Cruising in comfort
IMPRESSIVE: BABY AUDI MAY NOT BE A TRUE ‘Q’ CAR, BUT IT’S A GREAT CAR
Quattro drive models have been excluded from the local market.
I’m really not too sure what to make of the Audi Q2. Judging by the Audi marketing payoff, #untaggable, perhaps Audi are not either. Talk about hiding in plain sight, clever.
The first surprise is that there is no quattro drive model for SA, a bit odd for a Q range, but apparently the cost would have been prohibitive. In addition, ground clearance is 150mm, which is not vast. And the spare wheel is a space-saver.
The car is certainly attractive, perhaps instead of Q2, they should have chosen 2cute or 2cool.
The car we drove at launch was the 1.4 TFSI producing 110kW and 250Nm. It comes with cylinder on demand (COD) technology as a fuel saving measure. Combined with the manual six-speed transmission, the COD system deactivates the second and third cylinder at loads up to 100Nm and while coasting when engine speed is between 2 000- and 3 200rpm. If the dual-clutch transmission is installed, cylinder deactivation occurs sooner, between 1 400- and 3 200rpm.
It will be joined in May by the 1.0TFSI. It produces 85kW and 200Nm of torque from a displacement of 999cc. Both a manual and S-tronic transmission is available on this model.
The sole diesel engine on offer is in the form of the 2.0TDI producing 105kW and 350Nm of torque. This engine will only be available in S-tronic transmission.
Additionally, a Sport trim line is available optionally on the 1.0T FSI, while this trim is standard on the 1.4T FSI and 2.0TDI.
While it might not qualify as a real Q car, the Audi Q2 does qualify as an Audi, with the typically upmarket finishes that mark the brand. The ride is excellent and the S-tronic gearbox is superbly smooth.
The luggage compartment can accommodate 405 litres of cargo, and can be increased to 1 050 litres when the rear bench seat back is folded. Options include a power tailgate and a three-way split of the rear bench backrests. The middle segment also serves as a through-loading facility – practical for transporting longer length items.
The highlight of the interior is the Audi Virtual Cockpit, which depicts the most important driving-relevant information in high resolution on a 12.3-inch TFT screen. The driver can switch between two views by pressing the “view” button on the multifunction steering wheel.
In classic mode, the instruments appear as large as the usual analogue displays.
In infotainment mode, a central window predominates and provides more space for the navigation map or shows clearly arranged lists for the phone, radio and audio sectors.
In addition to the fully digital instrument cluster and top infotainment system, a third technology from the full-size class can optionally be implemented – the head-up display. It projects important information onto a glass panel in the driver’s direct field of vision. This info can include navigation data, the vehicle speed and warning messages.
In infotainment, the new Audi Q2 once again sets new standards. The MMI radio plus with the non-retractable monitor is standard equipment. There is a choice of two different MMI Navigation systems: a basic version or an advanced version. Both include Audi connect and Bluetooth streaming, the only difference being the MMI touch pad and the level of radio system.
With Audi connect, many online functions are brought into the car such as Google Earth and Google Street View, point of interest search and the ability to turn the car into a Wi-Fi hotspot for It comes with the 5-year/100 000km A