Audi Q3 Sportback Review & Prices

The Audi Q3 Sportback isn’t so much a standalone model as it is a sportier, sleeker and style-focused version of the standard Audi Q3 SUV. That makes it more desirable than the regular car, while being just as good to drive - at the expense of back seat space and a higher price tag.

If the run-of-the-mill Q3 is a cosy black jumper, the Q3 Sportback is a bit like a designer version made from fancier fabric. It looks similar from a distance, posher up close, and it’s a bit less practical for daily use.

There are quite a few small coupe-SUVs, from the similarly posh BMW X2 and Volkswagen T-Roc to the larger but more stylish Peugeot 3008 and Renault Rafale. The Volvo EC40, Changan Deepal S05 and Audi Q4 Sportback are all-electric alternatives to consider.

The Q3 Sportback is a pretty handsome thing. The front end is particularly aggressive, with slender, high-set running lights above a quartet of enormous grilles. It’s the sloping roofline that sets it apart from its more practical sibling, with the same, tidy light bar at the back. It’s not quite as crisp as Audis of old, though, and in a dark colour it looks a bit generic in traffic.

Step inside and you’re greeted with almost the same dashboard as you’ll find in a multitude of Audis. That means slick, two-in-one displays on a panel that curves up and away from you in a somewhat dramatic fashion. While it all looks good, it only takes a few pokes and prods to see past the design.

Turn the car on, for example, and you’ll notice the displays sit in acres of gloss black plastic - which looks cheap. The novel indicator and wiper switches are pretty swish and feel suitably expensive, but otherwise the interior is a let down compared to the old Q3 Sportback; lots of cheap plastics and creaky trims in easy-to-reach places.

The infotainment is pretty slick to look at thanks to its crisp graphics, but the menus are a bit of a faff to navigate and the font is a bit small - especially in the equally tiny driver display.

Space up front is solid, with plenty of adjustment in the seats and steering wheel. Storage space could be better; the door bins are pretty small and there isn’t much cubby space beyond the phone charging pad or the central cupholders.

The Q3 Sportback’s sloping roofline eats away at rear headroom, and you don’t have to be particularly tall to feel your locks being ruffled by the roof. Legroom is pretty good on account of the sliding seats, that being said, and you’ll find a pair of cupholders in the flip-down central armrest.

It’s better to have it down than trying to squeeze a third passenger in the middle seat, with a large hump in the floor and a harder, taller seat base than the outer pair. There are three ISOFIX points in the Q3 Sportback, two in the back and one in the front passenger seat, which is handy for a sole parent traveling with a child.

Boot space is identical to the regular Q3 at 488 litres, which extends up to 575 litres with the back seats slid forwards and 1,289 litres with them folded flat. Naturally, the Sportback’s sloping roofline eats away at space when it comes to loading bulkier items in - compared to the SUV.

Engine options range from the sensible, front-wheel drive 1.5-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel options to the four-wheel drive 2.0-litre petrol and diesels in more powerful states of tune. Company car drivers ought to consider the plug-in hybrid Q3 Sportback, with an impressive 73 miles of electric-only range and a cheaper benefit-in-kind rate than the rest of the range.

The most powerful petrol puts out 265hp, but costs a mighty £8,000 more than the entry-level car. It can only be had in S-Line trim, too, which makes it pretty uncomfortable on bad roads on account of its stiff suspension and large wheels with skinny tyres.

We only saw 25.6mpg during our week with the sporty Q3 Sportback, too, which will have you on a first-name basis with your local petrol station staff.

Around town, the lesser Q3 Sportbacks are pretty comfortable thanks to their soft suspension and big tyres taking the worst out of bumps and potholes. The 11.8-metre turning circle is unremarkable - a smidge larger than the BMW X2 - but otherwise the Q3 is easy enough to manoeuvre on tight roads. Shame the gearbox is rather jerky when setting off or trundling about at low speeds, though.

Over the shoulder visibility is very poor, that being said, which makes merging onto the motorway or changing lanes a bit more stressful than it should be - and far less comfortable than in the Q3 SUV. It’s a comfortable cruiser at the national speed limit, though, with little wind and road noise.

You’ll have a better time on a twisty road in the aforementioned X2 or a Cupra Formentor, but the Q3 is perfectly adept at tackling country lanes with no fuss. The 265hp Quattro model is actually pretty good fun to chuck into corners with a bit of vigour, that being said.

Verdict

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Audi Q3 Sportback. It’s a sleek-looking thing with a wide range of engines and a largely posh vibe about it, but on a practical level it’s impossible to justify over the regular Q3 SUV. It’s harder to live with and less spacious for more money, but that’s the compromise necessary to achieve its stylish shape.

Have a look at the latest Audi Q3 Sportback deals here, as well as Q3 Sportback lease deals, or find a great offer on a used Q3 Sportback instead. You can also search for other used Audis for sale, and remember, Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

Starting at just under £39,000, the Audi Q3 Sportback costs about £1,500 more than the equivalent Audi Q3 SUV. That’s almost £2,000 more than the entry-level BMW X2, and prices quickly rise as you make your way up the trim levels.

You’ll pay £1,000 more for a Black Edition Q3 Sportback than the range-starting Technik model - with the same engine fitted. The top-dog Vorsprung with the more sporty 265hp engine is over £60,000 - which is mind boggling. A plug-in hybrid starts at £48,000 in Sport trim, again rising up to £60,000 in Vorsprung guise.