All-new Audi Q3 Sportback justifies price through German quality

Maderia Brown Polar Matt paintwork works a charm on the Audi Q3 Sportback. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe The all-new Audi Q3 is a key model for Ingolstadt. Not only has the compact SUV been the best-selling Q model since its introduction over two decades ago, but it will also become the new gateway to the Q family after the Q2 is discontinued later this year.

After spending a week in the flagship Audi Q3 Sportback 2.0 TDI S line Black S Tronic, we can – and will – wax lyrical about it as a standalone product. It looks great, drives well and features stylishly applied technology. But these days no car conversation is complete withoutmention of the Chinese.

Or more bluntly put, what the amount of money you are looking to splash, or often much less, can buy you in the price-cut stables of the People’s Republic. While the all-new Audi Q3 line-up starts at a touch over R800 000, the top dog we drove is just north of a bar. And that is without the optional extras, which amounted to an eye-watering R227k.

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Its seven-digit sticker is out of reach for most buyers. And the reality for those who can afford it is that it is still “only” a compact SUV. That is the challenge all carmakers, face in the fight against Chinese brands.

Life is even tougher for the traditional premium brands. Like fellow premium German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Audi is never going to rival the Chinese in terms of pricing. The best thing they can do is to build cars buyers have come to expect from a badge carrying the gravitas of German craftsmanship.

And here the Audi Q3 Sportback excels. While our test car’s attractive exterior styling was complemented by absolutely smashing Maderia Brown Polar Matt paintwork, an optional extra at a whopping R47 400, the new interior is what sets the SUV apart. It combines an ultra-modern design with sleek elegance that creates a space-age feel that almost seems ahead of its time.

While the standard curved display made up of the 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster and the 12.8-inch MMI infotainment system is par for the course at this level, added to the futuristic impression more than anything is the removal of the stalks on the sides of the new steering wheel. The new Audi Q3 features asingle control modulerunning the width of the steering wheel. On the right side of this piano black bar is a gear selector and on the left the indicator and wiper controls.

Different to traditional stalks, the new layout is much more compact with the indicator switch having much less travel than before. Standard spec includes panoramic sunroof, tri-zone climate control, heated sport front seats, imitation leather seats and electronic tailgate. The optional Infotainment and Technology Pro packages brought the likes of a surround-view camera system, head-up display and stunning 12-speaker Sonos sound system. Legroom in the second row is more than enough for adult occupants, while taller passengers will appreciate the two indents in the sloping coupe-styled roofline offering a bit more head room.

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