2026 Audi Q3 Is Handsome, Powerful, And Much Better Than Before

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

Audi has been connected a redesign and caller exemplary unveiling spree lately, from the new A5 to the new Q5 and the electrical Q6 and A6 E-Trons, but now it's nan small Q3's move to get its well-deserved infinitesimal successful nan spotlight. This is only nan 3rd procreation of Audi's entrant into nan luxury subcompact crossover segment, but considering that nan second-gen Q3 was Audi's second-best-selling exemplary past twelvemonth down only nan Q5, the caller redesign of Audi's smallest SUV has a batch riding connected it. And aft a fewer hours pinch my posterior successful its achromatic leather seats, I deliberation Audi has a much-needed victor connected its hands.

Full disclosure: Audi wanted maine to get down nan instrumentality of nan redesigned 2026 Q3 truthful severely that it put maine up successful a edifice successful sunny San Luis Obispo for a mates nights and kept maine fed. I only sewage to thrust nan Q3 for a fewer hours, truthful these are my first impressions.

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The 2026 Audi Q3 is bigger, much powerful, much luxurious, and amended looking than ever before. It didn't turn excessively overmuch compared to the outgoing model, but nan bold styling and blockier style make it look for illustration it's overmuch larger and much imposing than it really is. At 178.4 inches long, it's only 1.8 inches longer than nan 2025 Q3; it's 1.2 inches longer than nan BMW X1, 3.6 inches longer than nan Volvo XC40, and 4.5 inches longer than nan Mercedes-Benz GLA250, its closest competors. The caller Q3 besides gains astir 2 cubic feet of retention abstraction some pinch its 40/20/40-split rear seats up and folded down, offering up to 29 cubic feet down nan rear seats and 50 cubic feet pinch them folded.

Under nan hood, nan caller Q3 has a acquainted engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4, but it produces 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque connected regular gas, 27 hp and 22 lb-ft much than nan second-generation Q3. It besides swaps retired nan aged Q3's sloppy 8-speed torque-converter automatic transmission for a overmuch amended 7-speed dual-clutch unit. That intends it produces nan astir powerfulness successful its class, astatine slightest until you move up to nan much costly and performance-focused BMW X1 M35i and Mercedes-AMG GLA 35. At 3,935 pounds nan Q3 is besides nan heaviest of its competition, but astatine slightest it comes pinch Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive strategy arsenic standard.

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Styling is subjective, but I emotion nan measurement nan caller Q3 looks, particularly erstwhile it's fitted pinch nan optional 20-inch wheels. Its much upright stance makes it look much for illustration a due SUV than a lifted hatchback for illustration its predecessor. The bully looks proceed wrong nan caller Q3, wherever it hides a alternatively daring-for-Audi operation of materials including fabric, leather, a patterned padded doorsill, and a large slab of existent timber connected nan dashboard arsenic standard. I opportunity it's daring for Audi because astir of its models person 3 screens that span nan dashboard erstwhile they're optioned, aliases 2 screens and a elephantine rectangle of gloss achromatic integrative erstwhile nan rider surface isn't optioned, truthful nan simpler and much integrated vibe wrong nan Q3 is very welcome.

When it comes to pricing, nan caller Q3 is only disposable successful a azygous trim level with a unspeakable name: nan 2026 Audi Q3 TFSI Quattro S Tronic, which starts astatine $44,995 including a $1,295 destination charge. There's only nan 1 engine, but different options and action packages see 19-inch aliases 20-inch wheels, an infotainment package, a exertion package, a driver-assistance package, and a Black Optic package. The caller Q3 is $3,900 much costly than nan Q3 it replaces, but it includes a large database of modular features including Quattro, LED headlights pinch 3 selectable daytime moving ray signatures, adaptive cruise control, a wireless telephone charger, driver's spot memory, double-glazed beforehand broadside windows, heated beforehand seats, and a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. My trial car was afloat loaded, and rang successful astatine $51,790 including destination.

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The caller 7-speed dual-clutch is nan 2026 Q3's biggest constituent of maturation compared to past year's model. The aged car's 8-speed torque-converter felt for illustration it was retired of style and needed to return a activity betwixt each displacement sloppy of throttle input. The caller dual-clutch portion does a overmuch amended occupation of changing gears, particularly erstwhile utilizing nan steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. It still feels characteristically for illustration a dual-clutch though, successful that erstwhile you return your ft disconnected nan brake, you consciousness a surge of powerfulness that gets nan car moving guardant astatine a amazingly accelerated gait without rubbing nan throttle pedal. You get utilized to it beautiful quickly, but it's alarming nan first fewer times it happens.

Its much powerful turbocharged motor does move nan caller Q3 on without complaint, but this is not a sporty car. The lazy throttle pedal requires a batch of input to get nan point moving, and I recovered its calibration to either origin maine to crawl distant from a stop, aliases excavation deeper into nan throttle and unintentionally velocity distant from a stop. This is thing that is apt to normalize yet for real-world owners, but successful my short clip driving nan Q3 I didn't find a saccharine spot pinch nan throttle. Use nan paddle shifters to support nan motor successful its powerfulness band, and it scoots nicely retired of corners.

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On nan gorgeous greenish twisting roads astir California's pristine cardinal coast, nan Q3

felt wholly tin of hustling done twisty roads, but it ne'er felt playful aliases particularly exciting. The brakes are great, and nan suspension is not adaptive but manages to support nan gangly Q3 remarkably level done turns. The seats connection small lateral support, though, truthful you'll beryllium bracing yourself pinch your knees nan full time. I didn't announcement immoderate inclination for nan chemoreceptor to push wide erstwhile entering a corner, but I besides didn't get overmuch clip to push nan car. 

Take it connected little breathtaking roads and nan Q3 feels powerful, solid, and wide very easy to thrust and get on with. There's ample powerfulness for merging aliases passing, and motor sound is virtually unnoticeable, sloppy of motor speed. Though contempt its modular dual-pane beforehand windows, my trial car's 20-inch wheels produced a adjacent magnitude of roadworthy sound that made its measurement into nan cabin. Can't triumph 'em all, I guess.

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My afloat loaded trial car was equipped pinch nan $1,250 driver-assistance package, which adds lane centering and lane-change assistance to nan modular adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, parkland assistance plus, and a surround-view camera. The lane centering and adaptive cruise power worked awesome during my very little clip utilizing them, and I appreciated nan haptic steering instrumentality that doesn't require a jiggle to punctual it you're still alive; you tin conscionable touch it.

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There's plentifulness of exertion and caller ideas inside, pinch nan biggest news being its reimagined move awesome controls and deficiency of stalks. In spot of a accepted instrumentality you flick up aliases down to activate your indicators, Audi decided to connect a small toggle to either extremity of a abstracted power portion that's mounted atop nan steering column. The move awesome is still operated by pushing up aliases down connected nan near broadside of nan power unit, and it really feels awesome to use; since it's not a flimsy stalk, nan actuation feels overmuch much coagulated and refined. I'm little convinced by nan windshield wiper power dial that's mounted conscionable inboard of nan move awesome toggle and is astir nan size of an Advil. Fortunately, you tin conscionable time off nan wipers connected car successful astir cases and it's a non-issue. 

The caller infotainment strategy does distant pinch acheronian tiles connected nan location surface and replaces them pinch contrasting grey tiles that let for easier action astatine a glance. One of my absolute favourite touches is really nan strategy allows you to take which show you want to edit utilizing a picture. For example, erstwhile I needed to set nan tallness of nan head-up show I went to settings, past show settings, and it brought up an image of nan dashboard connected nan infotainment screen; I conscionable tapped wherever nan HUD icon was, and it opened nan HUD settings. It's very streamlined, easy to use, and yes, amended than nan aged UX. If you don't want to smudge your touchscreen, nan "Hey Audi" sound controls activity good too.

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Audi brought backmost nan representation position for nan Q3's virtual cockpit, which is great, but Audi made nan integer gauge show very wide and narrow, for illustration a message slot. It's allegedly done to make judge thing is blocked by nan steering wheel, and it's successful successful that mission, but it leaves a monolithic achromatic framework astir nan existent surface that looks for illustration you messed up nan facet ratio. Overall, nan virtual cockpit is nicely configurable and very easy to use.

Subcompact SUVs aren't known for having freely interiors, but nan caller Q3 fresh my 6-foot-8 framework nicely up front, pinch headroom to spare and a squishy pad connected nan halfway console for my correct knee to comfortably remainder against. The backmost seats are bully for nan people too; I could compression down my preferred driving position, but it wouldn't beryllium comfortable for agelong journeys. If beforehand spot occupants are little leggy and tin scoot their seats up a bit, location is plentifulness of room successful nan backmost seats, and nan modular rear vents are a beautiful touch.

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Overall, I rather liked nan caller Q3. The building is truthful coagulated that it feels for illustration it's hewn from a elephantine slab of marble, motor sound is remarkably good hushed, and nan extended database of modular features is rather appealing. My biggest qualm pinch it is nan lazy and inconsistent throttle calibration; moreover successful Dynamic mode, nan throttle requires excessively overmuch pedal recreation for not capable oomph, particularly fixed its best-in-class power.

I deliberation nan Q3's biggest spot is its bold styling. A batch of nan draws of nan subcompact luxury crossover marketplace conception are aesthetics and optics; buyers want onlookers to spot nan badge connected nan chemoreceptor and say, "wow, they thrust an Audi." Especially erstwhile highly optioned for illustration my Malpelo Blue tester, nan small Q3 looks rather impressive, particularly erstwhile put adjacent to a competitor for illustration nan Mercedes-Benz GLA250. If you're looking for a caller subcompact luxury crossover that'll impressment onlookers and legitimize your existent property business, nan caller Q3 is good worthy your consideration.