Photo: Andrei Tutu
Without so much as a teaser photo beforehand, Audi has decided to mark the US market debut of the Q3 facelift at the Detroit Auto Show.
This pint-sized premium SUV has only been available for a few months in America, but over in Europe, buyers have been enjoying its features for many years. A mid-life facelift has thus been introduced at the end of 2014 and we now get to see it across the pond.
Compared to the previous model year, the Q3 is visibly sportier, offering a hexagon-shaped chrome grille that connects to the headlights, just like the new Q7. The piece of yellow eye candy shown on stage in Detroit featured a new S line body kit that copies the RS Q3 performance model, larger alloy wheels and a twin exhaust system that's identical to the one on the new TT coupe.
Stand-out features also include redesigned LED taillights and Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights. Inside, the generation gap between the Q3 and the newer Q7 is quite obvious. However, Audi has done its best to spruce up the dash and seats with new trim.
The 2016 Q3's new engines feature greater power, with up to 7 kW (10 hp), combined with lower consumption. CO2 emissions have been reduced by 17 percent, Audi claims. Honestly, we don't actually know what that means for US buyers.
The only clue for the US-spec SUV came when he said the model on stage was a new 2-liter TFSI quattro S tronic that will arrive "this fall". We have reason to believe this is the 220 PS engine from the Golf GTI, which in America will be rated at 210-hp, marginally more than the Mercedes GLA and 10 hp better than the 2015 Q3.
In only a few months, sales of the Audi Q3 closed out strong with 3,654 vehicles delivered in 2014. That could mean new variants will be offered, including one that's powered by the all-new 2.0 TDI from the A3.
Compared to the previous model year, the Q3 is visibly sportier, offering a hexagon-shaped chrome grille that connects to the headlights, just like the new Q7. The piece of yellow eye candy shown on stage in Detroit featured a new S line body kit that copies the RS Q3 performance model, larger alloy wheels and a twin exhaust system that's identical to the one on the new TT coupe.
Stand-out features also include redesigned LED taillights and Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights. Inside, the generation gap between the Q3 and the newer Q7 is quite obvious. However, Audi has done its best to spruce up the dash and seats with new trim.
The 2016 Q3's new engines feature greater power, with up to 7 kW (10 hp), combined with lower consumption. CO2 emissions have been reduced by 17 percent, Audi claims. Honestly, we don't actually know what that means for US buyers.
Engine speculation
With a very pronounced Italian accent, Luca de Meo, Board Member for Sales and Marketing, presented the new Q3 model in Detroit. He talked about the new engine range that offers anything from 120 to 220 hp, but we know he was referring to European models.The only clue for the US-spec SUV came when he said the model on stage was a new 2-liter TFSI quattro S tronic that will arrive "this fall". We have reason to believe this is the 220 PS engine from the Golf GTI, which in America will be rated at 210-hp, marginally more than the Mercedes GLA and 10 hp better than the 2015 Q3.
In only a few months, sales of the Audi Q3 closed out strong with 3,654 vehicles delivered in 2014. That could mean new variants will be offered, including one that's powered by the all-new 2.0 TDI from the A3.
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