Audi has finally got it right, for me, anyway, with the Q series. The gargantuan Q7, the flagship of the series, always looked like something you’d use to invade a small country. The next size down, the Q5, just didn’t fit as well as it should’ve. And finally, along comes the Q3, and like Cinderella’s glass slipper, ladies, it’s the perfect fit.
Neither too big nor too small, too butch nor too feminine, it’s designed so that male executive warriors will look and feel just as good in it as lone rangers heading for the great outdoors, or the yummy mummy piloting her lift club to and from school.
“It’s the urban way to go offroad,” enthuses Audi. “Powerful, versatile, compact and efficient. Strong and expressive.” All of that and more, actually.
In fact, from being a long-standing Mercedes fan, I surprised myself by realising that of all the cars I drive, the deepest pangs are suffered when anything from this four-ringed stable leaves my driveway. So next to the TT, I’ve added the Q3 to my wish-list.
The first Audi to enter the premium A SUV segment, the very appealing baby Q3 combines the traditional strengths of a sports utility vehicle with the requirements of an increasingly urbanised world. And while it might have been designed for the autobahns and first-world cities of Europe, there’s no doubt that with its all-wheel-drive, it’s equally superb for conditions in this country.
You’ve got the remarkably good looks of this “compact coupe crossover”, and the absolute driving pleasure. Then there’s the robustness and everyday suitability of the Q3; the superior engineering and rather fabulous 2.0 TFSi 155kW engine (in the model I was driving), which combines direct fuel injection with turbocharging for remarkable performance and fuel efficiency, and that sporty seven-speed S tronic gearbox. Not to mention the comfort, the luxury and the brilliant handling.
Okay, I wouldn’t recommend it for a rugged trans-Africa expedition, but for the tamer offroad stuff, it’s fine.
Audi is offering the Q3 with two petrol and two diesel engines. The TFSI petrol (1984cc) has 125kW/280Nm or 155kW/300Nm of torque, while the 1968cc diesels come with either 103kW/320Nm or 130kW/380Nm of torque.
The Q3 has a sense of sportiness and attitude that its beefier and more muscular siblings lack, and price-wise, it’s also more affordable. Greenies lured by the appeal of this one can ease their guilty consciences by knowing emission figures aren’t outrageous, thanks to energy recuperation and the stop-start system.
The interior is ultra stylish and luxurious, there’s very generous luggage space, and also loads of storage options. Everything is clearly and cleanly laid out, and fussier buyers are spoilt for choice when it comes to inlays and colour/material combinations. It comes with top-of-the-range specslike hill descent with ESP, auto rain and light sensing with an auto dimming rear view mirror, connectivity package, multi-function steering wheel and Climatronic air-conditioning. There’s a 64-litre fuel tank, and consumption is about 7.7 litres per 100km on a combined cycle. The 0-100km sprint will take just 6.9 seconds.
Interestingly, the Q3 feels a whole lot bigger than it actually is. Although remarkably and eminently driveable, when you look at the vehicle from a distance, you’ll notice it’s not a large car at all. It tips the scales at just 1 445kg. And of that, only 301kg is body weight.
So what will this baby cost you? Well, if you go for the entry level Q3 (2.0TDi 103kW manual), expect to fork out just R370 000. On the other hand, if you go for the top-of-the-range 2.0 155kW Quattro S tronic, you’ll pay no less than R467 000. Without extras.
For the record, the car I tested would have set me back R503 990, not the standard R467 000, thanks to its extras. It had been fitted with 18-inch 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels (R8 790); a whopping R22 200 navigation system and front sports seats with electric lumbar support, worth R6 000.
Story by Peta Lee