2021 Audi Q3 Review

Name: 2021 Audi Q3 Review
Brand: Audi

Price Range: $19,999 - $33,590

2021 Audi Q3 Premium Plus 4dr SUV Exterior. European Model Shown.

2021 Audi Q3 S line Premium Plus 45 TFSI quattro 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

+65

The 2021 Q3's compact dimensions and fastback roofline drastically reduce the available space inside compared with other crossover SUVs. But pleasing performance, exceptional fit and finish, and standard all-wheel drive make it a lot easier to overlook the lack of space.

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Price & Payment

40 cars

$27,063 avg. price

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Appraise My 2021 Audi Q3

Audi Q3 model years

Audi Q3 for Sale

2021 Audi Q3 Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Top Prestige trim has been replaced by option packages for supporting trim levels
Some previously optional features are now standard
Part of the second Q3 generation introduced for 2019

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Audi Q3 Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/40 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in Connecticut.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Connecticut

$149/mo

$165/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#13 out of 18 among Luxury Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Audi Q3 from 2008-2022.}

$625/yr

vs. $559/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.66x/yr

vs. 1.23x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

9.5%

vs. 8.6%
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Audi Q3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.2

37 reviews

5(57%)

4(27%)

3(5%)

2(5%)

1(6%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Fantastic vehicle

Karen Keane, 04/13/2021

2021 Audi Q3 Premium Plus S line 4dr SUV AWD w/45 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

This is my second Audi Q3, the first being a 2015. I've had many different luxury vehicles, but this car I'm keeping forever. Love the look, comfort, but most importantly the smooth ride, visibility and safe feeling I get whenever I'm driving it. The trunk holds a lot for a small SUV, the car fits in any parking space imaginable and the highway pick up while entering an 'on' ramp with …

Value Value Value

GG, 01/20/2021

2021 Audi Q3 Premium Plus S line 4dr SUV AWD w/45 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

Overall I love this car. My favorite features in my 2021 Premium Plus include, 360 degree camera, Upgraded sport seats, kick to open trunk, wireless phone charger, wireless Apple Car Play, integrated infotainment screen, and keyless entry and locking. I test drove the Q3, Q5, X1, X3, C300, Macan, and the Evoque. The Audi Q3 was my favorite and having the lower base price, I was able to …

I liked it on paper and in my test drive

Karen, 08/16/2020

2020 Audi Q3 Prestige S line 4dr SUV AWD w/45 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I went down the black hole of car reviews for two years or more. I buy cars outright then keep them for a very long time. I owned my last two for 15 years each. I really like the all wheel drive and blind spot monitor. The seats are a little firm but comfortable, visibility is good, the back seat is built for adults and there is plenty of door pocket storage and the trunk is a good size. … The a/c works well, I like the ability to change the dash display depending on my needs, plus it's fun to drive with enough pick-up to merge easily, and sticks on the corners with the all wheel drive. I've been pleasantly surprised at how stable it feels in a turn and on snow. It also doesn't lean much in the corners. The cons are I still haven't gotten my Android Auto to send my voice texts and no one at Audi can tell me how to do it short of "just plug it in". I've found neither the sales staff or IT department at the dealership can help solve those problems as they seem only to know the basics. For instance, my email address changed and no one could tell me how to update it in the car. I've had more luck with Audi USA IT department, (to update: the son of a salesman straightened out my Android Auto. It will text and make phone calls which is not as nice as the full service function but works well enough for me and saves the $400 per year fee). The 6 month Audi Connect service touted in all the advertising, which works as one would expect (permitting you to reply and create text messages and emails by voice, reading text and emails to you, make calls, find a restaurant, etc,) expires the Android system will connect to Google Maps but nothing else. I was assured Android Auto would work with the same functionality as my phone...but it does not. I'd like to see the interface between the technology work much better. I think the Apple link is better. It is surprising not to have memory seats in a premium model car, considering my 2003 Saab has them. It would have been nice to have a heated steering wheel option, and the manual seems to be made for every Q3 on the planet so it takes a while to figure out what your car comes equipped with and what is doesn't and is confusing. My final criticism is I don't know if the automatic lift gate has a sensor to stop it when closing if my arm is in the way. I've been too chicken to test it. My enjoyment, however, far outweighs my complaints, and I find I look forward to hopping into my car as I've gotten to know it over the past year. I feel much safer with electronic eyes keeping a lookout as well as mine, although keep in mind they are not infallible. All in all, it's a user friendly car and I think I'll give 5 stars as soon as I get more of my Android Auto functions untangled. Finally, I live in a city with lots of pot holes and sharp objects on the street. I got the tire and wheel 60 month warranty and it's one of the best things I did as I've had to replace 2 tires already ($400 each retail). Update: I've gotten the Android link to work quite well. Once I'm plugged in, I can ask Google to find a gas station, send a text, call a number, navigate to xxxx, etc. I need to be sure my phone is unlocked for it to work is the only step to remember. Very useful.

Definite bang for the buck – with some caveats

JMK in TX, 04/07/2021

2021 Audi Q3 Premium Plus S line 4dr SUV AWD w/45 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

We were specifically looking for a small SUV that looks good, is a reasonably recent design, and has ample features at a reasonable price. The "looking good" part disqualified both of the Benzes Edmunds has ranked higher among subcompact SUVs, and "recent design" disqualified the increasingly ancient Lexus NX. After comparing it to the X1 & RDX, we decided the Q3 was easily the best … all-around package. My biggest complaint is how scarce they are! (or at least the S-line Premium Plus 45) We live in Austin and I checked inventory levels at literally every Audi dealer in Texas; only one of them had more than 7 in stock! I'll mention right off the bat that Edmunds' review omits a rather pertinent detail: many of the Q3s sitting on dealer lots are Q3 40s, not Q3 45s, and for good reason. I didn't even notice it myself until after we test-drove one, but the 40s (in both Premium & Premium Plus guise) have a significantly less powerful engine: a mere 184 hp and a frankly slow-as-molasses 0-60 time of 8.6 seconds. The 45s cost $2K more either way, and I *strongly* recommend them! (Btw here's the easy way to instantly tell which is which: all of the S-line models have the larger engine.) I still have my 2016 S3, and the differences in technology between the two are amazing. The Q3 has a touchscreen interface for the latest version of its MMI system, and for the most part it's quite intuitive to use – along with having almost iPhone-level screen quality. (My S3, meanwhile, has a pop-up non-touchscreen with graphics in all of 16 colors.) I was extremely impressed with its adaptive cruise system along with its lane-keeping assistance; while it's not quite at autonomous-vehicle level, using both is extremely handy on long, monotonous drives. Still, as some others have pointed out, its lack of certain features is curious, to say the least. Apple CarPlay only works wirelessly if you opt for the Technology Package. It has no memory settings for the seats (even the 2010 RDX we traded in had that!); no steering-wheel warmer; and heated, but not cooled, seats – and in Texas we need the latter far more than the former. While its Active Cockpit feature gives you a 3-D view of the road ahead via built-in Google Maps, you can use your phone's native navigation on the center screen, so we definitely wanted to skip that part. Just IMO both of the smaller wheel packages look dinky, so we opted for the 20-inch rims, as well as the parking assistance package. We *really* wanted the Black Optic package as well – I have it on my S3 – but there were none, period, *anywhere* in the state except in the brashest exterior colors (orange & blue), and we already knew we wanted a gray one. On whole, however, it's a thoroughly modern car that's surprisingly fun to drive – much more so than the first-gen Q3 we looked at a few years back. I only wish they'd introduce an SQ3 model in the US! (We get the SQ5 & SQ7, but for some reason Audi only sells the SQ3 outside the US.)

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Audi Q3, so we've included reviews for other years of the Q3 since its last redesign.

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2021 Audi Q3 video

Top Subcompact SUVs for 2021-2022 | Extra-Small & Easy to Drive – What's Not to Like?

Subcompact SUVs have been gaining in popularity over the last few years. For people who don't need or want the space of a midsize SUV or for those who just want to save a few bucks, a subcompact SUV is a smart and economical choice. These extra-small SUVs maintain that elevated ride height and utility of their larger counterparts, but their smaller size means easier…

2021 Q3 Highlights

Trim:

Premium

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$34,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$149/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	23.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Q3 models:

Audi Pre Sense Front: Warns if a front collision is imminent and automatically applies the brakes if you don't respond in time.
Audi Side Assist: Notifies you if a vehicle is lurking in your blind spot. Includes lane departure warning as well.
Top View Camera: Provides a top-down 360-degree view of the Q3 that makes parking maneuvers easier. Included with the Prestige trim level.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover16.4%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Marginal
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Acceptable
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Audi Q3 Review

Price & Payment

2021 Audi Q3 Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Audi Q3 Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/40 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in Connecticut.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Audi Q3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Fantastic vehicle

Value Value Value

I liked it on paper and in my test drive

Definite bang for the buck – with some caveats

2021 Audi Q3 video

Top Subcompact SUVs for 2021-2022 | Extra-Small & Easy to Drive – What's Not to Like?

2021 Q3 Highlights

Safety

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2021 Audi Q3 Review

Price & Payment

2021 Audi Q3 Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Audi Q3 Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/40 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in Connecticut.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Audi Q3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Fantastic vehicle

Value Value Value

I liked it on paper and in my test drive

Definite bang for the buck – with some caveats

2021 Audi Q3 video

Top Subcompact SUVs for 2021-2022 | Extra-Small & Easy to Drive – What's Not to Like?

2021 Q3 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Audi Q3 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Nissan

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Audi Q3 Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/40 TFSI (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in Connecticut.}