Audi has many new vehicles up its sleeve, and the third generation Q3 is just one of them. Serving as a replacement for the second-gen that is five years old today, the all-new premium subcompact crossover is currently in the testing and fine-tuning phase.
We first saw it one month ago in a plethora of spy shots, and even with all the fake skin wrapped around it, we could still see that it looked better than its predecessor. It has a pair of slim LED DRLs positioned above the main clusters, and all of them flank the large-sized grille. Further down, it has a sizeable air intake.
Audi's rival to the likes of the BMW X1 has a more arched roofline for the next generation, but due to the clever packaging, it is likely that the cargo area was increased. The rear bumper has a clean shape, and we could partially see the new taillights sitting on each side of the redesigned tailgate. Chances are the rear lighting units have a Y-shaped design, and we think they might be linked together via a slim light strip.
As a matter of fact, so does Kolesa, as their latest renderings preview the design of the new-gen Audi Q3. The digital illustrations appear to have been based on the actual scoops, hence the realistic approach. And with no camouflage wrapped around its body, it is clear that you won't mistake it for its predecessor. If anything, we think the new one looks better, as the modern styling certainly suits it for the most part, though if we had to choose, we wouldn't have gone for a split headlamp signature.
Photo: Kolesa
Did you notice the charging port located on the left front quarter panel? That indicates the presence of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, mixing an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. It could be the electrified 1.5-liter TSI Evo2 from the new-gen VW Tiguan, and if that's the case, then we might be looking at up to 268 hp (272 ps/200 kW) combined available on tap.
Chances are it might get a lesser plug-in hybrid assembly to act as the entry-level variant of the electrified lineup. You should also look for mild-hybrid units and the usual gasoline family. We have yet to learn whether the new Q3 will also be offered with diesel power, but we cannot rule it out either, especially since its platform-sharing sibling, the 2024 Tiguan, also comes with low-revving power on the right side of the pond.
Full details about it should be released sometime next year, as that is when Audi is expected to pull the wraps off the new Q3. Chances are it will be a 2025 model when it makes its way to the United States. And we certainly wouldn't criticize it if it ended up looking like the one imagined here. Would you?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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