Facelift for Audi Q3 and RS Q3

Audi figures it’s on a good thing with the Q3 and the RS Q3 — so don’t expect monster changes from the facelift, due to start production in February 2015.

Instead, it’s taken a steady-as-you-go approach to keeping its baby SUV on the sales pace, cleaning up its styling in a few key areas, but delivering more power and better fuel economy from the same powertrains.

That should not mean Audi has been too boring, though, because the flagship RS Q3 model scores an upgrade to 250kW.

The first major change to the Barcelona-built Q3 since its 2011 launch sees its visual width enhanced by Audi’s designers accentuating the horizontal lines in the grille and on the wraparound tailgate.

Its re-sculpted single-frame signature grille has been reworked and is flanked by a pair of new, standard Xenon-plus headlights and LED running lights.

Full LED headlights will be optional and include Audi’s dynamic turn signals, which made their debut on the facelifted R8 and are also on the all-new TT. The lights, which are also found in the redesigned tail light cluster, take 0.2sec to light up a series of LEDs sequentially from the inside to the outside, which Audi insists is more noticeable and explanatory to other motorists.

While the standard equipment package now runs to climate-control air conditioning and satnav, it has also taken onboard Audi’s secondary collision braking assistant as well. This is a feature designed to clamp the brakes after a collision to prevent or minimize the car being shoved or bounced into a second collision.

As you'd expect, the options list will be extensive for both luxury and safety equipment. There will be optional side assist and blind spot assist, as well as speed limit sign-detection systems operating from the windscreen-mounted camera.

The car can also be connected to the internet via a mobile phone or SIM card, which also hooks its satellite navigation into Google Maps and delivers a wifi hotspot for everybody on board. An optional LED interior lighting package will deliver ambient lighting that can be changed according to the driver’s selection.

Dimensions are essentially unchanged at 4390mm long, 1830mm wide and 1590mm high. The compact SUV's 460 litre cargo area can be bumped up to 1365 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

The most fun news about the Q3’s facelift, though, is that the RS Q3 now has 250kW and 450Nm from its 2.5-litre, turbocharged petrol five-cylinder. Upgraded to meet Euro VI emissions laws, the five pot now punches the fastest Q3 to 100km/h in 4.8sec and has to be electronically reined in at 250km/h.

Like all RS models, it uses a version of quattro GmbH’s electronically controlled exhaust flap to make the sound of the sweet-spinning five-cylinder engine even richer and louder.

A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is standard and power is delivered to all four wheels through a fifth-generation Haldex multi-plate clutch system.

The RS Q3 rides on 19-inch wheels (though most buyers opt for the more expensive 20-inch wheels) and it has wave-design front brake discs that are clamped by an eight-piston brake caliper.

A fixed-rate damping system and Audi drive select is standard, though there is an optional set of adaptive dampers.

The standard model range will begin with 16-inch wheels and tyres and will weigh just 1385kg for the 1.4-litre, direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol version.

The 110kW version of this engine has cylinder-on-demand technology and delivers 5.5L/100km on the NEDC combined fuel economy cycle in its Ultra fuel-sipping form. Audi Australia has been reluctant to embrace “Ultra” as a sub-brand thus far, though.

The Q3's output climbs to 132kW and 162kW on versions of the 2.0-litre, direct-and-indirect fuel injection turbocharged four-cylinder motor which deliver 6.5 and 6.6L/100km respectively. The RS Q3’s added performance potential and extra cylinder pushes that out to 8.4L/100km.

There will be multiple versions of the 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine offered in Europe. These range from the 110kW Ultra version and its low economy number of 4.4L/100km all the way up to the 135kW version which is still frugal at 5.1L/100km).

According to Audi Australia local deliveries of the facelifted Q3 and RS Q3 will begin some time in the second half of 2015.