Road Test RS Q3 The Compact High - Performance SUV (Part 3)

We’ve already mentioned that the ride in the RS Q3 can be somewhat lively, but at least the driver and front passenger have sports seats with substantial bolsters to keep them in position. The upholstery can be a choice of leather or Alcantara and leather, and the attractive diamond stitching on the centre sections is available for an additional $1,334.169. As with so many of Audi’s performance cars, the headlining is black, although you can opt for a silver cloth version at no extra charge.

The facia of the Q3 is different to all other A3s, and, not surprisingly, the same design is used for the RS Q3, the only difference being that the instruments have grey dials and are calibrated to cope with the higher road speeds.

RS Q3

You would expect an RS model to be well equipped and the RS Q3 certainly has plenty of gear to make driving more fulfilling. The central display screen stays out of sight inside the facia but, like the other Q3s, it doesn’t rise up automatically when you operate the MMI switchgear: you have to give it a press for the screen to come up into position. This is a shame, particularly when standard A3s now have a screen which rises automatically.

The screen and MMI controls are linked to a music interface, Audi sound system and the Concert radio with digital reception. Surprisingly for an RS model, navigation APRIL 2014 AUDI DRIVER 15 not a standard feature, although it is set up for the SD card-based system, something which has to be installed by an Audi Centre at a cost of $830.70900 The Technology package, which includes HDD-based navigation with a host of other features, will cost you an additional $2,508.909.

Parking is not a problem with the RS Q3: the high driving position helps when positioning the car and the parking system plus, with acoustic sensors at the back and front of the car and graphics on the display screen, is a standard feature.

Many of the differences between the RS Q3 and other Q3s are cosmetic and, apart from the big wheels and the matt aluminium mirrors, there are plenty of small styling touches which set them apart.

The alloy wheels of the Audi RS Q3 gets wrapped by uncommon 255/30 tyres, but certainly be-fitting vehicle that bears the RS badge.

The RS Q3 is a car which mates up the versatility of the basic Q3, with an extremely powerful engine, very effective brakes, and a lower ride height. There is no denying that it is very fast but, somehow, we question whether it fits in the RS category. We say this because we don’t feel that the suspension, and the rather high centre of gravity, lend themselves to the sort of driving which you expect with other RS models. It does not achieve the high-speed stability on challenging roads which you get with, for example, the RS 4, RS 5 or the RS 6.

This is something which would affect any high-performance version of an SUV: it has to be a compromise. There is no point in building a car like this unless it has some degree of off-road capability, and this is the very thing which reduces its dynamic qualities on the road.

Audi decided to call this model the RS Q3, rather than S Q3, and we question the wisdom of this. Fair enough, it has the engine which powers both the RS3 and the TT RS, but it does not have the same dynamic prowess of those two models. Having said this, you cannot deny the tremendous acceleration and the outstanding brakes; as long as you don’t expect it to handle like a low-slung sports car, the RS Q3 will provide you with a great deal of driving satisfaction. And, of course, the commanding driving position gives you an edge when it comes to seeing what is ahead of you on the road.

Normally, we would list the price of the RS Q3 against that of its direct competitors but the fact is that the RS Q3 is virtually unique: no other manufacturer has exploited the niche of high-performance SUVs as Audi has done with this model.

Audi RS Q3 On Road