India-bound Audi Q2 SUV debuts at Geneva

The all-new Audi Q2 has made its world debut at the Geneva motor show.  The rugged looking crossover weighs just 1205kg. It comes with a choice of six drivetrains and optional quattro four-wheel drive. Audi says the new model has been built to cater for the demands of young, urban drivers, and hopes it will draw new buyers to the brand. As such, it gets a distinctive exterior that introduces several new design traits.

At the front there’s a new single-frame grille with polygon details, and the headlights are slightly more squared off than those of recent Audi models. Further back there’s an R8-style blade on the C-pillar, and the taillights premiere a new design with Audi’s latest swooping indicators. The car’s overall shape is distinctive in Audi’s line-up, largely due to its taut proportions, but also thanks to a hunched shoulder-line that features a unique sliced section. Designers say this polygon slice helps to give the jacked-up model a squatter stance, aided by a slim glasshouse that mimics the silhouette of a lower car.

Function follows form because the new Q2 benefits from a raft of practicality-boosting features. Audi claims that the car’s crossover roofline means interior headroom is more generous than an A3’s, and clever packaging enables the boot to swallow 405 litres of luggage. Optional 40:20:40 folding rear seats increase flexibility for storage, while also enabling that maximum volume to grow to 1050 litres. Designers have deliberately given the bootlid a wide opening for easy access, and the tailgate can be powered.

The car comes as a five-door, five-seater only, with front-wheel-drive the default set-up. At launch, three TFSI and three TDI engines are offered, ranging from 1.0 to 2.0-litre capacities. The entry 1.0-litre three-cylinder TFSI produces a peak output of 114bhp in the Q2. Above this, Audi’s 1.4-litre TFSI comes with cylinder-on-demand technology, while the most potent petrol is a 2.0-litre TFSI that produces 187bhp. The diesel range starts with a 114bhp 1.6-litre TDI, that’s joined by a 2.0-litre TDI in two states of tune – 148bhp and 187bhp. As standard, the new car comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, but an S tronic dual-clutch ’box is offered as an option. 2.0-litre petrol and diesel models come exclusively with this transmission, which Audi says uses a new type of low-friction oil supply.

Drive is sent to the front wheels but buyers can opt for quattro four-wheel-drive, which comes as standard with the range-topping 2.0-litre engines. The system uses Haldex-clutch technology to enable torque vectoring and decoupling. Audi is offering the Q2 with its variable damper technology, helping to broaden the car’s breadth of on-road abilities. Sports suspension that lowers ride height by 10mm is available, while variable-ratio steering comes as standard.

The Q2 can be cycled through four drive modes: Auto, Comfort, Dynamic and Efficiency. Cars equipped with Audi’s latest MMI infotainment system have an additional Individual mode that allows drivers to customise settings to their preferences. Audi says the Q2 can venture off road. When the ESC is set to off-road mode, the car’s drivetrain adjusts to work in slippery conditions and ground clearance is increased to 200mm. Nevertheless, the fitment of Pirelli P Zero road tyres confirms the car’s true purpose.

A long list of safety and driver-assistance features are fitted to the Q2, many of which are previously unseen in this compact class. Heading the list is a pedestrian and collision-prevention automatic-braking function, with traffic jam assist and adaptive cruise control making use of the same hardware. Additionally, the Q2 gets camera-based active lane assist and traffic sign-recognition technology, with park assist systems also available.

Inside, Audi’s optional virtual cockpit and head-up display will allow drivers to customise displays to show things such as satellite-navigation and media information. Additionally, cars equipped with MMI infotainment will be able to stream online media and connect with smartphones via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The overall fit and finish of the cabin is more comparable with models in higher classes. Audi says it is marketing the Q2 as a compact premium car with soft-touch plastics, leather trim and contrasting stitching all included.

Audi is currently planning an India launch for the Q2. The India-spec Q2 will come with the 2.0-litre EA288 diesel engine which does duty in many VW-group products here.  The German luxury carmaker is aiming at high level of localization for the Q2 and also for the 2.0-litre EA288 engine in order to achieve affordable pricing.