Dear readers. In this review I would like to share my experience with my dad's Audi q3. We bought the premium 2015 face lifted model on October 2015. I had driven it for almost 8000 km and my review is based on that. Let me begin with the exterior design. Q3 is an entry level compact luxury SUV and it indeed looks like one. At 4388mm length, 1831mm width (excluding ORVMs), and 1590mm height (excluding roof aerial), the q3 is compact. The front looks good with the day time running lights on which has a sort of 3D effect (only in premium model) and the Matt finished 3D radiator grille. The premium model which I own has got bi-xenon headlights with automatic dynamic headlight range control. The fog lamps are inserted in the headlight unit itself. In the premium plus model, the headlight unit is LED headlights and the DRLs have different arrangement. Coming to the side, the q3 has a coupe like appearance especially towards the rear. Talking about the rear section, it the best designed part of q3. The LED rear lights looks cool especially at night with the lights on. The premium plus model has got LED dynamic indicators which means the light swipes in the direction of turn. The skid plates at front, rear and sides give a tough look to q3. The outside rear view mirrors (ORVMs) with LED turn indicators can be electrically adjusted and the left one automatically adjust to a pre-set position set by the driver as soon as the rear gear is engaged and returns back once disengaged. The 235/55 R17 Pirelli tyres looks great on the cast aluminium wheels. The anodised aluminium roof rails and rear edge spoiler all adds to the Beauty of Audi q3. Now let me move on to the interiors. For the interior colour theme, there are two options- one is black and beige combination and the other is all black theme. I preferred the former choice as it gives a sense of airiness. The dashboard is well layout and gives a sense of luxury. The 3D aluminium tangent inlays looks and feels nice. The glove compartment is not very big but still being able to store few important items. The AC vents with aluminium inserts looks good. There is a MMI (multimedia information) display at the centre of the dashboard which pops up from the dashboard when pressed manually. Through this MMI display we can adjust the settings for car, radio, media, telephone, etc. The steering wheel is 4 spoke, leather covered and has controls for voice commanding, call accepting, volume controlling, radio operating etc. Talking about the interior space, q3 is a five seater but best to accommodate four. The leather seats are comfortable. The front driver seat can be electrically adjusted whereas the front passenger seat can only be adjusted manually. There is 4 way lumbar support (electric) for both driver and front passenger seats. The rear seat backrest can be folded 40:60 or fully. An adjustable centre armrest is provide at the front but it is absent at the rear. The front and back legroom will be okay for people of average height but will be difficult for tall people. Same is the case of headroom. Dual zone auto air conditioning keeps the cabin and the glove compartment cool. The boot has sufficient space for carrying 2 suitcases and a few check in bags as well, in addition to the spare wheel that is hidden inside the boot. Talking about the technology, there is a Driver's Information System (DIS) which gives necessary information to the driver like digital speedometer, on board computer, efficiency program, radio stations, etc. Voice commands can be given to perform functions like make a call, select radio stations, help, etc. Hands free calls are really useful. Audi sound system is very good. I feel little unhappy as there is no MMI satellite navigation. When I asked at the Audi showroom, they told me that currently the navigation is not available for regular q3 models in India. But once they release it in SD card form, we can purchase it at extra cost. Now comes the best part- driving the Audi q3. I must say I am truly satisfied the way Audi q3 responds to the driver, be it acceleration, braking, steering control or anything else. We can select the mode of driving- comfort, dynamic and auto. The steering is very light at slow speeds and becomes tight as speed increases. The seven speed automatic gear shifting is very smooth. We can change the gear to manual mode if required. Paddle shifts are available for the premium plus model which adds the sportiness of q3. Ride comfort is also nice. Audi's suspension is well known for its comfort factor. The car offers decent fuel efficiency figures. Company claims 15.3 km/l. I usually get around 11-12km/l and once I managed to achieve 17km/l but that was on highway. So dear readers, if you are planning to buy an entry level compact luxury SUV, I recommend Audi q3.
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