this image-conscious area of the market.

It meant there was a lot of pressure on the second-generation model, which first went on sale in 2018. For a start, the current Audi Q3 certainly looks more imposing and premium, with plenty of sharp angles and a bold front grille.

Add in features such as LED lighting and the racy bodykit found on S line models, and it certainly has the image side of things sorted.

Should you really prefer style over rear practicality, Audi will happily sell you the Audi Q3 Sportback instead. This is a separate model pitched at the BMW X2 and the Mercedes GLA. It has coupe-like styling, but less rear space and a larger price tag.

The Audi Q3’s interior was also overhauled for this second-generation car, taking inspiration from the flagship Audi Q8 SUV.

Although it mimics the bigger car in style, some of the materials used in the cabin are a touch sub-premium. Although hardly a deal-breaker, it’s a reminder that even Audi sometimes has to build down to a price.

On the plus side, the interior is hugely practical, with particular credit going to the sliding rear seats. These can move backwards and forwards by 150mm, allowing a trade-off to be made between boot capacity or rear legroom. The rear backrest angle can also be adjusted, helping taller passengers to sit more comfortably.

With a wide range of engines, including three petrol options, two diesels and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), there is an Audi Q3 to suit every need. The Audi Q3 TFSI 45 e PHEV is noteworthy for its low running costs, including the potential to reach an official 176.6mpg.

There is also the related Audi RS Q3 model, for those who want a crossover SUV to deliver rapid performance, such as 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds. This version earns its own separate review.

The RS Q3 aside, however, the Audi Q3 is still not the most fun compact SUV to drive. A BMW X1 will deliver more engaging handling, and the Audi Q3’s ride can feel taut on Black Edition versions.

Even in a competitive market, which has new rivals seemingly added daily, the Audi Q3 still has a lot going for it. It nails the brief for being a practical family SUV and the recent changes to trim levels mean even the cheapest version comes stacked with plenty of equipment.

Other than the less-than-premium quality in small sections of the cabin, plus a relatively remote driving experience, the Audi Q3 delivers on everything you could ask of it. It certainly atones for its first-generation predecessor, and is a worthy contender in this class.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar's Audi Q3 review.

Audi understands that families pick SUVs partly for image as much as for a dose of practicality. When it comes to space, the Audi Q3 certainly does not disappoint, thanks to a roomy cabin and clever storage features.

Space in the front is generous for even the tallest driver or passenger, contrasting with the Audi Q3’s relatively small exterior dimensions. The front seats provide plenty of adjustment, headroom is plentiful, and there are numerous useful cubbies and cup holders included.

The Audi Q3’s key selling point is a highly practical rear seating arrangement. All versions have a rear bench that can slide forwards and backwards by 150mm, along with an adjustable backrest angle.

This allows for a choice between boot space or passenger comfort as needed. It also means even tall passengers are likely to have no complaints if sitting in the back.

As standard, the Audi Q3 boasts a 530-litre boot capacity, but this can be boosted to more than 650 litres by sliding the rear bench fully forward. Folding the rear seats down, with their standard 40:20:40 split, results in a substantial 1525 litres of luggage space.

Choose the plug-in hybrid Audi Q3 45 TFSI e, however, and boot capacity fall to 380 litres, or 1375 litres with the seats dropped, thanks to the storage space needed under the floor for its batteries.

The Audi badge on the bonnet sets the bar high, even for one of the cheapest models in the brand’s range. At first glance, the Audi Q3 looks to have cleared that threshold, but digging a little deeper reveals some sub-premium materials in fairly obvious places.

Aside from a few hard plastics, though, the Audi Q3’s interior certainly does not feel cheap. It just lacks the high-end ambience of rivals such as the Volvo XC40 or new BMW X1.

Most importantly, everything gives the impression it will survive a lifetime of being prodded and pulled about by kids.

All versions of the Audi Q3 come with a sizeable 10.1-inch touchscreen on the dashboard, supported by Audi’s Virtual Cockpit 10.25-inch customisable digital instrument cluster.

Pleasingly, the infotainment screen is mounted lower down than in some rivals, so it avoids the ‘iPad taped to the dashboard’ look. Also, in a win for sensibility, the Audi Q3 still has physical buttons and dials for the climate control system.

Audi’s MMI touchscreen looks noticeably high definition and is quick to react to inputs. It is just a shame Audi has stopped fitting a rotary controller on the centre console, as having to look where you’re pressing on the touchscreen can be distracting on the move.

Satellite navigation is fitted to all grades, along with DAB radio, two USB-C ports and Amazon Alexa integration. Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard, with Android Auto compatibility included as well.

A six-speaker audio system is standard, but the options list for the Audi Q3 does include a 15-speaker Sonos 3D premium audio set-up. This comes as part of the Technology Pack.

The Audi Q3 range starts with the Sport 35 TFSI model. At the time of writing, this is priced from less than £33,000, and comes equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Moving up to the same engine and transmission in S line trim requires a shade more than £35,000, while the top Black Edition stands at a little more than £37,000. The plug-in hybrid Audi Q3 45 TFSI e is only offered in the higher two trim levels, and costs from £43,000 in S line specification.

For comparison, the Volvo XC40 is priced from under £46,000 as a hybrid, while the recently updated BMW X1 costs around £34,000 in its base form.

The Audi Q3 boasts a broad spread of engines, which will be familiar to anyone who has driven a modern vehicle from the wider Volkswagen Group family. Efficiency and economy are the overall order of the day, so all options should keep running costs to a sensible level.

The trio of petrol engines start with the 35 TFSI 1.5-litre, which can officially average up to 44.8mpg with the standard manual gearbox. Opting for the seven-speed S tronic automatic drops this slightly to an average of 43.5mpg.

The more powerful 40 TFSI engine, combined with quattro all-wheel drive, sees average combined fuel economy drop down to 34.9mpg in S line trim. Jumping further upwards to the 45 TFSI version results in an official figure of 32.5mpg.

For those doing longer journeys, the diesel engines are still likely to make sense. The 35 TDI can return an average of 56.5mpg, while the 40 TDI Quattro offers 42.8mpg.

To see if the Audi Q3 gets close to these numbers on the road, be sure to check out our Real MPG submissions.

For maximum efficiency, the Audi Q3 45 TFSI e is the model to go for. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, it offers an official average fuel economy figure of 176.6mpg.

Take that number with a big pinch of salt, however, as it relies heavily on keeping the 10.4kWh battery pack fully charged. Fuel economy in the mid-40s is more likely overall.

When the 45 TFSI e is charged, it can travel up to 34 miles on battery power alone. This ability results in low CO2 emissions – and correspondingly low Benefit-in-Kind company car tax rates.

The previous Audi Q3 did not have a great reputation for how it drove. As a result, Audi has tried to make this second-generation car more engaging and rewarding from behind the wheel.

And it has, to a degree, with the current Audi Q3 much improved in terms of its road manners. Even so, this isn’t a crossover SUVs to drive just for the fun of it. A BMW X1 or Cupra Formentor will provide more thrills.

Most Audi Q3 buyers are unlikely to mind, though, and instead will be pleased with the high levels of grip and neat handling. Audi fits Progressive Steering as standard, which increases the speed at which the wheels turn as more lock is applied. It makes the car feel livelier, but offers little in the way of feedback.

Ride comfort is partly determined by the trim level you choose. Sport rides on the softest springs, while S line and Black Edition cars gain a firmer sports suspension setup. With their 20-inch wheels, Black Edition models can feel noticeably taut over rough tarmac, although never to the point of being impractical.

With six different engines to pick from in the Audi Q3 range, there is certainly no shortage of choice. Petrols are the mainstay of the line-up, but diesel has not been dismissed just yet. There’s also a plug-in hybrid option.

It is worth noting that Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system is only offered with the 40 and 45 TFSI petrol engines and 40 TDI diesel, and only in S line or Black Edition specification.

The 35 TFSI is the starting point for the petrol range, using a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 150PS. It just about copes with the Audi Q3’s size, but can feel strained when pushed.

The 0-62mph sprint takes 9.5 seconds with the six-speed manual gearbox. The optional seven-speed S tronic automatic cuts this to 9.4 seconds, but is not the smoothest in its shifting.

With 190PS, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Audi Q3 40 TFSI is combined with Quattro all-wheel drive and the S tronic gearbox as standard.

This works much better together, with the extra power making the car feel more flexible on the road. It also sees the 0-62mph time cut to 7.3 seconds, in part due to the four-wheel traction.

For the most pure petrol performance, the Audi Q3 45 TFSI boasts 245PS. It is the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as found in the Volkswagen Golf GTI, and propels the Audi Q3 to 62mph in a swift 5.8 seconds.

Of the two diesel engines offered for the Audi Q3, the 35 TDI uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder in 150PS form. It comes with the S tronic automatic transmission as standard, and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.3 seconds. Torque of 360Nm helps it feel quicker on the road, too.

Upgrading to the Audi Q3 40 TDI results in a 200PS version of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel. Torque increases slightly to 400Nm, but the overall boost in power sees the 0-62mph time reduced to 7.3 seconds.

Combining a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, the plug-in hybrid Audi Q3 45 TFSI e boasts a total of 245PS. The instant hit of torque from the electric motor means acceleration away from the traffic lights can be urgent, with a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds.

Performance does fade once the batteries are depleted, though. Recharging the 10.4kWh lithium-ion pack up to 100% takes around four hours.

The Audi Q3 was assessed by the Euro NCAP safety organisation when it was first launched in 2018. Crash testing saw it awarded the maximum five-star rating, with an impressive 95% score for adult occupant protection.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, autonomous front braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, traffic sign recognition and cruise control with a speed limiter function.

The Audi Q3 is offered with a factory-fitted folding towbar, complete with a dedicated setting for the electronic stability control to assist when towing caravans. As such, the Audi Q3 is likely to make the shortlist for those looking to tow.

All versions can pull unbraked trailers of up to 750kg. Other than the entry-level 35 TFSI petrol that is restricted to an 1800kg maximum, most can haul braked trailers up to 2000kg. However, the Audi Q3 45 TFSI e hybrid is only rated to 1400kg.

With Audi having ditched the former entry-level Technik trim level, the Audi Q3 range now begins with Sport specification.

The Audi Q3 Sport comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a power-operated tailgate, acoustic glazing for the front windscreen and side mirrors that fold electrically and dim automatically.

There’s also front and rear bumper trim finished in Manhattan Grey, along with a front spoiler lip and rear diffuser in matt selenite silver. Aluminium is used for the roof rails and window surrounds, with gloss black for the door pillars.

On the inside, Sport trim means sports seats finished in cloth, a three-spoke leather steering wheel, front centre armrest, and an automatically dimming rear-view mirror. Standard features include dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, hill descent control, cruise control and an LED interior lighting package.

The standard MMI infotainment system combines a 10.1-inch touchscreen with a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is included, along with satellite navigation, DAB radio and two USB-C ports.

The Audi Q3 S line comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, stiffer sports suspension, LED tail lights with dynamic indicators, and a bespoke S line bodykit. Privacy glass is used for the rear windows, while there are also numerous S line badges for the car’s exterior.

The S line-embossed sports seats gain leather upholstery, alongside leatherette armrests and a black headlining. A dark brushed aluminium finish is used for the interior trim, with stainless steel pedals fitted. Front and rear floor mats, ambient lighting and illuminated S line-branded door sill trims complete the package.

Topping the range is the Audi Q3 Black Edition, which builds upon the S line model with a particularly stealthy appearance. Along with the set of 20-inch alloy wheels, the Black Edition gains the Black Styling package.

The front and rear Audi rings badges, front grille accents, window surrounds and side mirrors all receive the black treatment. Inside, a flat-bottomed steering wheel is trimmed in leather, with Piano Black trim used for the interior inlays.