In addition to the sharper lines, the Audi has a new Singleframe grille featuring chrome slats emphasizing the vehicle’s width. LED headlights with high beam assist are now standard along with LED taillights. High beam assist automatically dims the high beams when traffic approaches.
The Q3 has a larger interior, offering more headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in both rows, and more cargo room behind the first and second rows. It comes with a sliding and reclining second row that also folds flat for more storage. An adjustable cargo floor allows the driver to choose between a larger underfloor storage or more vertical space.
Available in the Q3 S line, the Sport interior package contrast-stitched sport seats, steering wheel mounted shift paddles, a Brushed Aluminum matte inlay, and available orange Alcantara trim on the dash and door armrests. A panoramic sunroof and heated leather-seating surfaces are both standard across the board. Rain-sensing wipers are also included.
A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is standard. A 12.3-inch gauge screen is optional. The standard infotainment screen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, measures 8.8 inches. The upgraded screen is 10.1 inches. Four USB ports, including A and C are located throughout the cabin.
The Q3 only offers one engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivering 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It gets to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 7 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard with all-wheel drive.
Standard wheels are 18 inches on the Q3. The Q3 S Line comes with 19-inch wheels with 20-inch wheels optional. The S line can be ordered with all-season or summer tires.
2022 Audi Q3 S line quattro
For 2022 the Audi Q3 comes with the next generation of infotainment with the MIB 3 system. Audi side assist with rear cross traffic and Audi parking system plus are now standard equipment. An available Convenience package offers 8-way power front seats with memory for the driver’s seat, auto-dimming power folding mirrors with memory, and a Homelink garage door opener. A birds-eye-view camera makes it easier to park.
In practice, Apple CarPlay kicked off and on a few times, but the screen looks great and is very integrated into the dash. For some automakers it looks like an afterthought, with a screen just connected to a convenient spot on the dashboard. Volume, climate and fan speed all have easy-to-reach dials for adjustment.
The seats are stiffer than average, and a little tight for a wider-framed driver, but the adjustments make it easy to find a comfortable driving position. The 2022 Q3 is a compact SUV so it does feel crowded with two kids in car seats in the back.
On the road, the Q3 has Normal, Sport and Comfort settings, affecting the throttle, transmission, steering and suspension. Audi has one of the biggest spreads in those modes with Sport being extremely high strung with high rpm gear changes while comfort smooths out almost everything midwestern roads have to offer.
It has a new Off-Road mode as well. It adjusts the traction control and perches the Q3 as high as it can go on its suspension. Even at normal height the Q3, with its quattro all-wheel drive is sturdy on back roads. With the new setting it only needs mud tires to be a decent off-road machine.
The 2.0-liter has plenty of punch from a standstill, and getting onto the expressway. Under passing maneuvers, it downshifts several gears for maximum acceleration. The brakes are a little squishier than expected, but always provided confident stops.
As for safety features, Audi pre sense emergency braking and rain-sensing wipers are standard. Audi side assist with rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, parking sensors, a top view camera and parking assistance are all optional.
The 2022 Audi Q3 starts at $36,400 and competes with the Acura RDX ($38,400), BMW X1 ($35,400) and Volvo XC40 ($36,350), among others. The Acura RDX is probably the most handsome. It and the BMW X1 are the most fun to drive. The Buick Encore GX also fits the category, size-wise, and comes in much less expensive at $24,200. Almost all get more than 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
The Audi Q3 is sort of a jack-of-all-trades vehicle. It has a medium amount of space, is quick enough to not be annoying, and has sharp enough looks to tell the neighborhood that you can afford German luxury. It may be one of the least expensive ways to get German luxury, but it works just the same.
