Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line 2021 Review
All the features of Audi’s admirable Q3 are here in a stylish package at an affordable price. What’s not to like?The Germans are kindling their own love affair with chopped-roof SUVs, a type of vehicle that has drawn fire in some parts of the world – like Australia, for instance – for being uglier and less practical than the donor design, and for a common misnomer for this type of vehicle: ‘coupe’. Audi has cleverly side-stepped two of these issues for its Q3 Sportback by embracing attractive design and not naming the car the ‘Audi Q3 Coupe’. With the circa-$50K 35 TFSI S line model, the Q3 Sportback has value on its side too.
Annoying orange?
Not everyone was enamoured of the Pulse Orange paintwork of our 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line test vehicle, but it is a visually arresting colour, no doubt about it.
And due to that bold colour, combined with its 19-inch alloy wheels, its squat stance and ‘fastback’ styling, the Audi looks more expensive than it actually is.
In standard form the Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line is priced from $51,100 plus on-road costs, however a few options on our tester pushed up the price a little, including a 20-spoke design of 19-inch alloy wheel ($500) and the Pulse Orange paint – a solid colour but still an option costing $600.
As standard, this Q3 variant comes equipped with five-spoke 19-inch alloys, an S line exterior styling pack, a powered tailgate with gesture control, keyless entry/start, Virtual Cockpit with 10.25-inch instrument display, 10.1-inch infotainment touch-screen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, digital radio and partial leather upholstery.
Warranty coverage is three years/unlimited kilometres and the service intervals are 12 months or 15,000km.
Light on for vision
Six airbags are standard in the 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line, which inherits the five-star ANCAP safety rating of the high-roof Q3 from 2018.
Driver assist and active safety features fitted as standard in the Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and lane change assist, plus rear cross traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, reversing camera, adaptive LED headlights and tyre pressure monitoring.
The forward collision warning worked to specification when another vehicle slowly negotiated a left turn in front of the Audi, and without a DEFCON 2-level alarm.
Out on a night-time run through the countryside, the Q3 Sportback’s headlights were bright enough on the low beam setting, and the high beam was, naturally, better still, but there’s no auto high beam assist.
The entry-level Q3 Sportback tested lacks both the high beam assist and all-round view cameras of the upmarket 40 TFSI quattro variant that’s priced from $63,050 plus ORCs.
We’ve seen both those features present in models from mainstream brands, and in the Audi Q3 Sportback we’d rate each of them – at the very least – as a ‘nice to have’, for the sake of convenience as much as safety.
Powertrain up to the task
In line with the current trend to smaller engines, the 1.4-litre four-cylinder under the bonnet of the 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line produces a healthy load of turbocharged torque for holding higher gears on hills and delivering lively acceleration around town.
It’s not a demanding powerplant, but nor is it extremely powerful, although it is refined and quite pleasant to the ear when it’s working harder.
At 100km/h the four-cylinder revs at just under 2000rpm, with some induction noise accompanying the light road noise, but there’s little to no vibration evident.
Over the course of our test drive, the Q3 Sportback posted a fuel economy figure of 7.7L/100km, which is commendably close to the official figure of 7.3L/100km. That was indicative of what the Audi could do around town, even without an idle-stop system to save fuel at the lights.
Coupled to the engine is a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (‘S tronic’) which is occasionally slow to respond from a standing start and won’t shift down on hills unless you press the brake pedal for a few seconds, but it does shift down promptly when used sequentially – with the lever, as there are no shift paddles.
The transmission will change up a cog at the redline (6200rpm) or slightly before that, in fact, even in manual mode.
All in all, the Q3 Sportback’s powertrain is a competent example of 21st century engineering, and will suit the needs of target buyers – especially urban commuters and young families.
Being able to meet that brief in a nicely packaged SUV for around $50,000 is a minor triumph.
Kids outgrow a low roofline
As attractive as the 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback is, its slippery styling does come at a cost. My son, who is now an adult and over 180cm tall (but still dependent on his parents for transport), found the headroom in the rear to be marginal – or worse than marginal, in fact.
He had no problem with the rear seat legroom though, and the Audi’s triple-split folding rear seat slides forward and aft to optimise legroom or luggage space, depending on need, as well as reclining for passenger comfort.
The seats also lock into place when lowered, for a flush loading floor all the way through. This liberates more space in the boot, which already has a volume of 530 litres with the rear seats raised.
A space-saver spare under the floor contributes to that luggage capacity, and the Q3 Sportback is easy to load with its standard powered tailgate, featuring gesture control.
There are adjustable vents in the rear, but no separate climate control, which is understandable in a vehicle at this price. Passengers back there have a couple of USB-C ports for recharging portable devices.
Up forward, the Q3 Sportback’s driving position is essentially faultless, even down to the thumb holds on the steering wheel. Slightly more reach adjustment for the steering column would be welcome.
The front seats provide comfort and support for longer drives, without being aggressively tight around the back and rump. Audi’s praiseworthy Virtual Cockpit is standard in the test vehicle and all the controls are easy to use and located where they should be.
On the road, the Q3 Sportback delivers handling that may come as a surprise. Knowing that this SUV is a front-wheel drive might bring with that knowledge an expectation that the Audi will push through corners with the power applied.
On the contrary, even with the right foot firmly planted, the Q3 will nose in towards the apex.
Riding on Hungarian-manufactured Hankook Ventus 235/50R19 tyres, the Audi offers roadholding that’s pretty commendable, and the Q3 Sportback’s spring rates are appropriately set for an optimal blend of ride comfort and dynamic ability.
The car’s dampers are spot on too, for much the same reason. They keep the Q3 settled over larger bumps and undulations in the surface of country roads without pounding the occupants into submission.
What’s not to like?
The Audi Q3, including the Sportback variants, is currently the top-selling premium small SUV in Australia, outselling the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLA, BMW X1 and Volvo XC40.
The 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback is adding incremental sales to the Q3, and deservedly so. It’s an attractive and sophisticated model that doesn’t resemble a Dinky toy.
There’s value in it for the price, it’s practical as well as comfortable, and it’s easy and rewarding to drive. Definitely worth a closer look.
How much does the 2021 Audi Q3 Sportback 35 TFSI S line cost?
Price: $51,100 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)
Related: Audi Q3 Sportback priced from $50K
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Related: Audi Q3 Sportback 2020 Video Review
Related: Audi Q3 Sportback 40 TFSI quattro S line 2021 Review
Related: Audi Q3 Sportback 2020 Review – Local Launch
Related: Audi Q3 Sportback 2019 Review – International
Related: Audi Q3 35 TFSI 2020 Review
- Driving dynamics: steering response and handling
- Ergonomic driving position and all-round comfort
- Suitable power delivery and fuel economy for urban commuting
- Some features missing from the specification: auto high beam assist and idle-stop
- Headroom in the rear is restrictive for taller adults
- Three-year warranty is not an industry-leading example
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