Audi RS Q3 2021 Review

The 2021 Audi RS Q3 also now comes as a Sportback and looks set to take over the position of the TT RS which will be retired within the next 18 months.

There are plenty of logical reasons why that will happen. For starters, no matter whether it’s the regular wagon or Sportback, its SUV body offers more space than the 2+2 coupe with the ability to seat five and carry a larger load of luggage.

But, even more crucially, it costs considerably less while offering more equipment and similar levels of mind-boggling performance.

As a wagon, the RS Q3 starts at $91,100 plus on-road costs, with the Sportback commanding a $3000 premium exclusively for its swoopy rear-end styling. Whichever way you look at it, both are significantly more accessible than the Audi TT RS which costs from $134,900 plus ORCs.

Both the RS Q3 wagon and Sportback feature the same generous list of standard equipment that includes 21-inch alloy wheels, RS sports exhaust system with gloss black oval tailpipes, RS sport adaptive suspension and variable-ratio steering.

Inside, the cabin cops the full RS treatment with Nappa leather trim with heated front sports seats that feature the signature honeycomb stitching, Alcantara side bolsters and embossed RS logos in the back rest.

The Alcantara treatment is extended across the dash and door inserts too, and there’s contrasting aluminium highlights throughout, along with a flat-bottomed RS sports steering wheel that means business.

Infotainment is taken care of by a central 10.1-inch colour display that includes Audi’s trick Google Earth-based sat-nav as well as DAB+ digital radio, smartphone mirroring and a 680W Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system with 15 speakers.

All of that is linked to the crystal-clear 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit instrument cluster too.

Our Turbo Blue test car was fitted with the optional RS extended design package in blue that colour matches some of the key interior elements to the exterior paint, including the Alcantara arm rests, seat bolsters and dash highlights as well as bringing an Alcantara steering wheel trim with blue stitching and blue edges on the seat belts, among other elements.

The extended package is yours for an extra $2500 in either blue or red while black exterior badges add another $700, piano black interior inlays cost $400 more and the dark double-five-spoke alloys cost $400 more than the standard rims, taking the total price of our test car to $98,100 plus ORCs.

You can go a step further and option carbon-ceramic brakes that will set you back an eye-watering $10,600. But, in reality, you can forget the options list as the RS Q3 is more than adequate in standard trim.

If you’re looking for an alternative to the RS Q3, there are very few direct small SUV rivals that offer the kind of performance it delivers, with the exception being the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 S that costs considerably more (starting at $108,100 plus ORCs) and is exclusively offered only as a wagon.

You can save a few bucks for something like the BMW X2 M35i or the MINI Countryman JCW, but neither are as focused as the Audi.

Considering the Audi RS Q3 was conceived to play a more family-friendly role than the TT RS, it comprehensively covers off the safety aspect with the latest in crash-avoidance technologies.

At its core, the all-wheel drive configuration, sports suspension and wide tyres ensures it has plenty of mechanical grip for better traction in slippery conditions and when avoiding emergency situations.

On top of that, it features Audi’s ‘pre sense front’ system with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that can detect pedestrians and cyclists between 5-85km/h, plus adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality in heavy traffic, lane keeping assistance, rear cross traffic alert and a 360-degree parking camera.

The RS Q3 hasn’t been awarded a specific ANCAP crash test rating owing to its specialist nature, but the regular Audi Q3 achieved a full five-star score in 2018 for all other variants.

There are other hot SUVs out there to rival the 2021 Audi RS Q3, but none offer the kind of intoxicating character and performance delivered by Audi’s iconic 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine.

It’s a cracking engine that not only produces amazing peak outputs of 294kW/480Nm and has the ability to rocket the high-riding hot hatch from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds, but, thanks to its unusual configuration and firing order, it has an unmistakeable soundtrack that isn’t too dissimilar to the R8 supercar’s warbling V10.

With maximum pulling power on tap from as low as 1950rpm right the way through to 5850rpm, this very broad and potent torque range almost negates the need for a gearbox at all. It feels that strong.

But the RS Q3 does employ a slick seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to keep the fuel economy in check, which is officially rated at an average of 8.9L/100km. That’s pretty frugal for the kind of performance it delivers, but I did record a figure closer to 11L/100km during my test drive which, admittedly, did include a couple of hot laps on our test track.

It would be amiss not to mention the installation of Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel drive system that is arguably the benchmark of its type and helps to transfer all 480Nm to the pavement effectively.

It’s fair to say that all hard-core RS models cast an eye towards the racetrack, even its newer SUVs, and it’s difficult to push the upper limits of the RS Q3’s capabilities on the road. So it was off to the track we went.

Before driving the RS Q3, I didn’t really have a high-performance SUV benchmark around Norwell Motorplex, so the Audi kick-started the segment with a 63.87-second lap, which is only a tenth of a second slower than the Audi S3 Sportback hatch and S4 Avant. The only other vaguely-relevant SUV we can compare it to is the Skoda Kodiaq RS which clocked a 70.03.

The 2021 Audi RS Q3 defies a few basic principles in the way it drives.

Normally, suspension engineers have to fit significantly stiffer springs and dampers to give an SUV a sporty character and overcome its high-riding stance. This usually results in an adversely proportionate decrease in everyday ride comfort.

It’s the same situation with wheels and tyres; fitting larger rims with ultra-low-profile tyres brings better grip but makes the car feel brittle over sharp edges and rough roads.

Audi, however, has done an incredible job in balancing the RS Q3’s ride and handling attributes.

Sure, it still possesses a sporting character that is naturally sharper than any of the regular – and more luxury-focused – Q3 variants, but I cannot think of a car that rides on 21-inch wheels with 255/35-series tyres that is as comfortable as this one. The Audi boffins in charge of the adaptive dampers certainly know their stuff!

It is brilliant around town, exhibiting a solid and secure feeling on any surface. And, in reality, getting into any sort of trouble on public roads requires taking some very irresponsible risks, which is where the racetrack comes in for us.

If the RS Q3 has an Achilles heel, it does have a natural tendency to understeer when pushed hard but that can be attributed to having most of its weight hanging over the front axle and an impatient race driver rather than purely because of its high-riding stance.

Its capacity to launch out of corners and put its power down is predictably good with all wheels clawing at the ground, but the quattro system’s active torque split (which constantly directs torque across the front and rear axles as required) was fighting a losing battle around the tight and twisty nature of Norwell Motorplex.

What cannot be argued against though is the fantastic five-cylinder engine that’s more tractable than an actual tractor! It sounds amazing and its power is perfectly suited to the chassis.

At the other end of the speed spectrum, the massive 375mm front brakes and 310mm rears ensure adequate stopping power to compensate for the RS Q3’s 1800kg kerb mass.

Let’s not forget that it is actually an SUV and we must also think about practicality, which the new Q3 has in spades. But, considering it measures 860mm longer than its predecessor, I’m not sure you can call this generation a compact SUV anymore.

Readers could be excused for thinking that the RS Q3 Sportback’s sleek, sloping rear design may compromise boot space but in actual fact it shares the same 530-litre capacity with the standard model. Only when the 40/20/40-split folding rear seats are stowed does the Sportback lose out by 125L.

Surprisingly, the amount of headroom for rear seat passengers is still pretty reasonable for kids and young adults but if six-footers are consistently riding in the back then perhaps look to the wagon variant.   

If you know the Volkswagen Group’s family tree, it’s probably not too much of a stretch to say the 2021 Audi RS Q3 Sportback looks like a miniature Lamborghini Urus – especially in Sportback form.

That alone is a pretty good reason to consider one, but it’s the syncopated engine note from the five-cylinder that definitely sets this performance SUV apart from its more direct rivals.

I can’t really think of a natural competitor to the RS Q3 that can match its style both inside and out and with this much performance for the money.

It’s a genuine RS in every respect and the sub-$100K price point only makes it more attractive.

The RS Q3 is built for the petrol-head family person who needs something edgy and sporty but who also needs the practicality of an SUV. Hey, that’s someone like me! Where do I sign?

Disclaimer: Luke Youlden is a Bathurst 1000 champion, 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup series competitor, Tekworkx Motorsport mentor and chief driving coach, deputy chief instructor for the Porsche Experience and also works for Pilota Sportiva, whose clients include Audi Driving Experience and Volkswagen Group Australia.

How much does the 2021 Audi RS Q3 Sportback cost?
Price: $94,100 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 294kW/480Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 203g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested