Audi Q3

Audi, the premium car brand from Volkswagen Group is a well known name in India. Audi India has been known for offering high class, luxurious and technologically advanced cars. This time around, the company is ready with a lavish and sporty SUV, called Audi Q3. It is basically a five door SUV from Audi. Compared to Audi Q5 which is the mid-luxury compact SUV and the true SUV Audi Q7, the Q3 is targeted as more of a lifestyle automobile rather than a full grown off-roader. It shares its year of launch with the arch rival-BMW X1. It debuted in April, 2011 at the Shanghai Motor Show. The car, better known as baby SUV, is built on Volkswagen’s Group A5 (PQ35) platform on which Volkswagen Tiguan and SEAT Tribu are built. The Q3 resides above the proposed Audi Q1 mini crossover. However, till date it is the smallest SUV by Audi. Audi Q3 has come out in just the diesel trims and the company is going to launch Q3 petrol version as per demand. Audi Q3 2.0 TDI is the base diesel variant and the high end variant is named Audi Q3 WCI; both the versions are fraught up with features. Audi launched Q3 with great proud and with this SUV, it managed to showcase how innovative the German engineering is. The brand new Audi Q3 has been blessed with a powerful, strappy and dynamic 2.0 litre of TDI Quattro diesel engine, which is capable of churning out high power output of 177 PS at the rate of 4200 rpm along with 380 Nm of maximum torque at the rate of 1750 to 2500 rpm . This robust and aggressive engine has been coupled well with seven speed S tronic automatic transmission, which makes the ride in this car absolutely wonderful. With the seven speed automatic transmission, the car is successful in delivering a decent mileage of 5.9 to 7 km per litre.
Talking about the pickup and acceleration of the car, Audi Q3 2.0 TDI is not disappointing at all. The car zooms away with a top speed of 132 km per hour and catches the 0 to 62km per hour mark in merely 8.2 seconds, which is certainly noteworthy. The looks of Audi Q3 are totally mesmerizing. The front end of the car features flowing contours with halogen headlights with separate day running lights, smooth bumper and fog lamps. The bold wheel arches fit in 16 inches of aluminium alloy wheels with a tyre size of 6.5J x 16 in the 2.0 TDI variant and 17” 10 spoke aluminium alloy wheels in the high end variant Audi Q3 2.0 TDI WCI. The roof railings are quite prominent, while the heat insulating glass prevents the car body from heating up in summers. The exterior mirrors are electrically adjustable, heater and electrically folding and the headlight range can also be adjusted.
On the inside, one will find the posh leatherette B-grain upholstered seats accompanied by interiors lighting package. The floor mats are present at both rear and front to keep the car clean and the leather wrapped multifunction steering wheel in four-spoke design add on more charm to the front cabin of the car. The inlays are done in truffle beige or monometallic, depending to the interior color, while the luggage compartment has also been provided with mats. Furthermore, the car comes with manual air conditioning system with heater, reversible load floor, electromechanical parking brake, hill start assist, cruise control, Audi music system and electric seat adjustment facility for the driver’s seat and manual height adjustment facility for the front passenger’s seat.Finally the Electronic Stability Program, first aid kit, car jack, ISOFIX child seat mounting warning triangle, full size airbags, with side airbags at the front and rear and head airbag and electronic immobilization device add on to the safety features of Audi Q3 2.0 TDI.

Audi Q3 Petrol Models

• Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI

Audi Q3 Diesel Models

• Audi Q3 S Edition
• Audi Q3 2.0 TDI quattro base grade
  This is the base variant of Audi’s newest family member, Audi Q3. The car is blessed with 2.0 Litre TDI Quattro engine churning out 177 HP and with stunning looks, the car charms one and all. This variant of Audi Q3 sports 16 inch alloy wheels, leatherette B-grain seat upholstery, electronic stabilization program, manual air conditioning system, voice dialogue system, driver information system, cruise control, hill start assist, full size airbag and the list never ends.
• Audi Q3 2.0 TDI quattro high grade
  This is the top-end variant of Audi Q3, which features the same engine as the base variant, but is much more enhanced and amplified in terms of features. here one will find 17 inches of bold alloy wheels, Acoustic Windscreen with grey tinted strip, LED interior lighting package, automatic headlight-range adjustment dynamic, driver information system with color display and the list goes on. With these extra features, the price tag of the car goes a bit higher than the base variant of the car.

  Audi Q3 Mileage

  

  
  
  Audi cars are well equipped with all the luxurious features, but along with that they even provide a decent mileage and have a good power; Audi Q3 has 2.0 Litre TDi Quattro diesel engine which is capable of generating 177 PS of power at 4200 rpm and 380 Nm of torque between 1750-2500 rpm . The SUV is capable of delivering a mileage of 17.54 kmpl on the Indian roads which is quite impressive. The Q3 model has diverse driving options which have the direct affect on the fuel consumption. Like the driver’s mode which is fuel economic if compared to the sports mode.
  

  Acceleration & Pick-Up

  

  The car is powered by a 2.0 Litre TDi Quattro diesel engine which can churn out a power of 177 PS at 4200 rpm and 380 Nm of torque between a range of 1750-2500 rpm. This Quattro engine has the 4 wheel drive train to deliver equal power among the 4 wheels. The car has an amazing top speed of 212 kmph and can easily reach to the speed of 100 kmph in just 8.2 seconds . The hydraulic clutch plate in the car powers the front and rear axle very quickly to attain this acceleration.
  

  Audi Q3 Exteriors

  

  Talking about the exteriors of the Audi Q3, the car is bestowed with new and amazing features; it has the 16” Forged aluminium alloy wheels in 7-arm design in the TDI variant and 17 ” Cast aluminium alloy wheels in the 10-spoke design in the WCI variant to give this car a remarkable look. Some of the basic features include the roof rails and the black trim strips. To add to the beauty a single frame grille is added between the wedge shaped Halogen headlamps in the front of the car. The bonnet of the car and the adjustable exterior mirrors with the ORVM’s provide this car a very appealing look. The car is equipped with the heat insulating glass to avoid the entry of direct heat in the car. When it comes to the WCI model which is the high end variant of Audi Q3, the car has some additional features like the light and the rain sensors, the acoustic windscreen to reduce the structural and the airborne noises. There is also LED rear light, headlight washer and the grey tinted windscreen to make the high end variant stand apart.
  Audi Q3 is a well proportioned SUV. This SUV looks a like a grown-up hatchback car along with higher ground clearance. The SUV has a length of 4385mm, which makes it a bit shorter than Nissan Sunny and also six centimeters shorter than its arch rival BMW X1. However, Audi Q3 is more spacious than X1. 

  Audi Q3 Interior

  

  
  
  As we all know that Audi is known well for offering luxurious cars with gracefully designed interiors. All the features provided in the car as per the expectations. The materials used in designing the interiors of the car are of high quality to give a lavish and a comfortable look. The seat upholstery is L-grain/leatherette B-grain with the interior lightning package, front and rear floor mats and luggage compartment mat. The Leather covered multifunction steering wheel in 4- spoke design, the gear shift paddles on the S-tronic model are quite impressive. The interior of the car has Monometallic or truffle beige colour with the headlining done in cloth. When we move over to the WCI variant there are only few changes which include the High gloss package and Inlays in Walnut balsamic brown. The interior lightning is also changed from the normal lights to the LED lights to make it look more pleasing.
  

  Audi Q3 Engine and Performance

  

  
  
  Audi India is quite geared up to launch its much awaited SUV, Audi Q3 in the Indian car market. So far, Audi Q3 is expected to be rolled in only diesel variant. This variant will come with 2.0 litre of TDI diesel motor, which would comfortably churn out immense power of 174 PS of peak power at 4200 rpm along with 38.74kgm of peak torque at 1750-2500 rpm . The engine would be coupled with seven speed DSG automatic gearbox with S-Tronic. The power is sent to all four wheels via Quattro that aids the SUV in delivering a power packed performance on the road.
  

  Stereo & Accessories in Audi Q3

  

  
  
  The infotainment section of Audi Q3 has also been paid great attention as the infotainment devices make our journey more enjoyable and soothing. The car is equipped with an Audi audio system with a 6.5 inch manually retractable display screen ; the car has 8 passive speakers with a total output of 80 Watts . It has the Audi music interface which allows us to connect our Apple iPhone and iPod, USB storage media and MP3 players. This stereo system also has Bluetooth interface for phone connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming. It has a concert radio which includes a CD drive, two SDHC memory cards, MMI operating logic, speed dependent volume control and the TP menu which automatically saves the traffic news when driving. The car also has the Driver’s Information System (DIS) – which includes the 3.5 inch monochrome display on the dashboard, this screen shows the radio frequency or the track title, telephone control menu and the other display information such as the navigation. This DIS also includes the on board trip computer with short and long- term trip memory, outside temperature display, digital speedometer and some other features. It also has the voice control system for key telephone and radio functions.
  

  Wheels

  

  The Audi Q3 comes with a 16” Forged aluminium alloy wheels in 7-arm design in the TDI variant and 17 ” Cast aluminium alloy wheels in the 10-spoke design in the WCI variant . This car has a dynamic S line sports suspension which is available as a no cost option. The addition of this new suspension in the SUV have reduced the by 20mm.
  

  
  

  Braking & Handling

  

  
  
  The car comes with the Quattro four wheel drive system which means the driver will have ample of grip when driving the car. The car has electromechanical power brakes which include the parking brakes, auto release function to assist when pulling away and emergency braking function on all four wheels. The car has a dynamic suspension system which is based on the set of interconnected hydraulic cylinders. So this system does not engage itself in the normal driving conditions when the hydraulic pressure is equal on all the 4 tyres, but in the off road conditions, the suspension system activate when it detects that a wheel has dropped. The hill assist system  engages automatically when detects a slope and then holds the car stationary for two seconds after the driver releases the brake to give him time to apply throttle.
  

  Handling & Safety

  

  
  
  The company has taken great care of the safety of its passengers, Audi Q3 comes with an Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP) which includes the ABS, EBD, ASR and EDL , all these features works together to avoid any skidding and provide the driver more control over the steering wheel. The car has Driver, front passenger, front side and head airbag system to avoid any serious injuries during the accidents. The other features to ensure safe driving conditions include the front and rear fog lights, light and rain sensors, rear parking sensors, central remote locking, seat belt monitoring and the Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser. The handling includes the 7-speed S-tronic automatic gearbox with power steering which can be adjusted according to the height and reach of the driver.
  When Audi had announced that it would be bringing the Q3 SUV to India, the news created a spur among Mini SUV buyers and Audi fans alike. The Audi Q3 is on the brink of its launch here in India. The Audi Q3 or Type 8U as it was internally known was launched internationally in 2011.
  The Audi Q3 when launched in India would be the smallest SUV member to the Q family that includes the Q5 and the Q7 currently. Being a member of the Volkswagen family the baby SUV Audi Q3 shares the Volkswagen Tiguan and the SEAT Tribu small SUVs platform.
  The Audi Q3 would be a direct competition to its arch rival-BMW X1 and indirectly to many other SUVs in the price segment that include the Toyota Fortuner, Renault Koleos, Nissan X Trail, Chevrolet Captiva, Mitsubishi Outlander and Pajero and the Honda CRV. We drove the latest Mini SUV from Audi the Q3 across some wonderful and very scenic landscapes of Goa to bring you this comprehensive road test of the Baby Q. Read on the know what lies under the skin of the Audi Q3.
  

  Exteriors - Design

  First look of the Audi Q3 and you instantly notice that this has to the Audi Q5, second look and you notice a slightly smaller dimension than the Q5 but not by much. The Audi Q3 has a wheelbase of 2603mm as opposed to 2803mm on the Audi Q3. The Audi Q3 has an overall length of 4385mm while the Audi Q5 is 4629mm long. The Audi Q3 has an overall width of 1831mm while the Audi Q5 is 1898mm wide. The Audi Q3 stands 1602mm tall while the elder brother Q5 stands at 1653mm tall so there you have it the differences in dimension is not much. The Audi Q5 has 204mm of more wheelbase, 244mm of extra length, just 67mm wider and only 51mm taller than the Audi Q3. Now that is a real good reason for you thinking the Q3 to be the Q5. On the design front, the Q3 appears typically Audi, the front is unmistakably Audi with the French beard grill that has chrome surround linings and Quattro monogram placed on the black checks mesh. The front bumper has a very smooth and soft feel to it. The bumper houses two round fog lamps and headlight washers on it. Just like the Q5 and the Q7 the Audi Q3 also gets the sharp angular headlamps. These headlamps have daytime running lights that are uniquely designed and have a very attractive ornamental look even while driving during daytime. These headlamps also house the turn lights that are placed in the headlamp assembly along with the bi-Xenon headlamps. We are told by Audi officials that these LED headlamps just consume 10 watts and have a very long life. You also get an option of adaptive lights on the Audi Q3. The Bonnet has smooth flowing lines that go backwards giving a clean look to the front. The sides of the Audi Q3 are more like a coupe mostly due to its flowing roofline. The roofline has a gentle slope downwards that finally mates with the rear windshield. The side profile of the Audi Q3 has muscular flowing lines on the doors all along the waistline and one on the lower part of the door just above the foot board that defines its SUV robustness. The doors are wide and the glass area is large. There are chrome inserts all across the blacked out window frames. The roof also gets a brushed metal roof trail and a huge panoramic sun/moon roof and not forgetting the fish tail radio antenna that is also body colored and just looks very neat. The wheel arches have black plastic mouldings on them that continue right across the footboard and join the front and rear bumpers. The Audi Q3 has body coloured wing mirrors with integrated LED turn lamps in them. The rear of the Audi Q3 is largely symbolised by large wrap round tail lamps that are shaped just like the Q5 and the Q7. The tail lamps also are LED types and have the sharp cut design like the headlamps. The large tail lamps make the Q3 appear wider when seen from the rear. The rear bumper is also typical Q style, large and rounded. The lower part is in black while there are large stop lamp strips which also have the reverse light just above the black body guard of the bumper. The Audi Q3 comes with twin chrome exhaust pipes that enhance the sportiness of its rear profile. The rear windshield is at a neat angle that is in line with the sloping rear boot area. A large Audi rings logo in chrome signifies its genes. The boot lid on the Audi Q3 has a 3 dimensional look due to the soft bulges on it and also has a lip spoiler with integrated stop lamp.
  The Audi Q3 drives on wide Goodyear Excellence tyres of 235/55 R17 specs mounted on five multi spoke alloy wheels that look very sporty. The Audi Q3 excels in the exterior designing and detailing department. The Audi Q3 looks robust yet elegant and has all the underpinnings of an SUV. It has the typical Q family looks and the build quality is unmistakably Audi – Flawless.
  

  Interiors – Cabin

  Step inside the Audi Q3 and you feel you are entering the Q5. First thing you notice is the ease of entry and egress with large and wide doors. The cabin is in dark and light beige combination. The upper part of the dashboard is in dark shade made of soft rubber material. The instrument cluster is very finely laid out. The speedo panel is large and very clearly set. On the left you have the RPM meter and the speedo on the right. The middle you have the multi-function display. The speedo dials have a thin chrome lining around them with digits in while backlit and red needle making it a classy affair. The steering a typical Audi four spoke design that is leather wrapped. You have all the multi-function buttons needed laid out on the steering which include the audio control, Bluetooth phone control and the MFD toggle button. The center dash houses a 6.5inches color display that can be folded back in the dash when not needed. This display works as the infotainment system and also doubles up for the MMI unit as its display. Just underneath this display is the AC vents that have chrome surrounds. Under the vents is the Audi Multimedia single CD/MP3 unit with Radio. You get two SD card slots under the CD. Under the SD card slots is the main audio control unit. The Audi Q3 comes with a dual zone climate control system with vents on the dash and also a blower vent for the rear passengers placed between the front seats. The switches and knobs on the Audi Q3 are made of highest quality and look and feel like lasting a lifelong. Theses a wooden insert on the passenger side of the dashboard with Quattro logo placed on it that reminds you that you are driving a Audi Quattro SUV. The lower half of the dash is in beige color. The dash of wood continues around the gear shifter and also on the door pads. Wood finish in the cabin makes and feels rich and enhances the overall cabin value. The Automatic Gear shifter has a round knob with leather wrapping and a touch of brush metal on it with S-tronic boldly written on it. The Audi Q3 gets all white LED interior lighting that includes the roof lamps and reading lights. We sorely miss the auto dimming mirror on the Audi Q3 instead of the manual dimming mirror that could have been avoided. You get full leather upholstery on the Audi Q3. The light beige colored seats make the cabin look bright and extra roomy. The driver and front passenger seats get all electrical settings for height, reach and backrest incline.
  The front seats are perfectly contoured and the cushioning is just right offering high comfort level. The adjustable center arm rest has the iPod port hidden inside it along with some storage space. The rear seats also offer a near perfect comfort level of seating and come with three height adjustable headrests. A foldable centre armrest is sorely missed but we are told that the armrest did not make it so that extra space could be made for the fifth passenger sitting in the middle of the rear seat.
  Slide open the electric sun/moon roof and wallah you get the extra light in and also fresh breeze and also a different drive feel. The boot of the Audi Q3 is large enough to fill in three large suitcases in the 460 liters boot area. Audi Q3 is the smallest SUV from the Q family; still Audi has not cut down on the feature list and the Q3 comes with a long list equipment list similar to the Q5 and the Q7.
  

  Engine – Transmission – Suspension

  The Audi Q3 is available 2.0liter Petrol TFSI engine and a 2.0Liter TDi Diesel unit. The 2.0liter Diesel unit will be initially seen in India. The Audi Q3 powered by a 2.0 Liter (1968cc) inline four cylinder diesel engine with VGT turbocharger and direct injection. This 2.0liter TDi engine makes 174bhp @ 4200RPM and has a mammoth torque of 380Nm between 1750 and 2500 RPM. The Q3 gets its transmission in the face of the 7speed S –tronic dual clutch automatic gearbox with tiptronic (Manual shifts) with electrohydraulic control. The 2.0liter engine is the same unit that also does duty on the VW Passat currently being from the same VW family. The 174bhp engine ensures that power is always available at tap and the Audi Q3 is at ease at all possible speeds. The light Steering feels chunky to grip and the feedback is responsive. The Double Clutch transmission shifts gear rather unknowingly and there is no gear change lag felt. The gear ratios on this 7 speed transmission are short for pumping out best possible performance and high fuel economy. The short overhangs and body design ensures there is minimal body roll and the drive feel is sharp and crisp. The driving position is good with a bird’s eye view from the driver’s seat. The top speed for the Audi Q3 is 212kmph and we touched 180kmph with ease.
  The Audi Q3 feels very stable at high speeds which are typical Audi virtues. The Audi Q3 drives on a soft suspension setup which is rather medially soft. The bad roads are well absorbed and the drive feel is very comfortable. We also took the Audi Q3 to a off road track and as you can see in the pics the Q3 aided with the renowned Quattro (4Wheel Drive) performed perfectly well as an off roading SUV. Audi has 30 years of Quattro experience and it does show in the baby Q3 SUV during off roading.
  

  Equipment and Safety

  The Audi Q3 may be the smallest and cheapest Audi for India but has a long equipment list. Electromechanical hand brakes, Audio player with eight speakers, electric seats, hill start assist, heated mirrors, latest Audi MMI unit, headlamp washers etc. On the safety aspect the Audi Q3 comes with ESP, ABS with EBD, front airbags, side curtain airbags, advanced park assist etc.
  

  Verdict

  The Mini SUV market in India is growing rapidly and the Audi Q3 is all set to create benchmark in it. The Q3 has a long feature list that is at par with the Audi Q5 or the Q7 so there is no cost cutting evident. The 2.0 TDi engine is one hell of a brute performer. The Q3 does just fine on the road and off it and comes out shining in all departments.  The Audi Q3 is a perfect example of Audi’s true capability and virtues. We expect the Audi Q3 to be priced between the 30-32lakh price barrier when launched in late May and are very sure that it will be a clear winner among the existing rivals.