Audi Q3 Sportback

The Audi Q3 Sportback is based on the regular Q3. However, this has a coupe-SUV design which means the roof slopes down towards the rear of the SUV. This gives it a sportier stance as compared to the regular Q3. Likwise, bumpers at both the ends at different and dare we say, angerier as well. The Q3 Sportback gets a different set of alloy wheels but in our opinion these could have been designed in a jazzier fashion. Another differentiating element over the regular Q3 includes the grille design- this gets a honeycomb pattern as compared to slatted pattern on the regular Q3. The Q3 Sportback is sold in the S-Line trim and this badge is visible on both sides of the SUV. In terms of dimensions, it is 36mm longer, 6mm narrower and 49mm shorter than the regular Q3. Customers can pick from five different shades. These include Turbo Blue, Glacier White, Chronos Grey, Mythos Black and Navarra Blue. 

The interior layout of the Q3 Sportback is identical to that of the regular Q3 and this isn’t a bad thing. The cabin looks modern and up there with other 50 lakh rupee offerings. The central console is slightly tilted towards the driver and fit / finish is nice. No flat bottom steering here but as is the norm these days, you get two high resolution screens. Both work flawlessly and you can custom change these as per your needs. The upper part of the dash however is too plasticy and hard. Seats in the Q3 are very supportive, as we found out during a non-stop 5 hour drive stint. The cabin is reasonably airy and spacious for four adults and a small kid. The lack of seat ventilation however can be a turn off for some. On either sides of the back seat, there is a clever little pocket for your mobile or a wallet. The boot retains the same space and is good enough for large suitcases. 

At over Rs 50 lakh, you would expect a vehicle to come feature loaded. However the Q3 Sportback (slightly) disappoints in this regard. While the front seats are powered and comfortable they lack both ventilation and memory function. Likewise, there is no wireless connectivity for Android Auto or CarPlay. At the back, there is not a single charging outlet for your smartphones. Even the sunroof is of the regular size and isn’t panoramic. That said, standard features like handsfree tail-gate access, dual zone climate control, wireless charging, 10-speaker sound system etc do keep you happy and satisfied. 

The Q3 Sportback uses the tried and tested 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine we see in ample other Audi models. At 190 bhp of power and 320 Nm of torque, figures on paper are pretty good. In reality too, the Q3 Sportback sprints from standstill to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds. What makes this engine such a gem is its behaviour. At city speeds, it goes about doing duties in an able manner. The 7 speed DCT is quick but I did found it confused more than a couple of times during the time the SUV was with us. Hit open roads and the same ‘relaxed’ motor gains enthusiasm and moves ahead rapidly. Hitting the 200km/h mark (we don’t advocate speeding) is rather easy too. At the same time, thanks to the tall gearing, cruising at 95-100km/h will register over 16 kmpl on the display. Not bad, eh? You can also take charge over the shifts via paddle shifters and then, there are multiple driving modes of comfort, efficiency, dynamic et al. In the efficiency mode, the Q3 Sportback cleverly displays an “efficiency tip” to close the windows incase the A/C is ON. 

The Audi Q3 Sportback looks sporty but comes across as a neutral handling SUV. The compromise between ride & handling is near perfect which means this SUV will suit a lot of buyers. The ride is comfortable enough on most surfaces but crashing into sharper potholes does throw you around a bit. That said, at highway speeds the Q3 Sportback feels well planted and the same is true around curves. For most drivers, this SUV will turn out to be a sweet handler. However, push her hard and the tyres start giving up easily. The saving grace here is the AWD Quattro set-up : the confidence you get from this function is immense. Back on city roads, the light steering turns out to be a boon! This along with an easy shifting DSG ‘box does make the Q3 Sportback an effortless SUV to drive.