2016 Audi Q3 Road Test and Review

by Ryan ZumMallen

・

April 6, 2016

・

7 min. Reading Time

2016 Audi Q3 front angle ・ Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

One beautiful thing about the auto industry: When it starts a trend, it sticks with it until the end. There was once a time when SUVs couldn’t possibly be big enough, which eventually led to putting wheels on transoceanic tankers like the Hummer H2. In today’s market, however, they can can hardly be small enough. Luxury, style and fuel economy are the priority now, and automakers are all too happy to oblige. At the head of this pack of pint-sizers is the new Audi Q3, redesigned for the 2016 model year and ready to provide buyers with a serious alternative to the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.

Off the bat, the 2016 Q3 brings familiar Audi ideals to the table: premium interior materials, composed ride quality, and attractive, sculpted exterior design that begs to be dipped in a coat of charcoal grey. My test vehicle, a Prestige trim equipped with Audi’s famous quattro all-wheel drive, instead came in white, with an array of luxurious features suited for the driver looking for an upscale, but mostly effortless, luxury SUV experience.

New Updates Available

If you want to appeal to your buyer, you must think like your buyer. In the case of the Audi Q3 buyer—likely affluent, upwardly-mobile and possibly parents—that means fresh updates, the likes of which are installed on our phones automatically while we sleep. Thus, the Audi Q3 only had one year on the market before receiving an update for 2016. The 2016 Q3 now features a redesigned front grille and intakes, plus restyled taillights and wheels. Standard equipment now includes xenon headlights, push-button start and dual-zone climate control.

The cost has also climbed, from a base price point of $32,500 to $33,700 for front-wheel drive models. Considering the new additions, this slight increase will not likely be a deterrent (especially with the recent emergence of the 84-month auto loan). The question is whether the new look and goodies will steal customers from other brands, helping Audi ride the compact luxury SUV wave into capturing market share. Compact luxury SUVs had a banner year in 2015 with sales of the Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA increasing by 59 percent over 2014. So far in 2016, sales of the Q3 are up by 6.5%, but the X1 and GLA are pulling even farther out in front. The segment continues growing, but the Q3 doesn’t seem to be in the driver’s seat.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Redefining Design

If there’s one thing the Q3 does, it strikes a unique silhouette. The relatively short wheelbase at 102.5 inches, tall roofline at 62.6 inches, and aggressive front fascia bring to mind the comic proportions of an English bulldog. Automakers would prefer you think of something else: Audi insists the 2016 Q3 has “coupe-like styling”; Mercedes actually lends the word to their model names in the GLC Coupe and GLE Coupe. Last time I checked, though, that word still applies only to two-door cars. In fact, the only SUV that should be permitted to evoke the word is the, well, Range Rover Evoque.

While awkward from some angles, especially a jellybean side profile, the Q3 does hold a better pose from others. Enlarged front nostrils and redesigned rear emphasize the width of the Q3, the better to inject some aggression, and draw attention away from those compact dimensions. Standard xenon headlights with LED daytime running light strips certainly help, and 18-inch wheels lend an air of aggression that fits the bulldog theme rather well. My test vehicle came in the Prestige trim, which fills the wheel wells with 19-inch alloys.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Interior Shines

If you’ve come to the Q3 looking for the full Audi luxury experience, the interior will surely not disappoint. The full range of leathers, woods, aluminums and soft materials are on display, in a soothing layout that bridges the gap between millennial sophistication and executive boardrooms. Instruments and controls are nicely arranged and easy to locate; the central rotating knob—which feels and clicks like an expensive indulgence—works the infotainment system and quickly becomes intuitive. I’m also fond of the slim three-spoke leather steering wheel that greets me like an old friend. The layout and equipment are nearly identical to other Audi models, which is hardly a bad thing. Audi knows how to package an interior, and the Q3 is a true testament to this.

Standard equipment is impressive: panoramic sunroof with an automatic shade, plus 12-way power front seats. My test vehicle came in delicious Chestnut Brown—as well as elegant wood inlays, a $350 option. Splurging for the Prestige trim will include Audi MMI Navigation Plus, with a lovely 7-inch LCD screen on the dash; crystal clear, 14-speaker Bose Surround Sound, and Wi-Fi connectivity that worked surprisingly well, and can link to eight devices. Prestige also includes a power tailgate, which I used often considering the cargo space is perhaps the only truly “coupe-like” thing about the Q3. With the rear seats raised, the Q3 offers just 16.2 cu. ft. Fold the seats down and it increases to 48.2 cu. ft., but the sloping rear design makes for awkward entry if you’re transporting large objects. Likewise, the rear seats offer little legroom for adults. The middle seat worked best for me; at 6’0”, the panoramic sunroof cleared room for my head—not so with the seats on either side.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Engine, Transmission & Performance

Only one powertrain option is available on the 2016 Q3: a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder TFSI engine with 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft of torque, paired to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. It’s a pleasant combination—power comes seamlessly in concert with subtle gear shifts. At low speed, ask the Tiptronic to change gears in succession and it gets testy, a little herky-jerky for a luxury car. Otherwise, the transmission is fun to shift yourself in manual mode, quicker and more playful in Sport mode, and the Q3 hums right along without theatrics.

That said, the Q3 should probably be capable of better fuel economy, especially considering an impressive 0.32 drag coefficient and curb weight under 3,700 lbs. Front-wheel drive models achieve 20/29 MPG, while quattro all-wheel drive models bring in 20/28 MPG. Both the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA-Class have trims rated higher than 32 MPG highway—heck, even the Evoque can hit the 30 MPG mark. Audi technology that could help the Q3 improve here, namely Engine Start/Stop, is noticeably absent. Still, efficiency isn’t bad: On a 155-mile round trip that included city driving, highway cruising and a romp through the Angeles National Forest backroads, I averaged 28.7 MPG for the day.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Driving Dynamics

Perhaps one of the highest compliments I can pay the Q3 is that it drives like other Audi models. If that sounds blasé, consider that I’m comparing a short-wheelbase SUV with a high driving position to zippier offerings like the A5. You get the same glassy ride, the same turbocharged jabs of power, the same ice-skate turns from the electromechanical steering. If the Audi driving experience has become slightly homogenized across the model lineup, that’s only going to make the Q3 more appealing to the yuppie set that expects a certain aesthetic for their money.

For the more discerning driver, the Q3 is an interesting—if somewhat disengaged—experience. Turn-in feels great, thanks to 255/40 all-season tires, surprising structural rigidity and generous heaps of aluminum and high-strength steel in the Q3 chassis; keeping the Q3 flat through aggressive cornering, it seems to beg for more throttle. Understeer is present, but it’s difficult to unsettle the car. Visibility out the front and sides is stellar, and ride quality is silent and polished. Ventilated front and rear discs provide capable braking power, and it’s easier to appreciate the quattro all-wheel drive system the harder you push it. Steering is two-fingers light and deftly responsive, but glosses over the finer points of feedback and doesn’t firm up at speed as much as it could. Of course, that’s probably the point: The people who don’t want to be so engaged—read: most Q3 drivers—won’t have to be.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Safety

The IIHS named the 2016 Audi Q3 a Top Safety Pick, thanks to top ratings across the board in its crash tests. It missed out on being named a Top Safety Pick+, the highest possible rating, because Audi doesn’t offer collision avoidance or front crash prevention technologies yet for the Q3. They are available on models like the A3, A6 and Q5, all of which earned Top Safety Pick+ honors this year—so perhaps the Q3 has these options on the horizon. In crash tests, the Q3 fared very well. Intrusions during both types of front crash tests were minimal, and a multitude of airbags protected occupants from significant injury. The 2016 Q3 has not been tested by NHTSA yet.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Trims & Pricing

Considering the total package, the $33,700 starting point sounds quite attractive for a front-wheel drive 2016 Audi Q3. Adding the Prestige package will tack on $4,900. If the quattro all-wheel drive system is important to you—and for less than $2,000, it’s a steal—then it can be had starting from $35,800. My tester with quattro, the Prestige package, the wood inlays and destination came to $41,975.

This is a pretty penny for a compact luxury “coupe” SUV, to be sure. On the other hand, there are plenty of ways to justify the purchase: maybe it fits your urban transportation needs; maybe it’s your ticket into the Audi family; maybe your affinity for English bulldogs extends into your preferred mode of transportation. For me, the interior is what makes the Q3 a worthwhile investment. For a reasonable price, the Q3 offers standard equipment that would have set you back thousands just a few years ago, and has an element of design and refinement that won’t grow outdated in the near future. But then, that’s true of any Audi today.

Photo by Ryan ZumMallen

Competition

Audi will find customers that are fans of the brand, or attracted to the Q3 character—but attracting buyers who are just “in the market” will be a tougher sell. The Range Rover Evoque is more expensive but objectively more attractive, plus offers an actual coupe. The Mercedes GLA-Class has the novelty of being newer, and pairs exciting driving dynamics with better efficiency. The BMW X1 actually manages to find cargo space and rear legroom in that compact SUV package, and stays true to the idea of versatility that created SUVs in the first place. If that weren’t enough, some buyers will likely say "screw it" and opt for the larger Q5. There’s a lot working against the Q3 from all angles—even internally.

At the end of the day, the 2016 Q3 is a unicorn. And that’s great; the automotive industry has celebrated its unicorns since the beginning, even if—and sometimes especially if—they don’t make all that much sense. The beauty of cars like the Q3 is they take a certain magic to pull off. My biggest knock against the Q3, however, is that for a segment that is so weird, there isn’t very much that’s weird, magic or even special about the Q3 itself. Audi recognized the growing compact luxury SUV segment and sprinkled some pixie dust on a Volkswagen Tiguan, but the Q3, for all intents and purposes, is alarmingly normal.

Audi may soon have to decide whether they’re willing to invest in improving the Q3—especially its fuel economy—or focus elsewhere. Still, for one glorious moment in time, we have the pleasure of watching the world’s largest automakers indulge their customers’ silly desires for tiny luxury crossovers, and actually do a pretty passable job at it. No one knows how long this trend is going to stick around, but I can’t wait to watch automakers ride it all the way to the end.