Audi Q3 Sportback long term review, 21,800km report

Right-sized premium. That’s how I’d describe the Audi Q3, and for me, this is a brilliant formula for a city like Mumbai. You want a car that’s manageable through the narrow and crowded streets but also something that isolates you from the chaos in a nice premium ambience, and that’s what the Q3 does well. 

Despite the sloping roofline, the Q3 Sportback can take in large cargo easily.

The dimensions are just right, placing it between the Creta and Hector; the steering is light and easy, and the ride is comfortable. Perfect, then, for chaotic city streets with surfaces in various states of (dis)repair. And then there’s the insides, which I really like a lot. Some will find the interior lacking flash and dazzle, but I really like these straightforward, sensible and quality interiors. This may be the baby of the Q range in India, but there’s no skimping on quality. The insides are very well made with high-quality bits, and the switches and controls operate with a nice heft. But what I really like about the insides is that everything is so logical, and that, surprisingly, is a hard thing to find these days. 

The centre console is so logically designed. Oddly, that’s a rarity these days.

There’s the option of traditional dials on the digital IP, and the design is clear and easily legible. And then there’s the centre console, which has everything so well laid out. I think I posted on Instagram some time ago about this being the perfect centre console. The touchscreen is neatly integrated into the dash and very easy to reach with a natural drop-down of your hand from the steering wheel. Below that is an HVAC button bank; physical controls are always welcome, and these fall easily to hand as well. And the dials operate with a click, which is easily felt and audible, too.

The leather/leatherette combo has no perforation, and the seats aren’t ventilated.

Below that is the media controller, placed closer to the passenger; the driver, after all, has steering controls. Below that is another button bank for the drive-mode selection – again, far better than touch controls – and the buttons are large and easy to hit while on the move. USB ports are easy to access and right next to the phone storage cubby, which is deep enough for larger phones and has a recess to keep the phone in place. So yes, oddly specific as this may seem, the Q3 centre console is really well-designed – not something you can take for granted these days.  

HVAC knobs feel great and operate with a quality feeling and sounding click.

The seats are comfortable and supportive, though I would have liked them to be cooled, and the material isn’t perforated either; so you can get sweaty on a hot day. The rear is a comfy place to be, but my son, who is now taller than me, does find the headroom tight; that’s the trade-off you make with the Sportback. 

It misses out on a 360-degree camera, and the rear view camera isn’t very sharp.

Speaking of the Sportback, I had to transport a large wheelchair recently, which, in our long-term Creta, pretty much filled the boot. While Audi says the internal volume of the Sportback and the SUV-body-style Q3 is identical at 530 litres, I thought the tapering roofline might pose a problem for the large box. But it fit very easily inside the boot. So, the boot does take in a lot, and this is with a space-saver spare below. I’ve got a trip to Goa coming up soon, and as I write this, I’m beginning to think that the Q3 would make a good car for it. The 190hp, 2.0-litre TFSI engine is a delight. Sure, handling isn’t sharp; it’s more neutral, but that’s fine. With my daughter quite prone to motion sickness, I hardly carve up the corners, and even if I do indulge in some spirited driving, I think the Q3 will have tidy body control and thus reduce the chances of motion sickness. If I do end up taking this to Goa, I will include it in the next report.