Car UK May 2019

50 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | MAY 2019

Hard and fast

EA888 might not ring any bells, but it’s the code-

name for the brilliant engine that powers many

of the VW Group’s most enjoyable cars. Think

of any lively coupe, estate or hot hatch from

VW, Seat, Skoda or Audi (and Cupra! Don’t

forget Cupra!) and you’re highly likely to

find those five digits proudly stamped on the

2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine.

From a business point of view it’s a cost-effec-

tive way to kill rather more than two birds with

one stone. For engineers, it’s a space-efficient

unit that can be packaged in all manner of

bodies. For drivers, it’s a wonderful blend of

usable power, smoothness and economy.

The latest is the Audi SQ2, jumping the warm

crossover queue in front of the VW T-Roc R. It’s

closest in concept to Audi’s own S3 hatch: they

share an engine, they’re separated by just 45kg,

the interiors are near identical and the two are

almost neck-and-neck on price.

That engine really is an absolute master-

stroke. The fact that the SQ2 can blast off to

62mph in 4.8 seconds is remarkable on paper

and mind-boggling on the road. Need low-down

pulling power? There’s plenty of torque from

2000rpm. Fancy wringing it out? It’s happy to

oblige, accompanied by a properly bassy growl.

Body control is impressive when you’re

hurling it around. It rolls more than an S3, but

it’s well tied down, letting you enjoy the weighty

steering. Grip is, naturally, unflappable, and you

can feel the Haldex quattro system swapping the

power among the wheels under heavy load.

It’s less impressive when you’re just pottering

around. The SQ2 would really benefit from

the Magnetic Ride adaptive dampers that are a

must-have option on the S3, where the Comfort

setting softens the ride to a degree that allows

you to ignore lumpy roads.

The sports seats need more lateral support

and the padding in them is extremely unfor-

giving. The driving position seems impossible

to adjust correctly, hampered by steeply angled

pedals and a seat base that’s too high even when

you’ve pumped the adjuster as low as it’ll go.

That engine, though... Floor it once and you’ll

be hooked, but both the Golf R and Audi S3 are

sharper drives.

JAKE GROVES

New hot crossover plays a blinder point-to-

point, but more comfort wouldn’t hurt...

AUDI SQ2

THE FIRST HOUR

5 seconds

Strewth, this thing

flies!

1 minute

Sounds properly burly

15 minutes

Why doesn’t the

screen retract when

I switch it off, like in

an S3?

25 minutes

I simply can’t get

comfortable here; the

seats are hard and

pedals are angled

weirdly

40 minutes

Why no adaptive

dampers? Ride quality

is consistently lumpy

60 minutes

Still can’t ignore that

weapon of an engine

• incredible punch and
  flexibility

First verdict

Stupendous shove and road-pummelling

dynamics in a sharp-looking crossover body.

Pity about the comfort and the price.

★★★★★

PRICE

£36,800

POWERTRAIN

1984cc 16v turbo four-

cylinder, seven-speed

dual-clutch auto,

all-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE

297bhp @ 5300rpm,

295lb ft @ 2000rpm,

4.8sec 0-62mph,

155mph

WEIGHT

1510kg

ON SALE

Now

Data

EFFICIENCY

32.1mpg,

159g/km CO2

▲

PLUS

Flexible engine, epic

pace, meaty noise

MINUS

▼

Lumpy ride,

uncomfortable

driving position

Cornering is good for a

crossover, although S3

and Golf R are better

First drives