2026 Audi Q3 First Drive Review: All Glown Up

• The Q3 is Audi's smallest SUV, starting at $44,995 including destination.
• Its predecessor was slow, sloppy and lacked poise, but the new Q3 rights many of those wrongs.
• The Q3 competes in a crowded segment that includes the BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA and Volvo XC40.

This engine and gearbox are a near-perfect match, with power coming on strong seemingly everywhere in the rev range. The transmission shifts neatly too, and tugging at the steering wheel-mounted paddles to go up or down a gear delivers a speedy cog-swap. Audi claims a 5.5-second 0-to-60-mph time — a figure I look forward to confirming when the Q3 arrives at our test track later this year. 

Thankfully, there's more to the Q3 than just more power. The steering is nicely weighted and gives you a great sense of connection to the road. Plus, Audi's progressive steering tech means the wheel is light and easy to turn at slow speeds around town but gets a little heavier for better control at higher speeds. 

On the road, the only real sore spot is the amount of tire noise that makes its way into the cabin. I suspect the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires on my test car are partially to blame, and that going for the smaller 19-inch setup with cushier sidewalls will help reduce some of that noise.

Smaller wheels will likely also help with the ride quality. The Q3 is a touch too firm for something that doesn't really claim to be sporty. In bigger road undulations where the suspension really gets to flex and move, the Q3 is fine, but smaller imperfections like cracks and buckled bits of pavement always jostle this SUV too much. That said, the SUV's body is kept well under control, and there's just enough lean through the bends to give you an idea of what the car's doing at all times.

Even with that small nitpick, the Q3 is so much better on the road than its predecessor you'd hardly believe the two were related. The last car felt like a gussied-up Volkswagen Golf on stilts. The new Q3 is a genuine Audi from behind the wheel — something you'd actually enjoy driving every day. 

The inside story is a little different 

Audi continues its obsession with screens in the Q3, but to a lesser extent than in the larger Q5. The instrument cluster is a thin 11.9-inch strip with a very narrow aspect ratio, placed inside an enormous black plastic housing in front of the driver. This plastic surround looks cheap and is clear evidence of cost-cutting. The central infotainment screen measures 12.8 inches, and there's no silly passenger display, thank goodness. A full-color head-up display is available.

The screens all crisply display information, and map information can be displayed in the instrument cluster — something that couldn't be done in the old Q3. Joy of joys, this innovation that really set Audi's Virtual Cockpit display apart from the crowd is back, thanks largely to customer feedback. Audi is sticking to its guns when it comes to removing physical climate controls, which stinks. The controls in the screen work fine, but they're distracting to use while driving. Volkswagen — Audi's parent company — learned this lesson and made an about-face, so I'm hoping Audi will do the same, and soon. 

There are other gripes, too. The steering wheel is too big for a car this small and the seating position is odd. The wheel doesn't adjust enough, so it's always too far from your chest and your arms are extended too far out. Also, the upgraded Sonos audio system comes with 12 speakers, but on the road (partially due to all that tire noise), it sounds like there are about three. Everything I played through the stereo — via a wired Apple Music connection to ensure the highest possible bit rate — came out either muffled or distorted. Audis typically have excellent sound systems, so this is a shocking miss.

The rest of the interior is what you'd expect from an Audi. The materials on the doors and dash befit the car's somewhat hefty $44,995 starting price and still hold up in fully loaded $52,000 models. There's plenty of glass, so visibility is good all around. Plus, the seats are comfortable, and aside from a lack of knee room for taller backseat riders, there's more than enough space for four passengers. Just don't try to squeeze a normal-sized adult in the middle rear seat. 

So much better than before

The interior could use some work, but the Q3 is nevertheless a handsome little luxury SUV that's genuinely good to drive. Audi finally seems to be taking the Q3 seriously, and it's got a genuine shot at being a class-leading vehicle.