On X1 hunt
The compact SUV segment is very attractive for premium manufacturers. These cars are very popular in Europe and bring in a lot of money, but this applies to the BMW X1 more recently than to the Audi Q3. That has to change and so Audi is launching the third generation of the Q3.
Highlights
- The last Q3 with combustion engines
- As a plug-in, but not as an EV
- Also available as a Sportback
We also cannot see exactly how much money a car manufacturer makes on one particular model, but you can count on an above-average margin being made on compact premium SUVs such as the Audi Q3. Technically, these types of cars are often related to more compact models – the Q3 to the A3 and therefore also the Volkswagen Golf – but due to the combination of a premium badge and a high SUV body, such a brand can suddenly ask a lot more for it. . With some options, €60,000 or even €70,000 for such a car in the Netherlands is certainly no exception, even if it is a BPM-friendly plug-in hybrid. In that respect, a smaller SUV is in practice often an alternative to a larger sedan or station wagon: you can roughly buy a Mercedes GLA for C-class money, a BMW In the Audi showroom, people may be hesitating between an A4 and a Q3.
They have been doing this since 2011, when the first Q3 came along. This means that Audi arrived later at this party than BMW, but earlier than Mercedes. The second generation of the Q3 appeared in 2018 and so it will soon be the turn of generation three. The fact that this Audi is entering the next generation without a name change is due to the fact that a 3 is an odd number. From now on, Audi reserves these non-divisible numbers for cars with combustion engines, while the even numbers are purely intended for EVs. The SUVs in this class actually set a good example, because in addition to the Q3, Audi has been supplying the more or less equally large Q4 e-tron as an electric alternative for years. That situation will remain intact when the new Q3 arrives. The Q3 will therefore not be an EV (there is and will remain the Q4 for that) and is expected to be the last of its kind before everything at Audi will also be electric.
Audi Q3 (Illustration: Larson)
A little more playful
As far as the design is concerned, we should of course not expect any major shocks – it is an Audi – but some things do change. Audi also joins the growing list of brands that spread the lighting at the front over two layers. The actual headlights are placed lower than the daytime running lights, which visually function as ‘headlights’ due to their position just next to the grille. For the flanks, Audi opts for a more playful design of the window pillars than on the very businesslike current Q3, which looks like a small Q5 in everything. With the new car we expect a window frame that optically separates the roof from the rest of the car and also crosses the thick rear window pillar at the top, before joining the rear window. This also immediately creates a nice canvas for a two-tone bodywork, which will undoubtedly be available as an option. Perhaps Audi hopes to attract some Q2 buyers to the Q3 with this slightly less elegant design, because the compact Q2 will soon disappear and is not expected to have a successor. As a kind of second alternative, a completely new SUV is also coming within the Volkswagen Group: the Cupra Terramar. It is not only comparable in size to the new Q3, but may also share the necessary visible parts with it.
Sports back
The rear light section of the new Q3 consists of the light bar, which is almost mandatory, especially for an Audi, but with a twist. This beam not only has thicker parts on both sides, as with the (Q8) E-tron, but also has large extensions at the bottom. Anyone who finds the shape presented here too practical can of course also opt for a Sportback variant. Whether the striking RS Q3 also has a future remains to be seen. In this segment, a lightning-fast top version is not self-evident (Mercedes does it too) and the 2.5-liter five-cylinder from the current and previous RS Q3 has already lasted a surprisingly long time. Audi has of course opted for a high degree of electrification for the regular versions, in the form of plug-in hybrid petrol engines and one or more plug-in hybrids. Compared to the current generation, they will have some additional electric range, because developments are moving quickly in this part of the market. We expect the new Audi Q3 to be unveiled in 2024. No, not necessarily in Q3, although that would of course be appropriate.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl