Small is gorgeous. It’s manoeuverable too. Especially in Central London the place you must deal with slim lanes and navigate by way of a labyrinth of highway works and diversions with one eye on Google Maps and the opposite on the highway. It definitely did assist that the Audi Q3 I’m piloting is good and compact, has a excessive seating place and good all-round visibility. As an city luxurious SUV, the Q3 is simply the suitable dimension in case you are primarily going to be behind the wheel, which is why it was fairly standard in India till Audi discontinued it in early 2020.

And now, after a protracted hole of two and a bit years, Audi has lastly introduced again the Q3 to India, with costs starting from Rs 44.89 lakh for the entry-level Premium Plus trim, and Rs 50.39 lakh for the higher-spec Technology trim. The second-generation Q3, constructed on the MQB platform, was launched internationally in 2019 and therefore hasn’t come a day too quickly to an Indian showroom. Why then has it taken Audi so lengthy to carry a car that’s seen by way of nearly half its life cycle? Blame it on COVID-19, a semiconductor scarcity, delays within the international rollout, or the truth that Audi India has spent the previous couple of years systematically streamlining its mannequin line-up that has put the Q3, nicely, the final within the queue.

The Q3 completes the Q line-up in India and bookends the portfolio on the reasonably priced finish. The Q2 has lengthy been discontinued and so, in impact, the Q3 is the entry level to Audi’s SUV vary in India. In truth, it’s the most cost effective Audi you should purchase.

New Audi Q3: exterior

The new Q3 sports activities a extra aggressive design in comparison with its predecessor.

The new Q3 appears considerably totally different from the earlier Q3, each inside and outside, and it’s a contact larger too. So, let’s begin with the dimensions. The new Q3 is sort of 10cm longer than the earlier mannequin and whereas that will not appear loads, most of that size has gone into elongating the cabin to unlock more room for the passengers.

Boot house has gone up considerably to 530 litres – 70 litres greater than earlier than, in order that’s one further bag you’ll be able to squeeze in. You can slide the 60:40 cut up rear seat ahead to launch much more boot house, however that solely is sensible if there’s nobody within the again seat. 

The new Q3 boasts of an elevated boot house of 530 litres.

The design is extra aggressive than earlier than and attracts a whole lot of styling cues from the larger SUVs within the Audi vary. The headlights, for instance, are impressed by the flagship Q8 and in contrast to the straightforward rectangular form of the earlier Q, the brand new mannequin’s LED lights are sharply reduce and look extra advanced.

Audi’s trademark hexagonal grille is now a wider, single-frame and flanked by massive and angular ‘air intakes’ (they’re largely clean), which provides the Q3 a lot wanted highway presence and the stance of an even bigger SUV.

The slim tail-lights intensify the width of the car.

Audi has jazzed up the flanks of the brand new Q3 as nicely. The earlier car had a easy crease operating throughout the edges, however the brand new car will get a extra pronounced shoulder and a muscular rear fender, which, together with 18-inch alloys, offers the Q3 a strong, planted stance. The slim tail-lights intensify the width of the car and include dynamic indicators which might be customary throughout the vary.

New Audi Q3: inside, options

The cabin, too, is an unlimited enchancment during the last Q3 and extra in keeping with Audi’s present fashions. It’s all screens now with a ten.25-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ or configurable digital instrument cluster and a ten.1-inch display screen for the infotainment system. Since Audi’s shift to a full touchscreen cabin for all its cars, the MMI, or selector wheel which helps you to bodily choose capabilities, is changed with a touchpad and that’s a pity.

The second-gen Q3 will get 10.25-inch digital dials.

It was a really well-developed interface that allowed you to toggle by way of capabilities with out taking your eye off the highway. The good factor is that the bodily buttons for the aircon controls have been retained and haven’t been buried within the touchscreen which is the development today.

Physical controls for the HVAC have been retained.

For its compact dimensions, the Q3 is surprisingly spacious on the within and might accommodate 4 adults pretty simply. You sit good and upright and regardless of a scarcity of width within the cosy cabin, you don’t really feel cramped or hemmed in. The cabin is nicely crafted and up there with the larger Audis and the nice factor is you’re not shortchanged on high quality requirements simply since you’re paying much less for a smaller car.

Compact dimensions, however can seat 4 adults simply.

There’s no scarcity of space for storing contained in the cabin. You get massive door bins, a big cubbyhole within the centre console and a wi-fi charging pad to take the largest smartphone. And in the event you’re sitting on the again, you’ll be able to conveniently retailer your cellphone, or some small knickknacks in one of many cleverly designed slots on both facet of the rear seat.

Clever slots on the rear to retailer knick-knacks.

New Audi Q3: efficiency

The new Q3 handles like a typical Audi. The steering is gentle and simple, the trip is fantastically cushioned and it fortunately flows within the thick of site visitors, be it within the metropolis or on the motorway in a fortunately benign means with out thrilling or partaking the motive force. The trip was significantly good on UK roads and although that’s not the surroundings to attract any conclusions on trip consolation, going by our expertise with the most recent crop of Audi SUVs, we are able to safely say that the Q3 may presumably be the smoothest driving SUV in its class.

India-spec Q3 will get Audi’s tried and examined 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine.

It was additionally unattainable to guage the Q3’s engine and efficiency as a result of the take a look at car we drove in London was a plug-in hybrid, powered by a 1.4 litre petrol mill paired with an electrical motor. If something, driving in full electrical mode round London solely served to reaffirm my religion in hybrid expertise as a superb bridge to full electrical. The Indian authorities doesn’t have the identical religion, and so hybrids don’t have any subsidies and are taxed as closely as common ICE cars, which is why Audi sees no profit in bringing hybrids to India.

What the Indian Q3 will get as a substitute is the tried-and-tested 190hp, 2-litre TFSI engine, which is the staple petrol motor of the Audi vary. Factor in a beneficial power-to-weight ratio (the Q3 weighs simply 1,700kg) and the Q3 might be one of many quickest SUVs in its class too. The discontinued Q2 had the identical motor and was completely sensible to drive and the brand new Q3 may tackle the mantle of probably the most enjoyable to drive compact luxurious SUV. We simply can’t wait to drive it.

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