2 May 2012
New car report; Small SUV joins the Q
It’s the era of the small SUV, even at the premium end of the market. Although Audi has been slower than some to get in on the action, the resultant Q3 has been worth the wait.
With roughly a quarter of all new vehicles sold in New Zealand year to date being SUV’s and around 60% of those falling into the small “A” segment, it’s no wonder recently appointed Audi New Zealand General Manager, Dean Sheed is excited to be launching Audi’s new baby truck onto our market.
Sheed, who is no newcomer to the fold, having shifted desks in the same building where he’s headed up Volkswagen for the past decade or so, predicts he’ll sell 150 Q3’s in the current calendar year, restricted only by factory supply.
Muscling in on Small Luxury SUV segment - but Audi aiming at allcomers
Being 200mm shorter, but with roughly the same wheelbase as the Q5, the Q3 is set to compete with the likes of the BMW X1, MINI Countryman and Range Rover Evoque. In other words, it has been positioned to go up against other small luxury SUV’s, although buyers moving up from lower segments are sure to be impressed and those trading down from larger premium models will find plenty to like about it too.
This emerging new segment is a car industry exec’s dream, with target buyers coming from a wide section of the community. Sheed says that while the sector the Q3 competes in is typically skewed towards the female buyer, it’s an urban SUV with prospects coming from everywhere, being popular with professional urban singles and retired couples.
Smaller sibling of the mid-sized Q5 and brawny big brother, the Q7, Q3’s styling is unmistakably Audi from the deep grille to the coupe-like roofline, with the newcomer being arguably the prettiest of the family.
One powertrain is being offered in our market; a clean burning and punchy 2.0 litre TDI diesel producing 130kW of power and 380Nm of torque. This is a similar powerplant to that used in the Q5 and latest A4, and is an upgraded version of the 103kW/320Nm 2.0 litre TDI used in the Volkswagen Tiguan. Petrol powered models may be considered at a later date, but for now there’s no automatic petrol available, so Audi has wisely chosen to leave it out of the line-up.
Power is transferred through a smooth and sporty seven speed S tronic double clutch transmission to the road via Audi’s quattro four wheel drive setup, delivering a credible 8.2 second sprint to 100km/h from standstill.
Diesel fuel is consumed at a claimed rate of 5.9L/100km with the tailpipe emitting CO2 at the rate of 156g/km, aided by a start-stop system that switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary.
Rear carrying capacity is a generous 460 litres with the rear seats up and 1,365 with them folded down, which provides an almost (but not quite) flat floor loading space, with access being via a 1,070mm wide rear hatch. The Q3 is rated for towing braked trailers up to 2,000kg and 750kg unbraked.
Personalisation, with S Line and Off Road kitted versions on the menu
Like other Audi product, standard and S Line models are offered, the standard model rolling on 17 inch 10 spoke alloys and the S Line coming with 18 inch 5 double spoke alloys. Both have a decent amount of rubber on the road with 235 width tyres.
While the S Line offers a relatively stiff ride, it’s not as overly rock hard as some sporty models can be, with suspension that’s tuned for relatively comfortable open road cruising while offering flat and firm cornering. However, for those who prefer a softer and more cosseting ride, the standard suspension setup will be more your cup of tea and save you money to boot.
Audi customers are offered a wide range of personalisation, with an off-road kit entering the option list later this year.
Among the eight alloy wheel options available, a 19 inch option with 255 rubber definitely improves grip and adds a smidgeon of weight to the otherwise light and at times, floaty electric steering, but like all big wheels with low profile rubber, there’s a trade-off in ride quality. An optional Audi drive select feature allows the driver to personalise damper control, transmission shifts, steering and throttle response.
An MMI (Multi Media Interface) system with a 6.5 inch screen, the expected music interfaces and Bluetooth is standard, as is rear parking aid. Various add-ons (that come at a price) include front parking sensors, an automatic parking feature, reversing camera, a lane-change warning system, adaptive xenon plus headlights, a panoramic glass roof and LED interior light package – the list goes on.
Priced from $70,900 for the standard model to $77,900 for the S Line, it’s not hard to nudge $100k if you tick a few option boxes.