Looking for that perfect car that is safe to drive and looks great can be daunting. With the Audi Q3, I found that it was the perfect model for a working mum with the space, entertainment options and of course, the choice of colours.
After trying almost every SUV in the market, I was most impressed with the Audi Q3 and the RS Q3 during a recent trip to Munich. For school runs and short weekend trips to other Emirates, both cars come in a size that is perfect for a small family for shopping, weekends away and is economical than most SUV’s launched recently.
The sophisticated Q3 high quality interiors are done tastefully with enough space to be comfortable on long rides with a boot that would fit most of my shoes, groceries, gym bags which is all a woman needs really.
While the Q3 has beautiful leather upholstery that looks good and feels good with the heated front seats, what was even better was the Q3’s multimedia system. The Multimedia Interface control knob was easy to use as we explored the options for the radio, camera, phone and more importantly, the navigation, as we were driving on a new route each time we ventured out on the roads in Munich.
The exterior is more compact than most Audi SUV models but looks just as great. It is a compact SUV with a clean sleek profile, sporty lines and made to look more sexy and aggressive at the same time with the headlights contrasting with the grill and scoops that are inset with matte black hexagonal mesh.
What was great about the Audi Q3 was being able to drive at a fairly decent speed on the Autobahn and feeling the smooth acceleration as the car eased from different driving modes. Parking was fairly easy as well.
The 2015 Q3 comes with either front-wheel drive or Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. The transmission is a 6-speed automatic, and the engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and at 200 horsepower. This model is significant because it offers a more affordable entry point into quattro, making it unrivalled in this class.
We had more fun naturally with the Audi RS Q3. As part of the entire Q3 range’s facelift for 2015, the RS model is given extra attention for the more discerning buyers. I tried both the “comfort” and the “sport” setting. In sport mode, it rode more steadily, impressively and felt safer at high speeds.
In comfort mode, I felt I could ease up and enjoy the green countryside, the freeways, and suburban streets as well as enjoy the car’s power even on roads that were wet from light showers.
A touch of the accelerator and the vehicle responded quickly and provided excellent acceleration in all gears. Both the Q3 and the RS Q3 offer a fantastic combination of high performance, practicality, value and are seen as a comfortable urban warriors, perfect for both city and country drives.
