Photo: image edited by autoevolution
The new 2015 BMW X1 will face some fierce competition. While the Mercedes-Benz GLA is a rather new appearance on the auto industry’s scene, the Audi Q3 has a little more background on its side. Therefore, we thought a comparison between the two would be well deserved.
We’d also say that the GLA-Class is uglier than the duo we have here, but looks are so subjective, we can’t really get into that argument. Therefore, we’ll let you judge the exterior design and the interior design while we only lay down the facts, as objectively as possible.
The BMW is easily recognizable from every angle. Its design is definitely a step up from the predecessor, with the massive kidney grilles up front being joined by new headlights and a shorter bonnet. That’s mostly because the old 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engines are now gone and the new model tops out in terms of displacement at just 2 liters. Oh, and on top of that, they also switched to a transverse arrangement.
It’s the same in the case of the Audi. It’s engine range goes from 1.4-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged mills with 150 HP to 2-liter TFSI and TDI units making between 150 HP (for the diesel) and 180 HP (for the petrol).
Unlike the X1 that taps out at 231 HP on the xDrive25i model, the Audi Q3 range also has an RS model that uses a 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder engine making 340 HP. Cracking that nut will take some serious research and development from the M division. However, officials repeatedly said that won’t be the case as a front-wheel drive car with the M badge on it isn’t feasible.
Inside, the two cars offer beautiful designs. The materials are of top notch quality and the fit and finish should be on par too. Without looking at the spec sheet, the BMW seems more spacious than the Q3 while the dash and center console is definitely a lot cleaner and less complicated, without hundreds of buttons for every function.
Overall, the two are going up against each other in every single department. In the end, the difference will be made by personal taste as both will be priced competitively at just above $30,000 (the 2016MY Audi starts at $33,700 while the pricing for the BMW hasn’t been released yet).
The BMW is easily recognizable from every angle. Its design is definitely a step up from the predecessor, with the massive kidney grilles up front being joined by new headlights and a shorter bonnet. That’s mostly because the old 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engines are now gone and the new model tops out in terms of displacement at just 2 liters. Oh, and on top of that, they also switched to a transverse arrangement.
It’s the same in the case of the Audi. It’s engine range goes from 1.4-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged mills with 150 HP to 2-liter TFSI and TDI units making between 150 HP (for the diesel) and 180 HP (for the petrol).
Unlike the X1 that taps out at 231 HP on the xDrive25i model, the Audi Q3 range also has an RS model that uses a 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder engine making 340 HP. Cracking that nut will take some serious research and development from the M division. However, officials repeatedly said that won’t be the case as a front-wheel drive car with the M badge on it isn’t feasible.
Inside, the two cars offer beautiful designs. The materials are of top notch quality and the fit and finish should be on par too. Without looking at the spec sheet, the BMW seems more spacious than the Q3 while the dash and center console is definitely a lot cleaner and less complicated, without hundreds of buttons for every function.
Overall, the two are going up against each other in every single department. In the end, the difference will be made by personal taste as both will be priced competitively at just above $30,000 (the 2016MY Audi starts at $33,700 while the pricing for the BMW hasn’t been released yet).
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