Mat Watson reviews the new Audi Q3 – “This is an Audi I’d really like to own”
January 20, 2026 by Mat Watson
Car changing is a big deal
Mat has spent a week with the new Audi Q3, and he reckons it’s the best car the brand has launched in years, despite its eye-watering price tag.
Audi used to be one of my go-to brands which I’d recommend to people. However, in recent years the interiors have started to get a bit cheap-feeling, and Audi stopped doing anything really interesting.
But could the new Audi Q3 be the car to make me fall in love with Audi again? I’ve spent a week with one to test its build quality, technology and driving experience to see if it does enough to justify its price tag against much cheaper Chinese alternatives.
You can check out my full video below, or read our Audi Q3 review to find out more. For now though, here’s a rundown of my thoughts on this car.
New Audi Q3 design – not off to the best start
There are dozens of new Chinese SUVs on the market right now and, from certain angles, this could be one of them. It’s strangely anonymous for an Audi; if you de-badged it then it could be from any manufacturer.
The old Audi Q3 had more definition in its metalwork which made it look expensive and muscular, but this new one is a bit too soft. Even with the massive 20-inch wheels and black trim on this car, it just sort of blends in.
Things do get better at the rear though, because from this angle it finally looks like an Audi again. The full-width light bar and funky LED taillights stand out and make the new Q3 look expensive, as it should do with this price tag.
New Audi Q3 prices – it’s insanely expensive for a small SUV
The new Audi Q3 starts from just over £38,000, although you can save an average of around £2,700 through Carwow at the time of writing. That’s about £1,000 more than a BMW X1, and it’s £3,000 more than the old Audi Q3.
So the starting price is a bit steep, but this range-topping Edition 1 model I have here is eye-wateringly expensive. With options, this car costs nearly £60,000. You could have an Audi Q5 for that sort of money. It’s madness.
New Audi Q3 interior – does it live up to the price tag?
Thankfully, the new Audi Q3 does feel like a properly premium product when you step inside. Audis of late have started to feel a bit cheap and scratchy, I’m looking at you Audi A6 e-tron, but the Q3 feels worthy of its posh image.
Everything you touch feels soft and yielding, and this range-topper has racy Alcantara on the dashboard and door tops. There are loads of nice touches as well. The rubber mats in the door bins stop things rattling around, and the central armrest has a solid hinge which makes it feel expensive.
However, it’s not all good news. What is going on with that massive bezel around the touchscreen? It looks like a first-generation iPad. I don’t like the digital driver’s display all that much either – it looks a bit squashed and the rev counter is tiny.
At least the central screen is nice and easy to use. Alright, so I’d prefer to have physical buttons for the climate control. But the ledge in front of the screen makes it easy to rest your hand while you prod away at the temperature settings.
And Audi is finally innovating again with the Q3, because it has new column stalks which are like no other car out there. They’re these little nubs which stick out of a panel behind the steering wheel. On one side is your gear selector, and this is the best place for it when you’re flicking between drive and reverse in a tight car park.
On the other side you have buttons for your front and rear windscreen washers, a knob for the wipers and your indicators all in one neat package. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve learned your way around it’s a great solution which puts all these controls at your fingertips.
Driving the Audi Q3 – where this car stands out against Chinese alternatives
So the new Audi Q3 looks the part from some angles, and the interior is a proper return to form. But how does this car drive? After all, a lot of Chinese SUVs look and feel premium for a lot less cash, but they’re pretty disappointing out on the road. This is where a German car should set itself apart.
Well I’m happy to say that the Audi Q3 is lovely to drive. The car I’m in has the 2.0-litre petrol engine with 265hp and all-wheel drive, and it’s quick enough to beat hot hatches off the line.
As soon as I set off, my 25 years experience as a motoring journalist told me that this is a car which has been set up by a company which has spent decades perfecting the way a car drives.
This Q3 Edition 1 has the lower, stiffer sports suspension and adaptive dampers, and this makes it surprisingly fun to chuck through corners. It does feel a little bit stiff over bumps, but not uncomfortably so. If you want maximum comfort, you can get the standard suspension setup which is a bit softer.
On the motorway it feels secure, stable and comfy, and all cars get acoustic glass as standard to keep the noise out. It’s decent around town as well, although a BMW X1 does have a slightly tighter turning circle.
It feels like a car you can trust, because it always does exactly what you expect it to. The steering, brakes and throttle response are all spot-on, as opposed to something like a Jaecoo 7 which wobbles about over bumps and never really feels settled.
My final verdict on the new Audi Q3 – an Audi I can recommend
On paper, the new Audi Q3 doesn’t make a huge amount of sense. It’s a small SUV which can nudge £60,000, and there are alternatives which do a similar thing for less money.
But this is the first new Audi in a while which feels properly expensive inside compared to the competition, and it drives exactly as you’d want a German car to. It’s not a wobbly box, and it’s quite good fun.
If you want a premium-feeling compact SUV, the new Q3 is an Audi I can finally recommend again. You should probably go for the more sensible and economical 1.5-litre petrol version, but I’d want this 265hp 2.0-litre engine for the added power.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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