57un fact: In the 2018 calendar year,
the BMW X1 outsold the Audi Q3 lux-
ury compact crossover by nearly two
to one in the United States—29,060 X1s ver-
sus 16,828 Q3s. Those numbers surely fueled
celebration ragers in Munich and had execu-
tives 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 turbo-
charged 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
F
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 Ameri-
can consumers to pay just as much for what
appears to be less has never been easy, but
the Q3’s good looks may encourage inter-
ested buyers to take the plunge.SPORTING HEART, CORPORATE SOUL
TESTED Audi’s Q3 borrows from VW’s parts bin, but you’d
never know by looking at it. _by Andrew Wendler
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 sec-
onds 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 sib-
ling 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 sun-
roof, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster,Long list of standard
equipment, smart use of
space, attractive.
A tight back seat, not as
quick as some rivals, a bit
of turbo lag.20 19 Audi Q 3
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive,
5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED: $44,990
BASE PRICE: $35,695
ENGINE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC
16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head,
direct fuel injection
DISPLACEMENT: 121 cu in, 1984 cc
POWER: 228 hp @ 5000 rpm
TORQUE: 258 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with
manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE: 105.5 in
LENGTH/WIDTH/HEIGHT: 176.6/72.8/64.1 in
PASSENGER VOLUME: 94 cu ft
CARGO VOLUME: 24 cu ft
CURB WEIGHT: 3915 lb
C/D Test Results
ZERO TO 60 MPH: 7. 4 s e c
ZERO TO 100 MPH: 19.3 sec
ZERO TO 120 MPH: 34.0 sec
ROLLING START, 5–60 MPH: 8.3 sec
1/4-MILE: 15.7 sec @ 91 mph
TOP SPEED: 130 mph
(governor limited, mfr’s claim)
BRAKING, 70–0 MPH: 160 ft
ROADHOLDING, 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD: 0.91 g
FUEL ECONOMY
EPA COMBINED/CITY/HWY: 22/19/27 mpg
C/D OBSERVED: 21 mpgFender flares punch
out of the Q3’s clean
exterior design and
remind us of Audi’s old
Quattro rally cars.