2020 Audi Q3 QUATTRO 40 TFSI Sportback
Audi already had a Q3 SUV. After a boozy night out at a small Ingolstadt pub, the boffins decided Audi needed a Q3 Sportback to keep up with the Jones’. Down the road a bit, BMW and Mercedes have a car for every occasion, so Audi must too. Why? 67% of Audi sales are SUVs, so it they absolutely must put 67% of their efforts into the cars that are best sellers.
A Sportback just is a normal Q3 with a sloppier back and roof. It loses 10-15% of the useful rear space. That might seem bonkers at first, but it gives Germany an edge when it comes to choice.
There are 3 mainstream models, not including the red-hot RS Q3 Sportback, that’s a whole other story.
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Above: This Week’s Car Review – 2020 Audi Q3 40 TFSI Quattro (the Q3 Sportback video will follow shortly)
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ABOVE: 202 Audi Q3 Sportback QUATTRO 40TFSI
Outside:
Q3 Sportback cute, don’t get me wrong, perhaps not quite as cute as her Q3 sister, but it is all a matter of personal taste. For example, 19” standard wheels look good, but there are plenty of other options, including 20” rims. And who doesn’t like a big choice of rims.
Fancy automatic LED Headlights have high-beam assist, and if you want to spend even more, full Matrix LED bends light like Beckham. They leave oncoming traffic in gentle pools of dimmed light while the rest of the road is lit up like a landing strip.
The power rear hatch has a kick-to-open function, and rear seats go down 40/40/20 split. As mentioned earlier, the silly sloping rear windows severely cut into your fun time.
Oddly, Q3 Sportback is priced on par with the Q3 sister, leaving the buyer to make up his or her own mind as to whether they want to be cool, or practical.
Inside:
The cabin is sublime.
It isn’t as plush as the even posher models, but a definite step up from SEAT, Skoda and VW. Audi is one of the very many Volkswagen brands, and shares technology, platforms, and gadgets with her less salubrious cousins.
The new infotainment system is interfaced via a hi-resolution 10.1” touch screen. It includes DAB and Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto. The cabin is trimmed with lashings of metal and piano black, and the console is no different. It houses the dual zone climate controls, as well as the drive mode and auto-parking selectors. Below that is a nifty wireless phone charger.
The driver instruments have been replaced by a wide LCD screen on which a myriad of data can be displayed. Better still, you can tailor it to your preferences.
I confess to feeling slightly let down by the seating. Sure, it it’s comfy, but the leather feels hard to the touch. Audi cow is usually as soft as butter.
There are USB and power outlets front and back, loads of cubby holes and cupholders, and enough airbags (6) to sink a battleship.
Safety Gadgets:
Drivers may not even be aware of what a car now does to keep everyone safe.
Audi Q3 includes: active cruise control, active lane control, active blind spot monitoring, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, 360° parking camera, automated parking, parking sensors, hill hold assist, rear cross traffic alert, and stability control.
Q3 silently watches for things to go wrong. It keeps you centred in the lane. If you try to change lanes and there is someone in your blind spot, she gently taps you on the shoulder. A light flashes, and the steering wheel moves under your touch. You get resistance at first, then it tries to steer you back into your lane. This hi-tech solution adds to the 5 star rating from ANCAP.
The Drive:
The modest 2.0L, turbo-petrol 4 cylinder puts out and equally modest 132kw and 320Nm. It gets that humble output to the QUATTRO AWD system via a 7 speed S-Tronic gearbox. The power isn’t rocket-like, but is more than enough to get you to 100 KPH in 7.8 seconds. Sticking the loafer to the carpet too often does dreadful things to your fuel economy. Otherwise, you can expect 8.0L/100k with Start/Stop reducing CO2 emissions by resting the engine at traffic lights. Q3 has a average CO2 of 188g/k
First a few words on the QUATTRO AWD system. It is a clever bit of wizardry that shunts power back and forth so that you aren’t always driving all 4 wheels when you don’t have to.
Ride is firm, yet comfortable.
Audi claims cornering is sporty, but no, there is far too much body roll, and I am ok with that. I prefer smooth ride, and am happy to sacrifice stupidly flat cornering in the altar of comfort. Only yobbo car programmes round every corner at warp 10.
Cars are meant to be enjoyed, even in the most mundane of duties. At that, Q3 Sportback is particularly adept.
Our leisurely drive took in a spin through the national park, taking sights such as the Sea Cliff bridge, the Royal National Park, and the “Shire”. The latter immortalised in an unwatchable reality tv show that was mercifully short-lived.
We travelled some of the best driving roads in the country, and we think this is how a buyer is going to use a Q3 Sportback.
If you feel inclined, you might even go further afield. I can see carparks full of Sportbacks in the snowfields, once it all re-opens of course
Conclusion:
Audi is known for many things. They make understated, well-designed, sporty vehicles. Q3 and Q3 Sportback are aimed at the young and well-heeled, the mothers who don’t want a ladder every time they go to the shops, and the P Plater whose dad runs Coke.
There is room for gear in the back, and a couple of extra people in the back seat, at a pinch. You could even tow a small jet ski if you really want to give the right impression.
Q3 Sportback does what it says on the box. In such a tightly contested segment, let’s wait and see how it goes.
Q3 Sportback Quattro 40 TFSI
Q3 35 TFSI S tronic 110kW $46,400
Q3 40 TFSI quattro 132kW $53,900
Q3 40 TFSI quattro S line 132kW $59,400
- Engine – 2.0 Turbo Turbo Petrol
- Power – 132 kW and 320 Nm, 0-100 7.8 sec
- Econ -8.3 L/100k
- CO2- 188gm/k
- Weight – 1695kg
Packages
- Style Package $1,900
- Comfort Package $2,600
- Premium Package $2,250
- Premium Package $3,900
Plus
- Adaptive Dampers $1,700
- B&O Audio $900
- Metallic paint 1,250
- Sunroof 2,250
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