Mat’s Car of the Day: the Audi Q3 is a brilliant posh SUV, but there’s only one way you should buy one

When I reviewed the new Audi Q3 earlier this year, I was relieved. Why? Because Audi used to be a brand I recommended to everyone, but some of its recent cars have been a bit dull, and feel a touch cheap inside. I’m looking at you, A6 e-tron.

But the Q3 felt like a proper return to form. It’s brilliant to drive, feels expensive inside and it looks desirable – from some angles at least. It’s an Audi which I can recommend, but only if you buy it a certain way.

It’s quite expensive for a car of this size, so you really need to think about whether you lease one, get it on PCP finance or buy it outright. I’ve crunched some numbers to help you get the best deal possible.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Buying an Audi Q3: cash vs leasing vs finance

I reckon the best Audi Q3 to go for is the S Line with the 1.5-litre, 150hp petrol engine. This will cost you £42,515 from Audi, but through Carwow you can get it for £38,800 at the time of writing.

Let’s say you keep the car for four years, and in that time you cover 40,000 miles. According to Cap HPI, an industry body for used car valuations, your Q3 will be worth around £19,700 at a dealer if you keep it in good condition.

So if you bought it in cash from Audi, you’d lose just under £23,000 in depreciation. If you got a deal through Carwow, you’d be around £19,000 down.

The Q3 also costs more than £40,000, so you’ll get hit with the luxury car tax supplement. This means you’ll pay almost £3,300 in tax over four years.

But let’s face it, not many people have 40 grand lying around to drop on a car. Chances are you’ll want to spread the cost. Audi offers PCP finance on this car at 8.4% APR, so this Q3 will cost you £557 per month over four years, with an upfront payment of £5,400. That works out to £32,100 in total if you hand the car back at the end, or £52,000 if you fork out the optional balloon payment to keep it, plus the road tax.

Now let’s look at leasing, because I think this is the most sensible way to buy a new Audi Q3. The same S Line version with the 1.5-litre engine is available through Carwow for £426 per month, with an upfront payment of £5,405. This is over four years and 40,000 miles.

So in total, leasing this car will cost you £25,420. Tax is also included in the cost of leasing, saving you that £3,000 over four years.

There you have it then. Unless you buy in cash through Carwow, leasing is the most cost-effective way to buy a new Audi Q3.

Why should you buy an Audi Q3? Three cool things

There are lots of reasons why I’d recommend the Audi Q3. Here are three of the best.

1. It’s brilliant to drive

There are lots of Chinese SUVs on the market these days, such as the Jaecoo 7, which offer similar space, interior quality and tech to the Q3, but for less cash. However, those cars just can’t match the Audi out on the road.

The Q3 feels planted through the bends, the steering is accurate and nicely weighted and it can even be fun when you want it to be. It reacts to your inputs exactly how you’d expect it to, which gives you real confidence behind the wheel.

2. The interior is great

I mentioned above that some of the latest Audis feel a bit cheap inside, but the new Q3 is as posh as you’d expect a German SUV to be. Everything feels really solid, and there are plenty of soft-touch materials as well.

I also love Audi’s new steering column stalks. They may look a bit odd at first, like flat paddles behind the wheel, but they’re really intuitive and keep all the main controls at your fingertips.

3. It looks smart

I reckon this new Q3 looks pretty good, especially from the rear. I love the cool light design, and you can customise the LED patterns from the screen. There are no fake exhaust pipes either, which makes a nice change.

It does look a bit anonymous from the front though, with the smooth curves making it blend in, but it’s still a posh-looking thing.

Three annoying things about the new Audi Q3

It’s not all good news, here are three things which annoy me about the new Audi Q3.

1. The naff digital driver’s display

Audi used to make the best digital driver’s displays, but the one you get in the Q3 is among the worst. Not only are the graphics dark, it’s also really thin with huge bezels. It’s like looking at your driving information through a letterbox.

2. Mean optional extras

This is an expensive car, and yet you have to pay extra for quite a few basic features. The car I tested had nets on the seatbacks, a rear cupholder, a locking glovebox, a light in the boot and some extra storage areas. Seems pretty basic, right? Well those features are all part of a £305 Function Pack.

3. Glitchy infotainment screen

I’m not a fan of the big black surround on the infotainment screen, and it also freaked out on me a few times while I was testing the car. It would hang up a phone call, but think I was still in it and freeze. I then had to pull over, lock the car and come back once it had calmed down.

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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