2015 Audi Q3 facelift India review, test drive

Audi’s smallest SUV was already our pick of the segment, and with this update, it’s even better than before.

Published on Jun 07, 2015 06:08:00 PM

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2015 Audi Q3 facelift India review, test drive

What is it like to drive?

The 2.0-litre diesel engine, called the 35 TDI in this 174bhp guise, remains unchanged, and for now, there’s no word on a petrol option. In fact, the gearbox and the rest of the mechanical set-up, remain the same too, which is no bad thing really. Unsurprisingly then, it’s exactly the same to drive as before, apart from one, very welcome difference. Audi has given the Q3 paddle shifters, and for a lot of owners who drive themselves, this is a great way to occasionally get a bit more out of the fantastic engine-gearbox combination. The motor is smooth, free revving and very punchy, if a little audible inside the cabin. The gearbox is quick to respond too, and then you have to factor in Audi’s Drive Select, which alters the engine, gearbox and steering to fit either Comfort, Sport or Auto modes. As before, the shift from one mode to the next doesn’t dramatically transform the way the car behaves, but you will like the way Sport mode lets it rev to the redline, and how much easier the steering gets in Comfort mode.

Ah, the steering, not a traditional Audi strength when it comes to driver involvement, but its lightness and directness make piloting the Q3 very easy. What is a big strength of the Q3 is its ride. The engineers who worked on the suspension for India and other ‘rough road’ countries have managed to nail a great comfort-handling balance. Okay sure, it will thud hard through sharp bumps, and it is a tall SUV, so you will get some body roll if you go hell for leather in it. But the compromise that’s been arrived at is rather impressive.