MOTORING
Motoring expert Graham Courtney reviews the Audi Q3
QUALITY COUNTS
Q3
with
Rock solid quality and terrific
levels of refinement come as
standard with the Audi Q3.
F
ancy a premium badge SUV that oozes
quality?
If the answer is yes, you’ll find
the pick of the bunch at the Teesside Audi
dealership at Preston Farm near Stockton.
They have a full selection of Audi Q models
ranging from the most compact, the Q2,
to the stonking Q7. All of them are hugely
appealing.
However, when it comes to choosing the
best all-rounder that will suit the majority of
folk, the Audi Q3 fits the bill.
£27,610 gets you into the entry level
148bhp 1.4 litre petrol engine model. There’s
also a 2.0 litre petrol version. If you prefer
the economy provided by diesel power, you
can opt for either a 2.0 litre 148bhp TDi or
the hunkier 2.0 litre 181bhp version. The
more powerful petrol and diesel engines
have quattro, 4x4 transmission.
There are three levels of trim: Sport,
S-Line and Black Edition. All come with
climate control, sat nav, Bluetooth, DAB
radio, central locking, cruise control, rear
parking sensors, tyre pressure indicator and
sports bodykit. In other words, there’s no
need to dip into the options list unless you
want to either stand out from the crowd
or just add a little bit of added tech to your
Audi Q3.
Rock solid build quality and terrific
levels of refinement and reliability come as
standard.
The 1.4 litre petrol models are front-wheel
drive only, but they make sense if you want
a smooth engine with good performance
(0-60 in 9.2 seconds - top speed 129mph and
51.4mpg) and don’t need all-wheel drive.
The super-economical diesel models start
at £28,305 for the front-wheel drive 2.0 TDi
which improves your fuel economy to over
62mpg but has almost identical performance
figures to the 1.4 litre petrol model.
The 2.0 TDi and 2.0 litre TFSi petrol
models are really quick with 0-60 taking
a shade over 7 seconds although they feel
quicker.
The beauty with Audi is that they have
such a large range that you really can find
something to suit every taste. If you need
some go-anywhere ability to, for example,
pull a horse box across a wet field or reverse
a boat into a lake,
then you can opt for
the 4x4 quattro transmission. If you are
going to stick to the roads, stick with front
wheel drive.
If you want performance, then go for the
beefier 2.0 litre TDi diesel or TSFi petrol
models.
If you want a mix of performance AND
economy, go for the lower powered versions,
although you’ll never feel wanting for a bit of
oomph because even the 1.4 litre petrol TFSi
is spritely and has loads of pulling power.
No matter which one you go for, you have
a roomy interior that feels as though it’s been
honed from granite. You get a terrifically
high level of kit as standard, and there is a
mass of safety features that you won’t know
are there until you need them. Fancy a more
sporty exterior? Go for the S-Line models.
They look great.
Every Audi Q3 is terrific to drive. The ride
is brilliant and handling utterly predictable.
It is the perfect family car, commuter mobile,
holiday holdall, school shuttle and long-
distance cruiser. No wonder we love ‘em.
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