Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi Q3 2019 review – just another compact SUV, but one with potential - Engine, transmission and technical details

The Audi Q3 is not a bad car, but it's lacking in key areas compared to strong rivals, while short of the quality you’d expect

Evo rating
  • Agile and spritely on-road dynamics, reasonably space efficient
  • Dull interior, lethargic powertrains, not special enough for its crowded segment

Engine, transmission and technical details

For the moment, all Q3s are powered by a selection of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, connected to six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions. Quattro all-wheel drive is optional on higher-spec models.

Entry-level 35 TFSI models feature VW Group’s new, and extremely refined, 1.5-litre ‘EVO’ four-cylinder with 148bhp. From here, all other models feature 2-litre four-cylinder units, with diesels available in 148bhp (35 TDI) and 187bhp (40 TDI) forms, while petrols are available in 187bhp (40 TFSI) and 226bhp (45 TFSI) forms, the latter unit borrowed from the previous Golf GTI. Unfortunately, this powertrain is only available with quattro all-wheel drive and a dual-clutch transmission, so any notion of it being a tall hot hatchback might be misplaced.

Advertisement - Article continues below

> Click here for our review of the Range Rover Evoque 

That quattro all-wheel-drive system is a relatively simple Haldex-style unit, with a majority of the power sent to the front wheels, only being shoved back when slip is detected or assumed. The Q3’s MQB-derived chassis drives the overall package, with MacPherson struts on the front axle, and a multi-link rear.

A future replacement for the wild RSQ3 is expected, with that model likely to share the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the current RS3 and TTRS, featuring around 400bhp.

 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025