Have they made any changes to the interior?
The interior remains unchanged with an all-black treatment and subtle brushed aluminium highlights on knobs in certain places. Walnut brown inlays on top variants including the Dynamic trim offer contrast along with a rich feel. The big change is the Audi Drive Select, as mentioned earlier. Customers can also opt for the in-vogue panoramic sunroof which comes at an additional cost. A smaller sunroof, as we have traditionally known it, however, comes as standard for no extra money.
Can it really off-road, or is that Quattro branding just make-believe?
In all honesty, the Q3 is not meant to raid a humid, slushy, mosquito-ridden rainforest from one end and come out triumphant, all smeared in muck at the other. It’s not meant for that sort of stuff. Add another 1 crore to your budget and go for a Land Rover Range Rover if that’s the kind of stuff your wet dreams are made of.
Having said that, however, the Q3 does come equipped with a very competent all wheel drive system, the very well known Quattro AWD to be specific and is capable to overcome moderate off-road challenges. It’s got an impressive approach and departure angle, rides tall above the ground and claws on to the surface confidently with all four wheels.
It sure can overcome obstacles which your everyday small car would likely get wrecked trying to clear, and can look glorious on a custom made off-road track. Audi had one prepared for us at the Kari Speedway venue, and the Q3 demonstrated its ability to tackle challenging terrain in full – coming out with flying colours on every single attempt. Check out the images of the Q3 conquering various obstacles below
Cutting a long story short, the Audi Q3 may not be a full blown off-roader which would pull itself out of the slimiest, sandiest or the most rock-ridden surfaces, but as we write this review, it most definitely is superior to the other options in the segment when it comes to treading the trail less trodden.
How well is it equipped?
The Audi Q3 is quite well equipped for the segment. The full list of equipment available on the top of the line Q3 Dynamic variant is provided below. Customers choose from the lower S Edition 30TDI (140 bhp), or the Premium and Premium Plus 35 TDI (177 bhp) variants also.
- 5.8” Retractable MMI screen
- Audi Music Interface
- Rear Parking Aid
- Sunroof
- Multi-function Leather steering wheel
- Halogen headlamps
- Driver Information System
- Heat insulating glass
- Voice Dialogue
- Light & Rain Sensor
- 7 Speed Stronic Transmission
- quattro-Permanent all wheel drive
- Xenon Plus with LED daytime running lights
- Dynamic Headlight range adjustment
- Automatic AC system Premium Plus
- 17” Alloy wheels
- Audi Drive Select
- Fr Seats Electrically Adjustable
- Parking Aid Plus
- Full Chrome Grille
- New style tail-lamps
- New bumpers
- Panoramic Sunroof (Optional)
Should I buy one?
The Q3 most definitely is the best-rounded SUV in the segment. It’s well-proportioned, looks good, is quite spacious and comfortable, powered by a potent engine-tranny combo and is pretty frugal too. The pricing, ranging from Rs 25.49 lakh to Rs 38.50 lakh is extremely competitive too for the segment. Over and above that, the Q3 is the only SUV in the segment that comes equipped with an AWD system, giving it a reasonable amount of off-roading capability.
On the downside, it may not be the best looking car in the segment for some. It’s also not the sharpest driving tool out there. So whether or not you should be buying this car depends entirely on your preferences. The Q3, as we mentioned earlier though, checks the most boxes and comes at a great price. So you definitely need to take a test drive of this model before you make a decision.
Price: Rs 38.5 lakh ex-showroom
Tech Specs
Engine Type 1968cc liter turbo diesel
Power 174 bhp @ 4200 RPM
Torque 380 Nm @ 1750 RPM
Fuel Efficiency (ARAI) 15.77 kmpl
Transmission 7-speed dual clutch S-Tronic
Drivetrain AWD
Image gallery
