Many thought SUVs beaten with the coupe stick would end up as nothing more than a fad. Yet the trend started by the original BMW X6 back in 2007 is still very much alive 18 years later. Audi argues there’s room in the market for the so-called “coupe-SUV,” offering several models. After the fully electric Q4 Sportback E-Tron, the gas-powered Q5 Sportback, and the Q8, the smaller Q3 Sportback gives Ingolstadt’s compact crossover a pseudo-coupe vibe.
Compared to the conventionally shaped Q3, the Sportback’s roofline has been lowered by 1.1 inches (29 millimeters). It’s far from a true coupe, since it remains very much an SUV with too many doors, even though Audi claims it delivers the “aesthetics of a coupe.” As expected, lowering the roofline hurts practicality: maximum cargo capacity is reduced to 45.5 cubic feet (1,289 liters) with the rear seats folded, down 3.4 cubic feet (96 liters) versus the standard Q3.
Photo by: Audi
The smaller greenhouse also hurts outward visibility. But despite these compromises and the higher price over the donor car, coupe-ified SUVs remain popular enough to justify next-generation models. For Audi, the investment is minimal: aside from the altered body, the Q3 Sportback is essentially a clone of the standard Q3.
The Sportback carries over everything we saw on the regular crossover when it debuted a few months ago. From the column shifter on the right side of the steering wheel to the unified windscreen wiper and turn signal stalk on the left, it’s virtually identical. Audi does give the Sportback 18-inch wheels as standard, compared to the Q3’s mundane 17-inch set, while top trims offer up to 20-inch alloys.
Battling the BMW X2, it carries over the 1.5 and 2.0 TFSI gasoline engines, the 2.0 TDI diesel, plus a plug-in hybrid built around the smaller gas unit. Only a more powerful version of the 2.0 TFSI comes with Quattro; the rest are strictly front-wheel drive. Audi is likely to expand the lineup later, with hotter S and RS versions expected to feature Quattro as standard.
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Source: Audi
Like the regular Q3, the Sportback can be optioned with acoustic glazing for the front-side windows, a first for a compact Audi. This should noticeably quiet the cabin and let you enjoy the optional 12-speaker, 420-watt Sonos sound system. The 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.8-inch infotainment display are also present, along with fewer physical buttons now that the climate controls have migrated to the touchscreen.
Other annoyances worth pointing out include the glossy black trim, capacitive-touch buttons, and tablet-style screens jutting from the dashboard. Even Audi has admitted interior quality isn’t what it used to be, but promises improvements with future models.
In Germany, the base Q3 Sportback starts at €46,450, or €1,850 more than the equivalent Q3. It remains unclear whether Audi will bring the model to the United States, especially since its predecessor never did.