2026 Audi Q3 Sportback ahead of Aussie debut next year
Swoopier take on popular small Audi SUV also grows in size and scores new PHEV option with 118km EV rangeThe News
The 2026 Audi Q3 Sportback has been revealed ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in the first half of next year, offering buyers a more stylish take on the firm’s small SUV.
The Key Details
- New-generation coupe-SUV borrows styling cues from the latest A6
- Gains Audi’s new steering wheel control unit in lieu of traditional stalks
- New PHEV version blends 200kW with impressive 118km EV range
- Australian sales to kick off in H2 2026
- Pricing likely to begin at more than $60,000
The Finer Details
A sleeker, sportier-looking take on the 2026 Audi Q3 has been unveiled, with the new Q3 Sportback set to line up alongside the Q3 wagon when Australian sales start in the first half of next year.
Claimed to feature a roofline 29mm lower than the wagon, the new Q3 Sportback coupe-SUV is predictably more aerodynamic but still manages to offer the same boot capacity (488L), though total cargo space with the second row stowed falls to from 1386 litres to 1289 litres.
Clearly inspired by the latest A6 Avant, the third-generation Q3 Sportback gets a pair of slimline LED headlamps and a rear light bar that includes an illuminated rear badge.
Within, it shares the same cabin as the Q3 wagon, headlined by a 12.8-inch infotainment screen – running Android Automotive – and an 11.9-inch instrument cluster.
What’s missing is a pair of conventional stalks for the wipers and indicators; in their place is a ‘steering wheel control unit’ incorporating the wiper, lights and indicator controls.
The right-side control unit is where you’ll find the gear selector which in turn frees up space for cupholders and a wireless charging pad on the centre console.
Under the bonnet you’ll find the same electrified powertrains as the Q3 wagon, with entry-level versions sporting a 110kW, mild hybrid 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.
There’s also a 110kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, two versions (150kW, 195kW) of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 200kW plug-in hybrid that blends the 1.5-turbo with an 85kW e-motor and a 25.7kWh battery that sees the Q3 Sportback travel up to 118km in EV mode on the WLTP test cycle.
Backing up its sporty looks, the new Q3 Sportback benefits from new two-stage dampers that improve both comfort and agility.
The Road Ahead
The 2026 Audi Q3 Sportback is set to land in Australia in the first half of next year with a range of electrified powertrains that should see it leap to the top of its class in the premium compact SUV segment.
European pricing starts from €46,450 ($A84,000) – €1850 ($A3300) more than the Q3 SUV which is said to represent a 13 per cent increase over the SUV it replaces.
Related: 2026 Audi Q3 makes global debut
Related: Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line 2021 Review
Related: Audi RS Q3 2021 Review
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