Audi Q3

Audi Q3 at a glance

The first-generation Q3 followed a 2007 concept and was built in Spain, China, India and Brazil. It was facelifted for the 2015 model year. The second generation, presented at a special event in Germany on 25 July 2018, brought assertive and modern styling, a minimalist cabin, up-to-date technology and generous equipment. In June 2025 Audi unveiled the third generation, with 1.5 and 2.0 petrol engines, a 2.0 diesel and a 1.5 plug-in hybrid. This article focuses on the second generation. More of the brand's range is in our Audi catalogue.

Exterior of the second generation

The first thing you notice is the larger body. The new Q3 is also more aggressive and dynamic, yet it keeps Audi's family traits: stepped surfaces, plenty of detailing, rectangular elements and straight lines. Some buyers choose it for the design alone. The front is dominated by a large octagonal Singleframe grille with eight vertical slats, a coarse mesh and a chrome surround. Slim LED headlights sit above it, with Matrix LED lights optional, and the lower bumper has triangular openings that cool the brakes. Sharp edges replace the smoother curves of the first generation, and the optional S line package makes the Q3 even sportier.

From the side, there is a little stepped sculpting, plastic protection low down and chrome-framed windows. Unusually for a crossover, the wheel arches sit almost flush with the body rather than being heavily flared. Thick rear pillars and an almost flat roofline give a confident stance. Ground clearance is 170 mm — fine in town, but rough terrain can be a challenge. Wheels range from 17 or 18 inches to optional 20-inch wheels from Audi Sport with low-profile tyres.

The rear is restrained by Audi's standards but aggressive compared with many rivals, with a small tailgate window, large triangular LED tail lights, a roof spoiler and a plastic and metal lower section echoing the front. There are no visible exhaust outlets, not even dummies. The details depend on the trim level, with the sporty versions looking most aggressive.

Interior and practicality

The cabin is a step up, though much depends on the version. Basic cars have cloth seats, with part-leather or synthetic leather optional and a choice of colours, and Audi offers some 30 options for decorative inlays. There is more space than before. Standard front seats can be replaced by sports seats with pronounced side bolsters, firm padding and a wide range of electric adjustment.

The driver has a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, round or flat-bottomed, with optional heating. Instruments are digital as standard on a 10.25-inch display, and the 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit can show navigation maps; a head-up display is optional. A gloss-black panel in the centre of the dashboard holds the 10.1-inch MMI navigation plus touchscreen on more expensive versions or an 8.8-inch screen on basic ones. Functions include voice control, a Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay. Unlike the e-tron, the Q3 keeps conventional climate controls with knobs and buttons, and below them is a row of buttons for the safety systems and the Audi drive select switch. The tunnel holds the gear selector, cupholders, the parking-brake switch and a wireless charging pad.

The rear bench seats three, though the centre passenger has a short cushion and a high tunnel; more expensive versions have rear climate controls. The bench slides by 150 mm to increase luggage space. The boot grew by about 70 litres to 530 litres, or 1,525 litres with the rear seats folded, with a loading height of 749 mm. A power tailgate that opens with the key or a kick under the bumper is available, and there is a space-saver spare under the floor.

Engines and transmissions (second generation)

The petrol engines have direct injection, 16 valves and variable valve timing; the diesels use common-rail injection. Less powerful versions are available with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the others use the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and quattro all-wheel drive uses a multi-plate clutch that sends up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels when needed. The high-performance RS Q3 uses Audi's 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine.

Chassis

The second-generation Q3 moved from the older PQ35 platform to the MQB modular platform, with a transverse engine and a body made of high-strength steel and aluminium. Suspension is independent with anti-roll bars: MacPherson struts at the front and a four-link rear axle. A firmer sports suspension or adaptive dampers with five modes (Auto, Comfort, Efficiency, Individual and Dynamic) are optional, and the drive select system also changes throttle response, steering weight and gearbox behaviour. Electric power steering is standard, with progressive steering optional, and the brakes are ventilated discs with ABS, EBD and other aids. The drag coefficient is 0.32.

Safety and equipment

The Q3 offers airbags around the cabin, full LED lighting, cruise control, stability control, seat-belt monitoring, Audi lane and side assist, hill-start assist, a parking assistant and automatic parking, tyre-pressure monitoring, a reversing camera and surround-view cameras, collision avoidance, quattro and ISOFIX mounts. Depending on the market, base versions include cloth upholstery, air conditioning, a cooled glovebox, LED lights, 17-inch alloys, heated front seats and the 8.8-inch infotainment system; better versions add cruise control, a power tailgate, parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, adaptive suspension and 18-inch wheels.

Strengths and weaknesses

Owners praise the attractive styling, all-wheel drive, strong turbo engines, reasonable fuel consumption, excellent handling, high comfort and good materials and build quality. The second generation added digital instruments and a bigger boot, and the adaptive suspension makes it even more comfortable. Criticisms include a small glovebox, a high price, a rear seat that is uncomfortable in the middle, limited off-road ability, real-world fuel consumption above official figures for the more powerful versions, and expensive options. Rivals include the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Volvo XC40, Range Rover Evoque, Lexus UX and Volkswagen Tiguan.