Audi RS Q3 2014 Review

It's not the most scientific performance test, but it made me smile, and not many SUVs have elicited a similar response.

Powered by a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that's seen use in a number of special Audis up to this point, including the TT RS, the RS Q3 goes off like a frog in a sock.

Peak torque of 420Nm builds early, from barely above idle (1500rpm) thanks to a great big turbocharger that gives the car incredible hustle. So even before you've hit 40km/h, the car is honking along eagerly.

It races to 100km/h from standstill in a rapid-fire 5.2 seconds, and has an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h.

The powerplant creates an inimitable sound, that's equal parts drone and thump. It's so addictive that it's difficult not to gas it sometimes. It revs cleanly to 7000rpm and gargles loudly between ultra-sharp gearshifts via the seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission.

Combine these elements with almost-unflappable (quattro) all-wheel drive traction and you're bombarded with feel-good stimuli that is rarely, if ever, possible in an SUV.

The gearbox is responsive when the paddle shift mode is engaged; shifts are incomprehensibly prompt and the control the driver has over the engine is sublime. The same cannot be said of the self-shifting mode when you're going at it hammer and tong, carving your way up a mountain pass, which feels unresponsive in comparison.

After a few days behind the wheel of the RS Q3, mainly commuting, I was underwhelmed with the car. It was fun, and sonorous, and was easy to live with in the city thanks to its not-too-firm ride quality. But it wasn't until I found some challenging corners (and the absence of traffic) that the SUV really flourished.

Relying on stiffer, more response suspension that drops its ride height by 25mm (compared to normal models), the RS Q3 is startlingly quick through corners, with resolute grip.

At first it feels too tall to be true Audi RS model, but trust it and the nuggety little freak will get your adrenaline pumping. It generates a huge amount of grip under acceleration, its wider track and 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 255/40 R19 tyres maintaining excellent contact with the road.

Smash the loud pedal and the RS Q3 hooks in so hard it's unbelievable at first, tracking through corners as though it's on rails. It's a lot of fun on dirt roads too, behaving predictably on and off the throttle, and able to soak up bumps better than an RS 3 or RS 4.

The car's front end will push wide in tighter corners, the car's chubby 1730kg kerb weight doing it no favours. But even when things don't go to plan the chassis never leaves you out in the cold, always trying to please the driver via clever engineering or high-tech electronics. Often both.

The brakes are rock solid, providing superb deceleration with even a half mash of the brake pedal. Gargantuan eight-piston calipers chomp down fiercely on big 365mm discs. So fierce in fact, they're almost too touchy for regular traffic.

That's what it can do.

What it can't do is tackle serious off-road trails or wade through deep water, and I think a track day or two would leave owners wondering whether they should've bought a hot hatch.

You'd also have to be a die-hard Audi-phile (or not want to wait several months in queue) to want an RS Q3 when the Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 is cheaper, lighter, and faster.

Furthermore, this vehicle doesn't feel like an RS when you get in it – and it should.

I drove the entry-level Q3 not long before the RS Q3 and the differences are negligible. You get a flat-bottom steering wheel, alloy pedals, black door inserts and few other overt visual updates, but the cheaply designed HVAC controls are still there, and the sooner they are banished, the better.

This vehicle is a paradox. It's a soft roader that goes fast. Really fast. You could get a WRX STI for less money that achieves a similar outcome.

Though it's not my cup of tea... I must confess I had a lot of fun driving the RS Q3 and was surprised with how well it charged through corners. The raised ride height is nice and may appeal to family buyers, but for mine it just doesn't feel right and doesn't have enough subtle brilliance to be deserving of the RS badge.

But maybe this is the new paradigm? Perhaps in 20 year's time there'll be more RS SUVs than sports cars…