Audi Q3 grows up

STRIKING: NEW MODEL LOOKS MUCH SPORTIER THAN ITS PREDECESSOR

Infotainment system offers same technical functions as in higher segments. Mark Jones

When you have travelled out of South Africa to just about every corner on the planet, not just once, but a few times over, you would kinda think you know everything there is to know about international travel. And if you don’t know the exact law, you would think that sometime over the course of your hundreds of trips, you would have found out most of what there is to know, the easy way or the hard way.

And you would think that if you do something without censure, or something is allowed over and over, it is pretty much accepted that what you are doing is okay and all is well with life. Well, clearly, I didn’t get every memo on aviation law.

I was invited to Balzano in Italy last week to drive the new Audi Q3. It was a quick in-and-out trip, I had a valid Schengen visa, I checked in online via my app, like always, and proceeded to passport control with my electronic boarding pass safely tucked into my phone wallet, like I have done several times this year already.

Only to be stopped for the first time since starting in this business many years ago by a rather grumpy lady who insisted I did not have two, completely clean, not a single stamp on them, visa pages in my passport. She was right, I didn’t, and I tried to explain that if she looked at the stamps going and coming back to our country, I have travelled like this plenty times, and there was some space in around the other stamps in my passport to put her stamp, and anybody else to put their stamp in there too when I got into Europe.

She was having none of it. I got sent to the person she said was the big boss of customs. He wasn’t having any of it either. He referred me to the airline and said if they agree that I could go, he would allow me through, as it was his department that had allowed me to leave the country “illegally” so many times before.

And that is exactly where my trip ended, the lady there cared least of the lot. She simply said the airline gets the blame and

the fine if I am turned back in Europe for a passport violation. I begged, I pleaded, I explained and pleaded some more. She simply deplaned me and told me to go home. Conversation and trip over.

Before you roll your eyes like you know everything and say the law is law and that ignorance is no excuse, I honestly didn’t know you had to have two completely clean pages in a well-used passport with an existing visa, a new visa, yes. And I really felt that they have and had been letting me out and in like this forever – and that the open space next many of the other stamps in my passport would have been more than acceptable to put a stamp on that can be seen by anybody.

You know how they say everything happens for a reason? Well I truly believe this is only said to stop you from going stark raving mad and doing very dumb things to somebody when something stupid happens, something that messes up your day, week, month, year or whatever.

But as our publication was invited with good intention and the invite was accepted with equally good intention, we have decided to still bring you the news on the strikingly good-looking, new Audi Q3.

It is a family SUV with great all-round talents. In its second generation, it appears not only visually more self-confident, but

also roomier and more versatile. Just like the Audi top-of-the-line models, it features a digital operating and display concept, extensive infotainment solutions and innovative assist systems. These are said to ensure additional comfort, as does the enhanced suspension.

The SUV looks much sportier than its predecessor. Thanks to the striking Singleframe in octagon design, which is divided up by vertical bars, along with the large air inlets. They characterise the front-end with its intensive play of light and shadow. The narrow headlights run inwards with their wedge shape.

Audi supplies them in three versions through to Matrix LED technology whose adaptive high beam intelligently illuminates the road. The side view epitomises the balance of the exterior design with the symmetrical lighting graphics of the headlights and rear lights. The shoulder line connects them from a styling perspective and provides an athletic overall impression with strong muscles over the wheel arches.

The contours draw their inspiration from Audi’s quattro DNA and make the SUV seem even wider; the colour-contrasting wheel arch trims emphasise the off-road look. Supported by a long roof edge spoiler, which also flanks the rear window, the steeply raked D pillars of the bodyline also create an appearance of forward thrust.

The interior continues the design of the exterior and echoes in many ways the brand’s full-size models. The architecture harmonises perfectly with the new operating concept. Its central element is the MMI touch display with its high-gloss black glasslook surround. Together with the air conditioning controls underneath, it is tilted 100 toward the driver. All displays, buttons and controls are located ergonomically. The seats are said to be comfortable and provide a sporty position; the steering wheel is steeply angled accordingly.

Compared with its predecessor, the new Audi Q3 has grown in virtually all dimensions. It is 4 485mm long, 1 849mm wide and 1 585mm high. Its wheelbase, which has been stretched by 77mm, is spacious yet at the same time extremely versatile. As standard, the rear seats can be moved fore/aft by 150mm. Their three-way split backrests in the ratio 40:20:40 can be tilted in seven stages.

Depending on the position of the rear seats and backrests, the luggage compartment capacity is between 530 and 1525 litres. The loading floor can be adjusted in up to three levels and the parcel shelf can be stowed underneath the floor if not needed. An electric tailgate, which can also be opened and closed with a kicking motion, is available as an option.

The operating and display concept of the SUV has been overhauled from the ground up – Audi has done away with the analog instruments. Even the standard specification includes a digital instrument cluster with a 10.25inch screen diagonal, which the driver operates using the multifunction steering wheel.

With the top-of-the-line equipment MMI navigation plus, the displays appear in the Audi virtual cockpit, which offers many additional functions. There is also a 10.1-inch touch display in the middle of the dashboard. As an option, the driver can choose the larger Audi virtual cockpit plus with three different views, including a new, particularly sporty display.

The intuitive operating concept with its flat menu structure is supplemented by natural-language voice control. It also understands freely structured wording. The ingenious dialogue manager asks questions if necessary, allows corrections, offers choices and defers to the speaker when interrupted.

The top-of-the-line infotainment system in the Audi Q3 offers the same technical functions as in the higher segments. Its data transfer module supports the LTE Advanced standard with integrated Wi-Fi hotspot for the passengers’ mobile devices.

Off-road, the permanent allwheel drive is said to deliver excellent driving pleasure with optimum traction and unshakable stability. Activated at the push of a button,

the optional hill descent control will maintain the pre-set speed on a steep downhill gradient.

The driver can vary the characteristics of the Audi Q3, depending on the driving situation, road conditions or personal needs using the Audi drive select dynamic handling system with six profiles – from markedly comfortable, highly efficient through to out-and-out sporty. The system also influences the optional suspension with damper control, in which sensors measure movements of the vehicle body.

The dampers are then adjusted accordingly to the road surface conditions and driving situation. This results in enhanced driving dynamics with even more comfort. Alternatively, there is the sport suspension – standard with the S line equipment – with tauter spring/damper tuning and progressive steering. Its ratio becomes increasingly direct with increasing steering angle, adding substantially to the claimed agile road performance and light-footed handling of the new Q3.

It was launched with four engine versions, three petrol and one diesel unit in combination with front-wheel or quattro drive. Their power outputs range from 110kW to 169kW. All engines are four-cylinder direct injection units with turbocharging. They are powerful, refined and efficient, as always. A sixspeed manual transmission or a fast-shifting seven-speed S tronic is used to transmit the power, but the word is that we will only get the S tronic options locally.

We can expect the arrival of the new Q3 in the second quarter of 2019. The model line-up is still to be confirmed, but Audi SA is looking at introducing an entry model 1.4 TFSI 110kW engine with a possible 2.0 TFSI 132kW and 2.0 TDI 110 kW engine as well.