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Audi Q3 On Sale In Australia

2012 AUDI Q3 IN AUSTRALIA

Audi's brand-new entrant in the compact SUV game, the 2012 Q3, is now on sale in Australia. The svelte SUV arrives in showrooms this week, following its global unveiling almost exactly one year ago.

The market

Drive Team

19:3229 March 2012

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Audi Q3 On Sale In Australia

2012 AUDI Q3 IN AUSTRALIA

Audi's brand-new entrant in the compact SUV game, the 2012 Q3, is now on sale in Australia. The svelte SUV arrives in showrooms this week, following its global unveiling almost exactly one year ago.

The market debut of the Q3 gives Audi Australia a three model line-up in its SUV range, with this new high-riding hatch slotting in beneath the midsized Q5 and the gargantuan Q7.

The Q3 continues Audi's now-familiar styling language, from the sharp-angled headlights and tail-lights with unique LED treatments, through to the broad one-piece grille, prominent foglight surrounds and soft character lines of its profile.

Squaring off against BMW's X1, the four-engine Q3 range kicks off at $44,800 for the 2.0 TDI diesel, topping out at the $56,000 for the 2.0 TFSI. (Both prices exclude on-road costs).

Mechanical Package

The Q3 shares much of its technology with the Volkswagen Tiguan, from its underpinnings to its engines and transmissions.

The engine family is made up of four 2.0 litre, four-cylinder turbocharged options: two diesel and two petrol.

Diesel

The range starts with Audi's 2.0 litre TDI diesel engine, offered in two states of tune. The first delivers 103kW and 320Nm of torque, the latter available between 1750 and 2500rpm.

Mated to a six-speed manual transmission and with a front-wheel-drive configuration, the 2.0 TDI promises fuel consumption figures of 5.2 l/100km, and a 0-100km/h time of 9.9 seconds.

The second version of the engine produces 130kW and 380Nm of torque, again between 1750 and 2500rpm.

Mated to Audi's seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission and with the familiar quattro all-wheel-drive arrangement, fuel consumption is listed at 5.9 l/100km. The 0-100km/h sprint is a considerably quicker 8.2 seconds.

Petrol

As with the diesel range, the petrol models are represented by two versions of one 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

The petrol pair opens with 125kW and 280Nm of torque, the latter available between 1700 and 4200rpm.

Paired with a six-speed manual transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive, the entry petrol option lists fuel consumption figures of 7.3 l/100km, and a 0-100km/h time of 8.2 seconds.

Moving up to the range-topping model, power is provided by the same 2.0 litre engine that drives the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the range-topping model in the Tiguan range, delivering 155kW and 300Nm of torque.

Matched as standard to the seven-speed S tronic auto and quattro all-wheel-drive, fuel consumption is listed at 7.7 l/100km, with a 0-100km/h time of 6.9 seconds. This engine can also be optioned with a six-speed manual.

Later, Audi's five-cylinder 2.5 litre turbo petrol engine will join the range, delivering 250kW as the new flagship in the Q3 family.

At 4380mm long, 1830mm wide and 1600mm tall (including the roof rails), the Q3 is around 240mm shorter than the Q5, and about 50mm narrower. It also sits about 55mm closer to the ground.

Depending on the spec, the Q3 is also 200kg lighter than the Q5; those weight savings come not only from being smaller, but also through the use of an aluminium bonnet and tailgate.

The Q3's suspension package includes McPherson struts at the front and a four-link arrangement at the rear.

Depending on the variant, the Q3 has a maximum towing capacity of 2000kg, and a maximum roof load of 75kg.

Features

As with all luxury cars, the Q3 comes with a long list of features and options, including Audi's assisted parking system, Bluetooth audio streaming and handsfree calling, iPod connectivity, dual-zone climate control, a driver information system, multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel, among others.

Optional features include adaptive lights for the xenon plus headlights, high-beam assist, panoramic glass roof, LED interior lighting and power-adjustable front seats.

Depending on the spec and options, there's a number of infotainment modules for the Q3, topping out with the "MMI navigation plus," offering a 7.0 inch colour display with 3D graphics and a 14-speaker Bose surround sound system.

A 6.5 inch screen is otherwise fitted as standard.

The Q3 is equipped with two front airbags, thorax-pelvis side airbags in the back of the front seats, and curtain head airbags. An ESP system is also featured, with a rollover prevention function, and hill-hold assist is also standard.

An ANCAP crash safety test has yet to be carried out, but the Q3 carries a 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating, which shares largely identical testing criteria to that used locally.

Rear storage is listed at 460 litres if the back seats are upright, growing to 1365 litres with the 60:40 split-folding seats laid flat.