Audi Q3 : Official Review

[virkdoc]

And we here in Chandigarh are even more luckier.....its 4% of the price as registration charges, insurance was an odd 80,000.
Went to see it today in flesh and wow what a cracker, loved the quality and interiors....the X1 seemed shoddy in comparison, and even the rear space was decent...dont know why the complaining, i am 6.1 and I first adjusted the front seat and then moved into the rear seat, my knees were just grazing the front seats which isnt bad at all.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by virkdoc

And we here in Chandigarh are even more luckier.....its 4% of the price as registration charges, insurance was an odd 80,000.
Went to see it today in flesh and wow what a cracker, loved the quality and interiors....the X1 seemed shoddy in comparison, and even the rear space was decent...dont know why the complaining, i am 6.1 and I first adjusted the front seat and then moved into the rear seat, my knees were just grazing the front seats which isnt bad at all.

Yes. Audi really knows how to get their interiors etc to top motch execution levels. BMW by contrast feels engineered to a cost. Indeed I would rate both VW and Skoda too, very high on their interior quality. The BMW X1 really feels cheap in comparison.

All you chaps up north are lucky that your taxes are so reasonable. Karnataka is the most expensive by far and has the poorest roads and infrastructure too, despite all those taxes they take from us!

[barua]

Originally Posted by malgudi

Here is the pricing that i received

This pricing looks incorrect, way to high. Which city ? Who provided the quote ?

Mumbai onroad is 32 and 38 and I don't think there is any city in India where cars can be more expensive :(

[S350L-E240]

Not going off topic but I do hope you are only referring to the X1? Because over all a BMW is equally and in some areas much better built, but to avoid going off topic just needed to ask you,

Coming to the point X1 too in it's high variant (Cool Elegance) had a pretty good interior for it's time 3 years ago,

Regards,

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Yes. Audi really knows how to get their interiors etc to top motch execution levels. BMW by contrast feels engineered to a cost.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

Not going off topic but I do hope you are only referring to the X1? Because over all a BMW is equally and in some areas much better built, but to avoid going off topic just needed to ask you,

Coming to the point X1 too in it's high variant (Cool Elegance) had a pretty good interior for it's time 3 years ago,

Regards,

Certainly I am referring very specifically to the X1 as encountered at BMW Bangalore. I will say the same of the 3 Series that I encountered at the same place. To me the Audi A4 feels far far better engineered and the interiors are significantly better.

I will go so far as to say bluntly that according to me, the VW Jetta, Passat, Skoda Laura, Superb and my little Yeti too have better interiors than the X1 and the 3 series Beemers.

[Anand123]

The first lot of CBU imports must be loaded with all the available options and hence taking the on-road price above 40Lakhs.

[Turbanator]

To me the Audi A4 feels far far better engineered and the interiors are significantly better.

I will agree with interiors comment but as pointed by S350 it will not be fair to compare given the difference in age , once you will see the new 3 series maybe you will change your views , but better engineered I doubt specially considering the number of components Audi share with VW & Skoda .

[akshay1234]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

To me the Audi A4 feels far far better engineered and the interiors are significantly better.

I will go so far as to say bluntly that according to me, the VW Jetta, Passat, Skoda Laura, Superb and my little Yeti too have better interiors than the X1 and the 3 series Beemers.

The interiors feeling better are one thing, but what makes you say its better engineered?

I own a Laura, and in no way are the interiors better than my BMW, the BMW may have more simple interiors but definitely has more quality, everything from the indicator stalks to the leather used.

[shankar.balan]

Before you all get angry, the operative words here are "feels" better.

I am NOT at all an expert on entry luxury cars or even what I would call privilege/ prestige motors like these. I ve only driven a few and as a consumer/ user this is what I felt.

Why I said that the Skoda interiors felt better is that I felt (in the X1 particularly) that they have made some compromises here and there. Frankly this is NOT a scientific postulation - just a "feeling" that I got when I sat in that vehicle. I disliked the X1 and 3 series on account of them somehow making me feel squeezed in or hemmed in.

By contrast, I got a very good feel in the Audi A4's that I recently rented on holiday. Great vehicles. Standard multi tronic AT boxes but pretty responsive. Very nice to drive. Excellent handling characteristics. Brilliant and precise "point and shoot" steering. Great steering feedback, even in the longer A4 "Wagon". Lovely looks. A sort of controlled aggression in their stance and beautiful alloy wheels and things. Nice feel inside. Generously equipped, good interiors and plenty of space for me, my wife and our stuff. Didnt feel hemmed in like I did in the BMW's. Pretty decent mileage too from my experience.

I somehow prefer the looks of the Audi to the Beemer.
Maybe this has something to do with the 4 circles and equally maybe it is just that the BMW is quite a common car here.

But I will also say that I love the look, feel and everything about the 1980's and 1990's BMWs and even the Mercedes of those years. I find the newer designs of the 2000's not-so-great.

By contrast, I dislike the Audis of the 1980's and 1990's. I only like the Audis of the 2000's and of course the really OLD ones - when they were still racing etc.

One more thing - I found the A4, BMW 3 and all these cars really very low indeed to get in and get out of, after years and years of using SUV type vehicles. I found the X1 nice to hop in and out of, like my Yeti.

I also find the Q5 very nice as is the Q3 - in terms of everything about them. However, I find the Q5 very expensive and the Q3 just a bit short-ish in terms of vehicle height.

But clearly as of now, the Audi Q3 along with the Volvo XC60 are the only two vehicles as of now, which are currently available in India, that I would aspire to upgrade to, sometime. Price is certainly a big consideration, but no harm in dreaming a bit! The X1 just doesnt have the same level of desirability for me.

Until I can actually afford to own any of these toys, I shall content myself by renting them for my use whenever I go on holiday outside of India.

(I guess with the present trends of lux-prestige motor sales, it is only a matter of time before some really good examples of well kept, pre-owned/ used Prestige motors become commonly available at easily achievable prices.)

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I will agree with interiors comment but as pointed by S350 it will not be fair to compare given the difference in age , once you will see the new 3 series maybe you will change your views , but better engineered I doubt specially considering the number of components Audi share with VW & Skoda .

Originally Posted by akshay1234

The interiors feeling better are one thing, but what makes you say its better engineered?

I own a Laura, and in no way are the interiors better than my BMW, the BMW may have more simple interiors but definitely has more quality, everything from the indicator stalks to the leather used.

[akshay1234]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Before you all get angry, the operative words here are "feels" better.

I am NOT at all an expert on entry luxury cars or even what I would call privilege/ prestige motors like these. I ve only driven a few and as a consumer/ user this is what I felt.

Why I said that the Skoda interiors felt better is that I felt (in the X1 particularly) that they have made some compromises here and there. Frankly this is NOT a scientific postulation - just a "feeling" that I got when I sat in that vehicle. I disliked the X1 and 3 series on account of them somehow making me feel squeezed in or hemmed in.

By contrast, I got a very good feel in the Audi A4's that I recently rented on holiday. Great vehicles. Standard multi tronic AT boxes but pretty responsive. Very nice to drive. Excellent handling characteristics. Brilliant and precise "point and shoot" steering. Great steering feedback, even in the longer A4 "Wagon". Lovely looks. A sort of controlled aggression in their stance and beautiful alloy wheels and things. Nice feel inside. Generously equipped, good interiors and plenty of space for me, my wife and our stuff. Didnt feel hemmed in like I did in the BMW's. Pretty decent mileage too from my experience.

One more thing - I found the A4, BMW 3 and all these cars really very low indeed to get in and get out of, after years and years of using SUV type vehicles. I found the X1 nice to hop in and out of, like my Yeti.

No ones getting angry Sir, just a healthy discussion. The operative words "feels better" were used only for the engineering of Audi cars. And you bluntly said Skodas interiors are better.

I hope you are not saying you feel Audis are engineered better, just because their interiors feel better than BMWs. Now don't get me wrong, I am an Audi fan too, but I don't think we can safely say any of the 3 German marquees are engineered any better than the other. After all each of them spends billions of products in product development.

As for the X1, I agree BMW has made some compromise on the plastic quality, and it is possible you find your Skodas interiors better. But the Skoda cannot match up to the overall build quality of the BMW. Also just another thought, are you comparing your Yeti to the corporate editions, with artificial leather and missing many frills, or to the highline versions?

The feeling of sitting low, "hemmed in" as you say, is personal opinion. I for one like it. No doubt the Yeti, and the Laura feels more airy compared to the X1 and the 3.

Renting the A4 must have been fun, which engine was it? Sir if you found the Audis steering to be point and shoot with great feedback, I wonder what you think of a BMWs . But yes the A4s interiors do reek more quality than the 3, and the same for the Q3 compared to the X1. But comparing Skodas to the top of the line 3 and X1 isn't fair.

If I remember correctly, I was one of the first people who had suggested you buy a Yeti, seeing as you had a Scorpio earlier.

Anyway back on topic, I find the Q3 is probably going to do very well, even more so once it becomes CKD and the prices come down. The pricing is pretty good, and it offers more than the X1 for a cheaper price. Especially the Quattro part, which will allow it to do a certain amount of off/rough roading. I just wish there were memory seats in this car, that is just unforgivable on Audis part, but it may be due to the platform since even the Yeti nor the Tiguan seem to offer it anywhere.

[S350L-E240]

Hello Sir,

Not angry at all, Just needed to clear this whole air of general statements which claim Audi is better than others in Interior quality is only a perception, honestly what Audi does is add a lot of garnish only, but when it comes to build quality I can assure you all Joints / Engineering parts of the build are equally or in some areas better in BMW.

You also must understand the 3 series is completely out of the market now, and do pass your judgement once you see the new 3, and even if we talk about the old 3, yes it may look simple but I do not think saying it's not well engineered is correct, X1 itself is well built but feels cheap in the Corp. Ed. Also do understand BMW had the last 3 years without anyone else globally in the X1 segment so it helped them sell a lot and make share holders happy too, and now with Q3 and Mercedes also coming in their facelift does improve upon a lot of areas,

And before going completely off topic, Audi has an advantage of volumes of scale, where half their costs are down as parts are shared across the VW group models, it's an advantage but also has it's cons. Anyways let's end this debate, my point is feel of quality is a lot different compared to claiming not engineered well. Also I think others in this thread have already explained in detail the quality perception.

Sit in the 5 and the A6, entire centre console near the gearshift of A6 feels nasty plastic but in BMW it's nicely done double stitched leather.

Back to Q3, I messaged so many T-Bhpian's when I got to experience it that it's a great hatchback.

Some points on the Q3,

1. Dealers have no clue on the base model.
2. They need to stop using that Orange as a display color.
3. All models panorama roof is optional.
4. CKD will only bring your On-Road cost lower and not Ex-Showroom as Audi is absorbing the duty until CKD comes in.

Regards,

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

To me the Audi A4 feels far far better engineered and the interiors are significantly better.

I will go so far as to say bluntly that according to me, the VW Jetta, Passat, Skoda Laura, Superb and my little Yeti too have better interiors than the X1 and the 3 series Beemers.

[shankar.balan]

Hello Akshay and S350L-E240.

Yup, I like the Skoda interiors quite a lot and I love the greater sense of space plus the high stance/ seating position.

Yes, I think the X1 and 320 D I saw were the Corporate editions which we all know are not so great and perhaps this is thus, not a fair comparo.

I love Audi's handling, not least because a large chap like me can fit nicely in the car and thus appreciate its handling all the more.

In the Beemer I find I m so hemmed in and things keep poking me here and there which detracts from the enjoyment of the steering and handling.

Im one of those who needs to be completely comfy inside a car before I can get to the handling bits. Being physically quite long and wide, this can be a bit of a challenge in the snugger fitting automobiles. (Maybe this is only psychological and maybe those particular Beemers that I saw and sat in and so on, were not adjusted perfectly for me, I dont know!)

Having said this, the Q3 is a BRILLIANT machine. Just the right size, very comfortable to sit in, get in and out of. It has a really lovely design (some one said Q5 x 75- 80% and he was pretty bang on), beautiful looks and just perfect for my kind of needs. The price at 44 lacs for the higher version 2 litre TDi, is way way expensive though, despite the Quattro etc.

My grouse is that this vehicle would be purchased in the same trim for the equivalent of about 30 lacs on road in Eur, UK or Aus so paying out the extra 14 lacs for the privilege of buying one in India, seems to me, rather excessive. However, for those who have the budget, one can pay a downpayment of 13.5 lacs and sign off on a monthly EMI of 65000 odd and drive away in the vehicle! Once the CKD happens, I guess the price could reduce a few lacs? Even if we have to pay a premium of 5-6 lacs over the International pricing, that would be ok, but NOT a premium of 14 lacs!

I went and fiddled with the Q3 at Audi Bangalore yesterday morning - spent a reasonable amount of time with it and I find it a perfect potential upgrade from the Yeti, whenever the time is right. It is like an A3 hatchback on stilts. Its just one half size bigger than the Yeti and is simply brilliant overall - like wearing a 10.5 shoe vs 11 Size - I like 11 Size for comfort! Excellent boot space and I am sure it will pass my golf bag test from my visual inspection. 450-460 litre boot is perfectly fine. The rear parcel shelf which slides/ slots in is a good thing, compared with the Yeti where it hooks on to the hatch door. I wish though, that the Q3 parcel shelf was of that retractable nylon type like the Subaru Forester etc. Having said this, the load bearing capacity of the current Q3 shelf is likely to be better.

I love the fact that one can get Black interiors with the Q3 in the Silver Metallic colour. I love that MMI interface which pops up! The paint quality is delicious and I also love the texture of leathers used in it and I absolutely LOVE the brushed aluminium mesh trims for the insides.A good thing is the 7 speed S Tronic gearbox. No DSG in this Q3 it seems! Electronic Parking brake is very handy and easy. Good invention. Cruise control is also greatly appreciated. One more thing I could NOT find was the iPod jack and the salesman didnt know where it was - I need to peer closely at the brochure.

Indeed the 2 different Audi A4 1.8 TSi AT Multitronic - regular and wagon types, that I rented in Australia didnt have iPod connectivity at all so we listened to cd and radio most of the time - which frankly wasnt so bad because the music stations there are pretty nice from my perspective - constantly playing 1970's-80's Jazz like Grover Washington and classic rock like Little River Band and so on.

The vehicle is very very much like the VW Tiguan but of course a notch or three above, in terms of everything inside etc. Even the paint job shrieks quality at you.

I totally agree they should stop banging on with that orange specimen and focus on one of the quieter colours instead. The greys and silvers etc look mean, purposeful and seem filled with a quiet menace and aggression, even when sitting still.

This is without a doubt, destined to be a runaway hit in India - it will surely outsell the X1's of the world, not least because it looks better, but because it offers so much more for a reasonable price differential, not least, the Quattro!

Another 6 months to one year and we will see a large number of these buzzing around, no doubt. The initial ration of 50 No's to Audi BLR are already booked out. 40 are already pre-booked / part-paid so if anyone wants one from the remaining 10 that are left, they need to waddle along to the dealership fairly quickly, clutching their chequebooks and fountain pens!

All in all, to me, a bl**dy good car!

Another good thing is that 3-5 years from now there will be a reasonable number of used examples of all these vehicles - the Q5, Q3 etc, readily available and can be (Im sure) snapped up at relatively reasonable prices - say 35-40% cheaper than right now?

But there is a certain joy in buying brand new - my slight regret is that while I absolutely love that Q3, I dont seem to be able to be an early adopter in these matters, am only able to follow along a little later!

ENdit!
==========

[vb-san]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I love Audi's handling, not least because a large chap like me can fit nicely in the car and thus appreciate its handling all the more.

In the Beemer I find I m so hemmed in and things keep poking me here and there which detracts from the enjoyment of the steering and handling.

I guess each of these German biggies have its own strengths, and often bring in polarized opinions. And in majority of the cases, the fanbase is mutually exclusive

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Having said this, the Q3 is a BRILLIANT machine. Just the right size, very comfortable to sit in, get in and out of. It has a really lovely design (some one said Q5 x 75- 80% and he was pretty bang on), beautiful looks and just perfect for my kind of needs. The price at 44 lacs for the higher version 2 litre TDi, is way way expensive though, despite the Quattro etc.

I can see signs of falling in love here

In the initial pages of this thread, Anshuman (who has driven both the Yeti and Q3) mentioned that, with the Yeti you will get 90% of what Q3 delivers at twice the price. So in effect, you are already driving a Q3 at half the price (almost).

[Behemoth]

Hi Everyone,

Just came across a micro website for the Audi Q3 in India on the link Audi Q3
They have also uploaded a nice music video featuring John Abraham and there is some contest where users can create their own music video and upload it.

From there you can download the brochure (I am not uploading it here as it is 7.8 MB).
http://www.audi-q3.in/downloads/audi_q3_brochure.pdf

The detailed features and specs are mentioned in the brochure.
To me, it certainly seems a good deal and is really drool worthy! Like Shankar I am also getting inclined to make this my next car (maybe in 2-3 years!).

Regards,
Behemoth

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

To me, it certainly seems a good deal and is really drool worthy! Like Shankar I am also getting inclined to make this my next car (maybe in 2-3 years!).

At the time of media test drive, Michael Perschke, head of Audi India mentioned a person upgrading from Skoda Yeti is the kind the customer to whom this car will appeal. And we already have 2 Yeti owners here who have expressed their desire to upgrade to Q3 someday.