Audi Q3 45 TFSI quattro 2019 first drive

As refined and versatile as the new Audi Q3 was when we first drove it last year, its entry-grade petrol engine felt at odds with its newly gained premium ethos.

Here was a car that had grown in size to make room in Audi’s burgeoning range for the Audi Q2 and in the process gained a tech-focused interior partly distilled from the Audi A8 limousine. And yet it was saddled with a 1.5-litre turbo four-pot that only just felt up to the task.

The new 45 TFSI aims to set that right, with the same 2.0-litre turbo engine that powers a multitude of other Volkswagen Group models, including the venerable Volkswagen Golf GTI. Tuned here to deliver 227bhp and 258lb ft, it's partnered with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive. The combination should give the Q3 more of an edge over the increasing list of premium ‘soft-roader’ SUVs, which includes the Volvo XC40, BMW X2 and new Range Rover Evoque.

The 45 TFSI is available in range-topping Vorsprung edition or the S line trim tested here, which gets you 19in alloy wheels, a sportier bodykit and lowered suspension, augmented in our test car by optional adaptive dampers. It retains the expansive and well-appointed interior of the base Q3, complete with digital instrument display and sizeable central infotainment screen.

The 45 TFSI is far more confidence-inspiring than the 35 TFSI when you go searching for pace with your right foot, thanks to a four-cylinder engine that’s keener to rev and able to deliver its power with far greater urgency. It manages the 0-62mph sprint in a healthy 6.3sec, making for decidedly brisker progress, with significant shove delivered above 3000rpm.

Yet it’s still perfectly relaxed at cruising speeds, aided by electronically controlled dampers that deliver a fluent and relaxed ride over smooth surfaces but don’t make you feel entirely disconnected from the Tarmac. Less forgiving roads can still upset that balance, though, with the large wheels transferring potholes more noticeably inside.

Dynamic driving mode can’t completely eliminate that familiar SUV body roll, but it does help the car hunker down and deliver a consistent, if not quite engaging, ride. There’s always an abundance of grip, which may not lend the Q3 much in the way of driver appeal but does let you carry an impressive rate of speed through corners. The handling is largely calculated and predictable, with quick and accurate steering that doesn’t improve as the various driving modes add more artificial weight to proceedings.