Audi Q3 facelift revealed

Audi has revealed the Q3 facelift. The luxury small SUV from the German brand has been one of its most successful models. The Q3 facelift gets some cosmetic and technical tweaks, and some equipment additions. It is scheduled to make its global debut in February next year.

Externally, the Q3 facelift gets a sharper grille, tweaked headlights with daytime-running lights, redesigned bumpers, new alloys and slightly different LED tail-lights. Audi is also offering dynamic turn signals that light up sequentially from inside out in the direction the driver intends to turn.

The facelifted Q3 also gets a long list of optional equipment and features to choose from. Some of the interesting features include the Audi side assist in which a yellow LED indicator illuminates in the housing of the outside mirror if another vehicle is in the blind spot or is approaching rapidly from the rear. Then there is the active lane assist which works with video cameras that detect the lane markings. It gently intervenes in the steering to help the driver return to the lane if he or she comes too close to a line without indicating. The camera-based traffic sign recognition system shows speed limit signs and no-passing signs in the driver information system display. The Audi navigation can be used in tandem with Audi connect; it connects to the internet and also provides passengers with a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Mechanically, the engines in the standard Q3 have the same displacement but have been tweaked to deliver a slight increase in power, improve fuel efficiency by a claimed 17 percent and reduce emissions. The 2.0-litre turbo petrol now delivers 178bhp, an 8bhp increase. The hotter version of the Q3, the Audi RS Q3 retains the 2.5-litre unit, but now delivers 335bhp, a 29bhp increase.

This facelifted Q3 is expected in India next year, and will retain the 2.0-litre TDI units.