Audi RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback 2020 Review

Sequels are often risky business, especially when the franchise promises to return in the form of a bigger, better and more expensive blockbuster.

However, there is nothing really ill-fated about the second-generation Audi RS Q3 and the all-new Audi RS Q3 Sportback, both of which grace Australian showrooms from this month.

For starters, the reception of the first-generation Audi RS Q3, offered between 2014 and 2019, was lukewarm at best. Audi managed a so-so 500 sales during that time.

More than that, however, the second-generation compact performance SUV has a broader capability this time round with the addition of a new coupe-style body shape, roomier cabin, more technology and a decidedly better execution.

Just how much better? We hit the road at this month’s national launch to ascertain that very answer.

The two Audi RS Q3 variants (the Sportback being the low-roof version on the same platform) are priced from $89,900 for the RS Q3 and $92,900 for the RS Q3 Sportback.

Standard features include 21-inch alloy wheels, two RS-specific modes for the Audi Drive Select system, sports suspension with electronic damper control, ‘progressive steering’ and ‘wheel-selective torque control’.

Cosmetic features that set the RS Q3 models apart from lower-priced Q3 variants comprise a honeycomb grille, black styling package, metallic paint, privacy glass for the rear windows and Matrix LED headlights with dynamic indicators.

Comfort and convenience features fitted as standard consist of sports seats, Nappa leather upholstery with honeycomb stitching, three-zone climate control and a triple-split folding rear seat that slides fore and aft for added luggage space or legroom.

In addition, the RS Q3 variants are equipped with navigation, touchpad infotainment control, Virtual Cockpit, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System (15 speakers, 680 Watts), wireless smartphone charging, Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, four USB outlets and Audi connect plus services.

Both Audi RS Q3 variants come with an extensive basket of safety features, among them adaptive cruise control, active lane keep assist/lane departure warning, emergency assist, 360-degree camera, rear cross-traffic assist, hill descent control, hill hold assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection and tyre pressure monitoring.

Officially, neither has an official ANCAP safety rating, but the regular Q3 on which they are based achieved a five-star rating in 2018.

Both Hungary-built RS Q3 variants are backed by a three-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty. Servicing intervals are spaced every 12 months or 15,000km.

Audi offers Genuine Care Service Plans for both RS Q3 models, priced from $2320 over three years or $3420 over five years. The RS Q3 uses a tyre repair kit in place of a conventional spare wheel.

As before, the centre piece for the new RS Q3 is Audi’s prodigious five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine – the same as that found in the existing RS 3 hot hatch.

Offering up 294kW and 480Nm in this application, the latest RS Q3 boasts an additional 24kW and 15Nm over its older namesake.

Drive is apportioned to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Both the new RS Q3 and its Sportback stablemate will reach 100km/h from a standing start in 4.5 seconds, according to the manufacturer. Top speed is governed to 250km/h.

The engine is fitted with a particulate filter, which mandates the use of 98-octane premium unleaded fuel in Australia.

Straight line speed is bolstered by an RS Sport exhaust system, powerful six-piston front brakes, adaptive dampers, sports suspension, a specific steering tune with variable-ratio rack, and a trick torque vectoring function that electronically controls spinning wheels.

The Audi RS Q3 rides on a MacPherson front strut suspension and a four-link rear suspension configuration. Though it’s inherently front-drive biased, Audi says up to 100 per cent of drive can be shuffled to the rear wheels in certain circumstances.

Slipping into the raised driver’s chair of the Audi RS Q3, it’s clear this is a much more mature affair than the first generation of Audi’s sporty SUV.

From the large 10-inch centre display (with haptic feedback) to the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit instrument cluster, the RS Q3’s tech-savvy interior feels ages ahead of the plastic-adorned predecessor.

Screens aside, the cabin is a nicely executive balance between comfort, practicality and presentation. The front chairs are broad and nicely bolstered – ensuring long-journey amenity – and are complemented by deep door pockets and a strong array of open cubbies and storage bins.

A decidedly sporty theme permeates the five-seat cabin, with sprinklings of Alcantara and brushed aluminium giving the compact SUV a special look and feel.

In all, there are four USB ports spread across the cabin (two front and two rear), while further back there is a 12-volt outlet in the boot area, which is advertised at the same 530 litres across regular and Sportback grades.

The caveat here is the boot area is only measured to the luggage blind, which doesn’t take into account the Sportback’s heavily raked roofline.

There are generous passenger proportions in the second row, commensurate for a couple of six foot adults. But the slightly perched middle seat and raised transmission tunnel means it is only really handy for the occasional five-up ride.

The Audi RS Q3 Sportback does pay a price for its rakish appearance, with rear headroom slightly compromised. The two-part C-pillar also imposes some restrictions in terms of driver rear vision.

On the child front, there are rear air-vents and two ISOFIX attachment points/top-tether anchorages.

Many rightfully questioned how worthy of wearing an Audi Sport badge the first RS Q3 was. However, that isn’t likely to be an issue with the second-generation model.

At the national launch this month, the second-take Audi RS Q3 feels much more convincing, both in daily conveyance and in terms of the twisty stuff.

Let’s be clear here: you’re unlikely to sit on the tail of a well-driven RS 3 Sportback around a circuit, but the five-pot turbo engine’s performance and basic underpinnings are convincingly adapted to this higher-riding application.

The highlight, as ever, is the five-cylinder engine – with its uneven firing order, mesmerising sound and almost maniacal pull to a circa 7000rpm cut-out, it feels and sounds unlike any other compact SUV doing the rounds.

The engine is prone to some low-down hesitation – a virtue of the seven-speed dual-clutch auto going about its business and some turbo lag – but beyond that offers clean, crisp and tractable power.

This trait is truly accentuated through middling revs, where the RS Q3 can really launch out of the blocks. With the help of all-wheel drive and a slick-shifting seven-speed automatic, the RS Q3 is an absolute hoot to drive at speed.

We found the tuning of the steering, chassis and electronic aids to be well suited to the RS Q3’s positioning, offering nice feel and feedback to instil driver confidence.

Ultimately, the Audi RS Q3 does pay the penalty for its high-riding stature; it can occasionally be disarmed by long, elongated mid-corner compressions and takes longer to settle of broken surfaces than an equivalent hatchback.

On the other side of the coin, despite its hefty 1790kg mass, the RS Q3 feels controlled and composed in daily driving despite the huge 21-inch wheels. It adeptly absorbs pitter-patter bumps, with larger hits thudding gently through the cabin with no crashing or jarring.

In our short experience, the slightly lighter RS Q3 Sportback (1775kg) exhibits a lot of the same on-road mannerisms as its more conventional namesake.

However, we will reserve full judgement until we’ve had time for a more thorough assessment.

One could easily point out the more conventional RS 3 Sportback and RS 3 Sedan pull off the sub-$100,000 performance brief more convincingly than their SUV counterparts, but that would be a bit simplistic.

Truth is, these latest-generation performance compact SUVs do bring a bit more to the table for Audi’s storied RS division – and are surprisingly enjoyable on the road.

The RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback are both convincing additions. At this moment in time, it’s hard to think of more compelling performance options at this end of the SUV market.

How much do the 2020 Audi RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback cost?
Price: RS Q3: $89,990; Sportback: $92,990 plus ORCs)
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-204g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)