Audi Q3 Sportback Coupé SUV joins eet
We’re nding out how well Audi’s smallest coupé SUV balances head-turning looks with practicality
MANY MOONS AGO, I had an eccentric art history lecturer who used to try to instil in me the values of the Bauhaus Design School. The term ‘form follows function’ was one of its maxims and has remained lodged in my head ever since. But while I chose an Audi Q3 Sportback because it is, in my opinion, one of the best-looking SUVS on sale today, it’s only over the next few months that I’ll find out whether its beauty backs up – or comes at the expense of – its functionality.
The Sportback is the coupé-styled version of Audi’s regular Q3 family SUV, with a more sloping roof that eats into rear head room slightly, although boot space is apparently unaffected. In the metal, it certainly isn’t a car for the shy and retiring, especially in the
BMW X4 45 TFSI quattro S line S tronic
Turbo Blue colour I’ve gone for. And I can’t imagine I’ll get tired of looking at the Q3 on my drive; there are just so many lovely details, including bulges over the rear wheel arches that remind me of the 1980s Audi Quattro.
RIVALS There are more practical SUVS, but few are as enjoyable to drive as the X4.
I usually choose diesel power, but given all the negative press it’s attracting at the moment, I’ve decided to see if a petrol engine can fit into my high-mileage life; specifically, I’ve gone for the 227bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol (or 45 TFSI in Audi speak).
On top of mid-range S line trim, I’ve added quite a few options, including adaptive suspension (£750), which is well worth the money, because it delivers a more forgiving ride than the regular setup, which I’ve also tried. While Dynamic mode feels rigid enough to pummel bumps into submission, Comfort does a great job of smoothing out the majority of potholes and undulations.
However, I’m less impressed with the socalled panoramic glass roof (£1150), which most people would just regard as a sunroof, because its glass area doesn’t stretch very far back at all.
Meanwhile, the optional Matrix LED headlights are fantastic and feel like good value at £675. In fact, they’re so powerful that I’m finding driving on unlit roads almost as easy as driving during the day.
I also love my music, and by adding the £1195 Comfort & Sound Pack, I’ve ended up with a punchy 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen system.
88 May 2020
As a bonus, this last option also brings a rearview camera and heated front seats, two things I always ensure are ticked when ordering a car. The camera certainly helps with manoeuvring, especially in conjunction with the system that alerts you if there’s a car about to pass behind you when you’re reversing out of a space and applies the brakes if you don’t respond.
Sadly, like all the latest Audis, the Q3 Sportback swaps physical infotainment controls for, you guessed it, a touchscreen. Yes, this is pretty responsive and the graphics are richly detailed, but I still preferred the old setup, which didn’t require you to take your eyes off the road for as long.
At least you still get conventional air-con controls, instead of the second touchscreen found in bigger Audis. And these metal rotary knobs are wonderfully tactile.
It should be an interesting few months as I get to know the Q3 Sportback. Hopefully it will stand the test of time, like one of Mies van der Rohe’s stunning Barcelona chairs – a design that was inspired by Bauhaus principles but was just as unashamedly tilted towards an upmarket audience.
LOGBOOK Audi Q3 Sportback
45 TFSI quattro S line S tronic
Mileage 1628
List price £40,875
Target Price £39,696
Price as tested £50,665
Options Comfort & Sound Pack (£1195), panoramic glass sunroof (£1150), 19in seven-spoke rotor alloy wheels (£975), Drivers Assistance Pack (£800), adaptive suspension (£750), electric front seats (£675), Matrix LED headlights (£675), Turbo Blue paint (£575), Park Assist (£450), Advanced Key (£400), front sports seats with Alcantara (£400), steel grey Alcantara interior (£375), adjustable lumbar support (£255), full body-colour paint nish (£250), Virtual Cockpit Plus (£250), Storage Pack (£210), towbar preparation (£155), Audi Phonebox (£150), Extended Ambient Lighting (£100)
Test economy 25.9mpg
Of cial economy 32.1mpg (combined)