Yahoo Autos 2019 Audi Q3 Is a Baby SUV Bred from VW's Parts Bin
Fun fact: In the 2018 calendar year, the BMW X1 outsold the Audi Q3 luxury compact crossover by nearly two to one in the United States—29,060 X1s versus 16,828 Q3s. Those numbers surely fueled celebration ragers in Munich and had executives nervously chomping Paxil in Wolfsburg. The new-for-2019 Q3 is out to flip that ratio in favor of team Audi.
The sole engine option is a 228-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, which you may remember from such hits as the Volkswagen Golf GTI. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive. The torque-converter eight-speed provides smoother starts than the seven-speed dual-clutch box offered in Europe. Mashing the throttle yields a moment of indifference until boost builds. Toggling the shifter over to S provides snappier shifts; we found the Q3's powertrain is happier the harder you push it.
At 7.4 seconds to 60 mph and 15.7 seconds through the quarter-mile, the Q3 is a full 1.1 seconds slower to 60 mph and 0.8 second slower through the quarter than the last BMW X1 we tested. Braking from 70 mph requires 160 feet, which is right on the money with the Mercedes-Benz GLA and 10 feet shorter than the X1 can manage.
Larger in every dimension and now riding on the corporate MQB platform, the Q3 also adopts the brand's latest design language. The end result is a chonky yet sporty Q8 sibling that bears an unmistakable resemblance to its handsome big brother. Space in the back seat is tight for adults, despite the knee-accommodating scallops that Audi cut into the front seatbacks. Yet the Q3 makes smart use of its available space—its rear 40/20/40 split bench seat slides, reclines, and folds.
The base trim, called Premium, retails for $35,695 and comes with a panoramic sunroof, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and heated leather seats up front. Our test vehicle carried more than $9000 in options, inflating its as-tested price to just under $45,000. That's a little less than BMW asks for the quicker X1 equipped with the M Sport and Premium packages. Convincing American consumers to pay just as much for what appears to be less has never been easy, but the Q3's good looks may encourage interested buyers to take the plunge.
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