Skip to main content

2019 Audi Q3 Gets an Upscale Makeover

Audi has introduced the second-generation Q3 crossover.

Continuing the German automaker’s tradition of evolutionary changes rather than revolutionary ones, the 2019 Audi Q3 looks familiar but certainly more modern. Its predecessor’s design was first introduced in 2011, so the luxury crossover was due for a makeover. Growing slightly, the 2019 Audi Q3 looks to offer more in a segment that’s become very competitive in recent years with entries from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and more. The new Q3 is 3.8 inches longer and almost an inch wider, while the wheelbase has been stretched three inches. Cargo space has increased from 16.7 cubic feet to 18.7 with the rear seats up, and to 53.9 (up from 50.3) with the seats down.

The exterior may not look significantly different compared to the outgoing model, but it certainly gains features from Audi’s modern design language. It borrows some cues from the Q8 with a muscular character line seen above the rear fenders, while triangular openings can now be seen in the lower fascia. The front grille also grows in size, resembling other modern Audi models. All in all, it’s a familiar design and fits right in with the rest of Audi’s lineup.

[See image gallery at www.vwvortex.com]

More significant changes have occurred inside the cabin. Now standard in the Q3 is the company’s digital instrument cluster, surrounded by elements influenced by the Q8. Overall, the interior is more upscale than before, especially with the optional Virtual Cockpit infotainment system.

Under the hood, Audi hasn’t confirmed which powerplants are heading to the U.S. In Europe, there will be two gasoline engines and a single diesel option, but it’s likely the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine will be used in North America. Look for the Audi Q3 40 TFSI to generate around 190 horsepower, while the Q3 45 TFSI will provide 230 hp from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The only transmission option is a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, and all 2.0-liter-equipped cars now come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive.

The German automaker said European deliveries will begin this fall, so stay tuned for more information on the 2019 Audi Q3’s North American arrival.

a version of this article first appeared on AutoGuide

The post 2019 Audi Q3 Gets an Upscale Makeover appeared first on VWVortex.



from VWVortex https://ift.tt/2uP7HPT
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Project SportWagen: Going Stage 2 with APR

    When we last left you, the humble little SportWagen was fresh from the development process with our friends at AWE Tuning, sporting a new downpipe, exhaust and intake, allowing things to breathe a bit easier.  The car sounded great, but there was no getting around the fact that our wagon was still quite, well, slow.   While we realize that nothing we do to the Golf SportWagen at this point will make it a race car, we still felt compelled to do something .  To put it bluntly, we had a fever, and the only cure was more power. Flash forward a few hours, and we found ourselves at Waterfest, staring down APR’s palatial spread and the numerous tuned vehicles surrounding it.  Earlier in the year, APR had hinted to us that their 1.8 TSI files would be quite impressive, and based on what they were able to do with the 2.0 TSI found in the new GTI and our time in their Golf R, we knew it’d be worth the wait.  So with this in mind, we lined our G...

Volkswagen Group Records Best Ever First-Half-of-Year Sales

With 5.5 million vehicles in customer hands after the first six months of 2018, the Volkswagen Group is seeing the best performance of its history. Group deliveries increased significantly in all core regions,” said Fred Kappler, head of sales for the Group. “Our core brands recorded strong growth in the first half year.” For the year-to-date, all of Volkswagen’s brands had sales bumps. MAN, SEAT, and Skoda led the sales charge with performances 24%, 17% and 11% better than the previous year. The big sellers, too, had strong sales periods, with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, and Volkswagen sales rising 3.5%, 4.5% and 6.3% respectively. That last figure is particularly good new for the board, since Volkswagen alone sold more than 3 million vehicles in the first half of 2018. As Kappler stated, the numbers are equally good when you break sales down by region. Brazil and Russia were the most improved markets (22% and 20%, respectively), while strong sales in Europe and China (u...

Project Golf SportWagen- Intro

I’ve never really been one for SUVs and crossovers.  The current offerings aren’t the body-on-frame, go-anywhere specialty tools I remember from my youth, and what they lack in capability, they also lack in on-road performance. The current crop isn’t terribly good at handling or being efficient, which in my opinion are major components of our ideal driving experience.  So when it comes to space or utility, I usually look for something of the wagon variety- and it seems that I’m not alone. We hit quite a few shows around the east coast each summer, and we see modified Jetta SportWagens at nearly every event. Even amongst common consumers, these cars are highly sought-after. They don’t depreciate much, making even early Mk 5 2.5 versions expensive in comparison to other Jettas or Golfs of the same vintage. This year, Volkswagen launched their latest SportWagen, which is now billed as a Golf.  In many ways, this latest SportWagen is the best yet and it has certai...