Audi's compact CUV the Q3 was just refreshed last year with a new nose and new taillights to better match the rest of the company's current offerings. The Q3 isn't the quickest of the tiny luxury CUV's (the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, and Lexus NX are all more powerful), but it does ride better than most of them. Thanks to the refresh it's also newer. The Q3 gets a higher finish interior than the competition, including real leather seats, which can quickly run you up the BMW and Mercedes option sheet. It's nicer inside and a better value. It doesn't have all of the cargo space in the world, but it's not supposed to. It's a compact crossover which means the point is to give you a high-up seating position and a good view. It does that quite well. It also rides better than the BMW and Benz because it's not trying to be sportier than it should be.
Q3 comes with one transmission and one engine. That's a 2.0L turbo four making 200 hp and sending it to the ground through a six-speed automatic. There is a choice of quattro all-wheel drive, or front-wheel drive. Either way you get three trim levels. Komfort starts with 18-inch wheels, xenon headlights, LED running and tail lights, panoramic glass roof, eight way power adjustable driver seat, heated front seats, 10-speaker stereo with satellite radio and bluetooth audio, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, and automatic lights and wipers. A power tailgate and Audi's MMI phone interface are options. Progressiv gets 19-inch wheels, power adjustment added to the passenger seat, power tailgate, MMI, keyless start, and new for 2017 a parking system with rear camera. Technik adds MMI navigation plus, voice control, LED headlights, Bose 14-speaker stereo, and a 7.0-inch screen.
Option packages include navigaton for Progressiv, and a sport pack with 19-inch wheels, sport suspensio, and sport seats on Progressiv and Technik. The Q3 is rated at 12.0 L/100 km city and 8.2 highway with front-wheel drive and 11.9/8.4 with quattro.
