2026 Audi Q3: A hot little SUV. Literally, sometimes.
The compact model is quick and sporty, with top-notch comfort, handling, and even stereo sound. So why add touchscreen HVAC controls that ruin it all?
2026 Audi Q3 S line Quattro: Adding some fun to the premium compact SUV?
Price: $51,790 as tested. This is the only trim level available but the test model featured about $8,000 in options, so there’s some customization to be had.
What others are saying: “Highs: Big style in a little package, clever controls that aren’t just a gimmick, improved straight-line performance. Lows: More standard features mean a higher standard price, mandatory all-season rubber limits grip, sluggish dual-clutch transmission,” says Car and Driver.
What Audi is saying: No real slogan; they’re keeping it low-key.
Reality: A hot SUV. Literally, sometimes.
What’s new: The Q3 has been redesigned for 2026, with a more powerful version of its turbocharged engine.
Competition: Acura ADX, Alfa Romeo Tonale, BMW X1 and X2, Cadillac XT4, Lexus UX, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Mini Cooper Countryman, Volvo XC40.
Up to speed: The 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine creates 255 horses and gets the small SUV to 60 in 5.3 seconds, according to Car and Driver.
Shifty: Automakers are all trying something different when it comes to getting into gear, and here’s one I’ve never see before. The gear selector is on a plastic disc thing on a stalk, and it — no lie — reminds me of a makeup compact.
The shifter works well once you figure it out. Use paddles to select your own gears, but the transmission takes such good care of the driver that I said, “Why bother.” Only once did it get stuck in a low gear, when I passed someone in a real hurry and then was stuck going 55 behind the next car before the upshift occurred.
On the road: The Q3 is naturally quite a sporty model, with extremely fun handling — that part is not a surprise. But highway driving is also the bomb. I drove along a beat-up right lane on U.S. 202 and the ride was quite smooth — and not just for a lower-priced Audi, but for something far less sporty.
Audi delivers a Sport mode as a toggle with Drive via the shifter, and that mode is really enough to draw out all the power. For the other selections, Audi has decreed The Screen Must Be Touched. Boo!
Driver’s seat: As a Mr. Driver’s Seat of a certain age, it can be hard to tell where old-man back problems end and hard seats begin. I first suspected that the leather driver’s seat in parchment beige with steel gray stitching might not be the culprit, and fortunately my aches let up in time to decree — it’s just me. The Q3’s seat is fine, comfortable and supportive just like almost all the rest.
Friends and stuff: The rear corners provide fairly nice accommodations, with seat comfort matching the front to some extent. The seat back has two or three recline positions; the seat also slides forward and back but it’s for naught; the only usable position is all the way back.
Cargo space is 29 or 50 cubic feet, depending on the seat origami.
In and out: The Q3 sits at a nice height for hopping in and out, no ducking or climbing required.
Play some tunes: The 12.8-inch screen isn’t bad for the stereo operation. I switched into CarPlay most of the time but finding other sources is not too hard.
Sound from the Sonos system is excellent, an A trending toward an A+. It’s very clear.
Keeping warm and cool: This is where touchscreen joy goes to die.
Little icons along the bottom of the screen allow for changing the temperature, auto control, seat heater, defrost, and a few other things. But if you want to change the blower speed, you have to open up the HVAC screen, and the blower buttons are pretty small and hard to locate.
The location of the big screen also means the center blower vents sit quite low, which can make cooling the vehicle a little slower on a hot day.
Also, hot days interfere with the touchscreen haptics. Good luck making quick adjustments when starting up on 90-degree days; I have the sweaty back to prove it. Well, had; I promise I’ve showered since.
Fuel economy: I averaged about 24 mpg in 100 or so miles of testing, not many highway miles.
Where it’s built: Gyor, Hungary. The countries that supply the most parts are Hungary at 37% and Germany at 27%.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports hasn’t hazarded a guess yet on the Q3’s reliability. But the previous year’s model garnered a 5 out of 5 rating.
In the end: The Q3 is a delight to drive and to ride in. It’s almost a few dials away from perfection. Try the Countryman for an equal level of delight.
