Audi Q3 Review | Part Two

This car has a very good ride-handling set-up, achieving good taut cornering manners but at the same time a ride that is firmish but always adequately damped and comfortable. Audi’s engineers have done an excellent job in achieving a high level of ride comfort with well-controlled, sporty handling, especially when you consider that this is a tallish compact SUV with a relatively short wheelbase. Steering feedback isn’t bad for the type of car, either.

The Q3’s SUV elevation and high driving position make it an easy car to see out of, and all-round vision from well-sized windows is pretty good, apart from the encumbrance of rather thick rear pillars. For its overall size it is pretty roomy, including very reasonable headroom and acceptable knee space for back seat passengers. The standard boot size is a decent 460 litres, and it extends to a handily accommodating 1,365 litres when you need a bigger carrying capacity and fold down the rear seats to achieve it. The downside is a high-ish sill level for loading into the back, and a boot floor level that is a bit high with what seems like wasted space underneath, but with the consolation that it gives you somewhere useful to conceal valuables.

You need to have a slightly tall reach to pull down the tailgate, using a large groove hand-hold that at least does conveniently extend across both left and right sides of the inside edge. Comparing it with a key rival, the Q3 has 40 litres more standard boot space than a BMW X1.  With the back seats stowed, the Q3’s load capacity is 15 litres more than an X1, but falls 80 litres short of the seats-down capacity of a five-door Range Rover Evoque.

The Q3 comes with standard aluminium roof rails, auto lights and wipers, a multi-function steering wheel and rear parking sensors.