2019 Audi Q3

The Audi Q3 is available in five trim levels, starting with the base model Premium and ending with the topmost trim, the Prestige. The prices for the 2019 Audi Q3 starts at $34,700 for the base trim and go up to approximately $43,000 for the top-end Prestige trim. All the trims come with AWD and a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine as standard. The trims are divided into two segments, the one is for the standard Q3 and then there is a performance-oriented Q3 that goes by S Line. 

Other than the base model, all trim levels have the hi-tech features that you would expect from a German automaker. The base trim, Premium, lacks some standard features, but it still comes with a wide range of useful features that fully justify its price. If you look at the top trim line, you will find many advanced technology features like Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, Audi virtual cockpit, and more.

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With such an array of trim options, the Premium Plus trim is only $3,000 more expensive than the base trim but comes with many necessary features such as adaptive cruise control, a powerful stereo & infotainment system, navigation, and many other convenience features that make it a worthy choice. With a starting price of $37,400, the Premium Plus trim is positioned in the middle of the Q3 lineup and offers the best value for the price. So, without a doubt, the Q3 Premium Plus will be our suggestion for those looking to buy the 2019 Audi Q3. 

The 2019 Audi Q3 is powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine as its predecessor but the power and torque figures have been bumped for this year. With 228 horses and 258 lb-ft of torque, this engine provides almost the same performance as most others in its class. The powertrain is coupled to a new 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that works smoothly while cruising. 

The vehicle also comes standard with Audi's Quattro All-Wheel Drive system that delivers power to all four wheels. It provides a superior grip on the road and this year comes with the feature where it can decouple the rear wheel and switch completely to FWD to ensure better fuel economy and power utilization.

The 2019 Audi Q3 has a decent engine with decent power to keep the sub-compact SUV running as it should, but some competitors have better acceleration. Having said that, the 2019 Audi Q3 can sprint from 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds, which is slow comparatively, and it covers a quarter-mile in 16.1 seconds.

Infiniti QX30, despite its underpowered engine, offers superior performance compared to the others. The QX30 comes with a 7-speed DCT and is a lot lighter than the others in the competition. Thus the QX30 managed a blazing fast 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds which is 1.5 seconds quicker than what the Audi Q3 took. The BMW X1 also clocks the same 0-60 mph as the QX30 while the Mercedes-Benz GLA remains slower than the two and scoots from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds. 

Ride and Handling

When it comes to German cars, one thing we can always rely on is their ride and handling capabilities, which have always remained impressive. Similarly, we can expect excellent ride quality from the Q3, which makes for a wonderful SUV to drive. Its steering is very responsive which weighs up well as you pick up speed. The suspension setup of the 2019 Q3 is also well-tuned to give you a smooth pass over potholes or uneven surfaces.

In tricky surfaces and snow-covered areas, Audi's Quattro All-Wheel Drive provides a lot of stability to the vehicle. Nevertheless, the only downside of Q3 in this segment is that the body tends to roll a little when you make sharp turns at high speeds. However, if you want to experience the best in driving dynamics, then you will get the best results with the BMW X1, which in this case is close to perfection.

Braking Performance

Braking is a bit disappointing for the Q3 as you would expect it to perform a bit better. But when you consider the fact that the Q3 is heavier than all the rivals and weighs close to 4,000 lbs we can cut some slack to the Q3 in this section. On the road, in panic braking situations the Q3 doesn't inspire confidence as it took almost 122 feet to brake from 60-0MPH, a distance that puts it way behind rivals like the X1 & QX30. 

Although for this year Audi has worked on the brake pedal feel which was squishy and weak in the previous model year. This year Audi has given a very firm and responsive brake pedal that ensures progressive braking at a gentle dab. Having said that, we still feel Audi has to work more in ensuring the Q3 takes less distance to brake.

The BMW X1 & Infiniti QX30 are way ahead of Audi Q3 in terms of braking performance, even though they don’t have bigger rotors than the Q3, they brake from 60-0 mph in about 112 feet and 106 feet respectively. Compared to its competitors, the Infiniti QX30 has great brakes and the lowest curb weight working to its advantage thus helping it beat all of them. Although GLA’s curb weight is not the heaviest in this segment, it still failed to put up some impressive numbers and took just 2 feet less than what the Q3 took to brake from 60-0 mph. 

As mentioned in the cons of the 2019 Audi Q3, its fuel economy is extremely low for a crossover of this class. It has a decent-sized fuel tank but its sub-par MPG figures prevent it from catching up with its rivals who have a much better driving range. The 2019 Audi Q3 is rated by EPA to return 20 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, 22 mpg of combined gas mileage. Despite sporting a large fuel tank of 15.9-gallon, its driving range falls well behind its rivals. The city range is restricted to around 300 miles and the highway range is capped at approximately 420 miles from a tankful of gas.

The Infiniti QX30 and Mercedes-Benz GLA Class, which have similar figures of 24/33/27 mpg in city/highway/combined respectively, come out on top in this comparison, followed by the BMW X1, which has the biggest fuel tank among all. Thus in this comparison, the Audi Q3 stays at the bottom position. The competition offers better acceleration, and they also provide better fuel economy than the Audi Q3 makes it clear that the higher curb weight is the real culprit for the Q3’s lower fuel economy.

The design layout of the Q3 has been revamped completely courtesy of the platform upgrade. It boasts one of the best interior arrangements that can appeal to anyone with its style, utility, and most importantly, comfort. The dashboard looks sleek and simple, and the materials used in this section look premium and are very soft to the touch. Along with its perforated leather seats, the front seats also feature leather bolstering that adds to its opulence. The chunky steering wheel is wrapped in leather and feels nice to hold. The overall visibility is great thanks to the almost flat dash. Even on the lowest height settings, the bonnet is visible from the driver’s seats making it easy to drive around town and in tight traffic.

In the Premium Plus trim, your seats come with heating functionality to keep you warm when the weather gets chilly. Both front seats come with an 8-way power-adjustable feature as well as lumbar support. Both the front and rear rows of the Q3 are very spacious with plenty of headroom and legroom. However, tall people may have some difficulty adjusting themselves comfortably in the rear seats. With 23.7 cubic feet of cargo space, there is plenty of room to easily store luggage for 5 people, and in addition to that, it can accommodate extra carry-on bags too. The in-cabin storage spaces are very limited, which you should keep in mind since it is a very important aspect.

Although the Q3's front row seems spacious, the QX30 provides the most headroom and legroom for the front row. However, the BMW X1 outpaces all other competitors when it comes to the second row with 37-inches of legroom. Moreover, it offers a whopping 27.1 cu ft of cargo space which is the best in the segment. The BMW X1 seems to have the most balanced cabin and cargo space in the segment.

Standout interior features:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather upholstery
• Heated and power-adjustable front seats
• Panoramic sunroof

How intuitive is the car’s infotainment system?

The infotainment section of Q3 is among the best in the business, but one setback is that the lower trims have very limited access to features that are standard on the higher trims. Moving ahead, the car comes with an Audi MMI interface and an 8.8-inch touchscreen as standard. As standard, it comes with a 10-speaker stereo in the base model, whereas premium speakers can be purchased through various packages. Other infotainment features include Bluetooth hands-free calling, audio streaming, four USB ports, speed-compensated volume control, Apple Carplay, and Android Auto.

As compared to Audi's standards, there are very few features in the infotainment section. The truth, however, is that the most advanced features like navigation, SiriusXM, Audi Connect, wireless charging, 10.1-inch touchscreen, and many other features are available but at a cost of around $1,600 or more with the Convenience Package or can be had individually.

Standout infotainment features:

• 10-speaker stereo system
• 8.8-inch touchscreen display
• Bluetooth hands-free calling
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless device charging

In terms of looks, the 2019 Audi Q3 does not lack anything as it seems attractive on the outside. Despite some of its competitors looking more stylish than Q3. On the front, it features the signature Audi grille with vertical lines. The trapezoidal grille has been the main differentiator for the Audi vehicles just like the BMW’s kidney grille. The side profile and rear are just fine like any other compact SUV in this segment. Although with the redesign, the 2019 Audi Q3 now looks well-proportioned from the side while the earlier Q3 used to look like a jacked-up hatchback with a coupe-like back.

One of the exterior features is the power liftgate which is highly convenient for loading goods. Apart from that, you get HID Xenon headlamps as standard in the vehicle, which can be upgraded to LED headlamps as you move up the trim line. Other exterior features of the Q3 include 19.0-inch wheels, rain-detecting wipers, and heated side mirrors.

With the introduction of a new MQB platform shared from Volkswagen, the 2019 Audi Q3 is a bit longer and wider this year. All the rivals have almost similar wheelbase, including the Q3, which is good. In terms of length, width, and height the Q3 is the longest measuring 176.6-inches, the widest measuring 72.8-inches, and the tallest measuring 62.9-inches. That said, the BMW X1 with 7.2-inches of ground clearance ensures you do not scrape the belly while going over big bumps or bad roads.

Standout exterior features:

• Rear fog lamps
• Power Rear Liftgate
• 19-inch off-road design wheels
• Heated and power-adjustable side mirrors
• LED headlights

Audi's safety record includes a perfect 5-star overall and side crash rating from NHTSA and a 4 out of 5-star rating in the front crash and rollover test. As for the IIHS, it gave the 2019 Audi Q3 ‘Top Safety Pick+’ awards with a rating of good in all its six parameters and a rating of ‘Good’ for top trims, and lowest rating of ‘Poor’ for the base trim’s headlights. The all-new MQB platform on which the Audi Q3 is based has done wonders and ensured the SUV scores brilliantly in all crash tests. All due credit is to the structure and platform that are extremely strong and absorb maximum impacts without filtering much inside the cabin shell.

When it comes to safety and driver-assist features, the 2019 Audi Q3 does come standard with a lot of advanced safety technology, and the number of features increases as the trim line increases. In case you are going for the lower trim then you can take the optional safety packages to get additional safety features for a slight premium over the MSRP.

Standout safety features:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Audi pre sense front
• Audi Side Assist
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Lane-departure warning
• Front and rear parking sensors

2019 Audi Q3 vs 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLA Class 

Although the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class has a higher price, the cabin space is not as great as the Audi Q3. Despite this, for every other segment of this car, we can imagine, the GLA-Class comes out as much better than the Q3. Among the GLA-Class’s strengths are excellent fuel economy, good acceleration, a host of standard features, and smooth handling. Thus, here in this comparison, GLA-Class comes out as an overall better choice when compared to Q3.

2019 Audi Q3 vs 2019 BMW X1

It seems that BMW X1 offers greater advantages over the Audi Q3, but the latter comes with a lower price tag compared to the X1. However, comparing the looks, specs, and overall characteristics of the X1, it comes across as more versatile, refined, and more impressive than the Audi Q3. The BMW X1 is quicker, has better gas mileage, a larger boot, and much higher ground clearance compared to the Audi Q3. As a result, we can safely say that BMW X1 is a true blue subcompact SUV and not a jacked-up crossover.

2019 Audi Q3 vs 2019 Infiniti QX30

When it comes to cargo space, safety standards, and rear legroom, Infiniti QX30 falls far behind the Audi Q3. Apart from that, all aspects such as price, performance (best in its class), and fuel economy of the Infiniti QX30 are much better than Audi Q3. The QX30's lower price tag promises to offer a lot more value for money than the Audi Q3. But those of you who prioritize luxury over anything else will lean towards the Q3 even though it loses out to the QX30 on lots of parameters.

Compared to its price, the 2019 Audi Q3 has decent performance and specs, but all the other competitors have a lot more to offer. Its closest rivals like Infiniti QX30, BMW X1, and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class are much better, except in some cases like safety, where Audi Q3 has the best-in-class features and safety ratings from both NHTSA and IIHS. Therefore, if you are looking for a subcompact SUV at this price range, then the 2019 Audi Q3 is not a bad choice, but you should check out its rivals first before signing above the dotted line.