Audi lately unveiled a brand new Q3 for 2026 however don’t cross out the present 2025 mannequin out of your buying checklist simply but. Whereas its design and powertrain have been round for nearly seven years – a lifetime within the automotive trade – it has aged properly and is backed up by an ergonomically designed inside, premium supplies, and one of many lowest MSRPs within the ultra-competitive area of compact luxurious SUVs.
A lot of its attraction comes right down to the inside. It’s a correct throwback to user-friendly interfaces and easy performance. When you’ve got grown to despise the overreliance on digital screens, and like knobs and switches over the haptic contact sensors in Lexus and Mercedes, then this Audi will make you are feeling proper at house. Its format simply is sensible. As a substitute of a devoted button to sync the cabin zone temps, merely maintain the Auto button and it’ll sync it for you. Its twin function reduces muddle and pointless buttons, and we’re undecided why different producers don’t comply with swimsuit. Even the temperature goes up in intervals of 0.5 for fine-tuning, whereas others follow complete numbers. And in case you’re the kind of one that appreciates a devoted seat hotter button in 2025, this automobile is for you.
Photos don’t do the Q3 any justice. The cabin seems darkish, spartan, and devoid of color with too many black plastics mucking about however up shut in individual, the switchgear feels top-shelf, and embarrasses a budget window switches discovered within the triple-the-price BMW G90 M5. The supplies are matched with a solidity and sturdiness that outlined the final era of Audi and Volkswagen merchandise, and is the sort we take pleasure in utilizing essentially the most. The buttons register with a satisfying click on, the dials are knurled for higher grip, and there’s an precise gear lever with a push-start button conveniently situated proper above it, so you possibly can push it proper after you fit it into Park.
The skinny-rimmed steering wheel is nice to carry, particularly popping out of the overly thick wheels in BMWs and MINIs. Devoid of paddle shifters, the rim isn’t spherical however flat on the sides, making it straightforward to grip and attain the built-in buttons. We haven’t pushed a brand new Audi for a number of months however each time we do, we recall how a lot we take pleasure in utilizing the Digital Cockpit. With a low studying curve, crisp graphics, and lag-free responses, it’s certainly one of our favoured programs. It’s additionally the primary time we’ve seen a SONOS sound system in a automobile. Out there on the top-trim Technik mannequin, it produces high-fidelity notes with respectable encompass sound and bass. We’d put it a peg above the rivalling Bose and Harmon Kardon programs. However when was the final time you’ve seen a 2025 car that comes with a flip key – it’s one of many solely components of the Q3 that ages it again to the final decade. That, and the dearth of an auto brake-hold perform.
The Q3 is a major step-up in high quality and facilities over your fundamental Corolla or Civic, considerably justifying the doorway charge. The Q3 begins at $42,500 with the bottom 40 TFSI engine, however comes with beneficiant normal options, together with an influence tailgate, heated steering wheel and entrance seats, leather-based seating surfaces with 4-way driver’s lumbar assist, a panoramic sunroof, and 18-inch wheels. You will want to improve to the Progressiv ($47,600) or our check car’s Technik ($51,700) to get the newest cabin tech just like the 12.3″ Audi digital cockpit or SONOS sound system. Of observe, the costs on the Audi Canada on-line configurator have already included auxiliary charges corresponding to Freight, PDI, and Air Conditioner Excise Tax. Its comparatively low beginning value provides it a bonus. The BMW X1 has an MSRP of $48,300, whereas the MINI Countryman S begins at $45,990, the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 at $51,500, and the Volvo XC40 at $46,900.
The Q3 is a nice companion on the street too. Outfitted with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the uprated 45 TFSI trim produces 228 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque, sufficient to dash from 0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds. The engine is attentive to pedal enter with proportional acceleration that makes you are feeling assured and related to the car. The steering is gentle however numb and overboosted, nevertheless it’s straightforward to get used to and makes the automobile really feel agile round corners.
By design, the journey is tuned to be extra comfy than the sport-focused BMW X1 and MINI Countryman, and we discovered it extra cushioning and absorbent over tough roads than even the GLA 250. Whereas which means the Q3 does really feel indifferent from the street, it features compliance in return, demonstrating rock-solid stability even when barreling down at freeway speeds. There’s a average quantity of physique roll however we desire that because it lets us understand how a lot mechanical grip is on the market.
The Audi Q3 could also be within the closing levels of its prolonged tenure nevertheless it continues to be a viable and enticing possibility for individuals who prioritize high quality, ergonomics, and consumer performance. The Q3 hardly reveals its age with easy driver interactions, premium touchpoints, and a coddling journey that makes it an amiable each day driver, and one which values ergonomics and luxury, automotive elements that appear to have gone astray lately.
Specs:
Mannequin: 2025 Audi Q3 Technik 45 TFSI quattro
Paint Kind: Glacier White
Base Value: $51,700
Value as Examined: $54,290
Powertrain: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Horsepower: 228 hp
Torque: 251 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automated
Engine & Drive Configuration: Entrance engine, AWD
Noticed Gasoline Financial system (L/100km): 10.0
Tires: 255/40R20; Bridgestone Potenza
