Who’d have thunk it? Driving new ICE Audis in 2026!
The most telling moment of this launch was the cheer and applause when Audi confirmed it will once again be selling turbodiesel models alongside turbo stratified fuel injected petrol Q3s. Do you know why?
Well, just almost exactly five short years ago on June 22, 2021, then CEO Duesmann bravely announced Audi’s timeline for its all-electric future at the Berlin Climate Conference. Remember those stupid days? Anyway old Markus went on to predict that all new Audis launched from 2026 would be all-electric. Greta was delighted.
Well, I’d be damned, but what the hell just happened? Rather than an all-electric Q3 a-la-Duesmann, these are just good old ICE Q3s after all. Yes, when they rolled out the slide about Audi’s immediate future, there were EVs too. But they glossed over them. Irrelevant, as EVs really are in this market.
Once a stigma, diesel is back!
For whatever reasons, and dare I say Dieselgate, that alternative was masked as a villain. When indeed the industry should have been championing diesel. Just imagine how much further we’d be, if they ploughed just a tiny proportion of the budget wasted reinventing the electric wheel, into petrol and diesel engine development?
Anyway, besides quickly boasting I told you so, I digress. But still I cheered hard on that news of Audi’s return to diesel. And so did every other scribe worth his or her weight in the room. So let’s get back to the point, should we?
The gist of the event, besides getting to know the new Q3 a bit better, was also to roll out Audi’s real new future, rather than the pretend one from five years ago. And we’re delighted to confirm that we now very much like what we see, after recently so fearing for Ingolstadt’s future.
You can’t tell the Q3 difference
Launched with efficient TDI and TFSI and powertrains, as noted, and in new third-generation SUV and Sportback body styles, the Q3 brings much of the new tech we will see in future Audis to market for the first time.
To that end, Audi promises Q3 combines effortless performance with everyday efficiency. All wrapped in new era digital intelligent assistance, sublime comfort, connectivity and safety.
My first ride was an up-spec TFSI. Audi’s expressive latest design language into its reenergised future brings stronger proportions, sharper surfaces and a more assertive poise. A broader mouth and sleek, tapered headlights make for a more focused face connected to a cleaner rear end by a distinctive shoulder line.
An Audi crisp, airy and premium cockpit
Q3 gains both digital Matrix micro-LED head and OLED taillights. The special effects are great and we look forward to driving it in the dark soon. Choose from eleven hues or paint it your own colour via Audi’s personalisation options. There are also six 18 to 20-inch wheel design options.
The typically Audi crisp, airy and premium cockpit focuses on comfort and usability in a warmer, more contemporary atmosphere. You will immediately notice the reimagined steering controls. They sit behind the wheel to deliver a fresh new ideology. And free up space on the dash and console.
Q3 gets an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit plus and 12.8-inch MMI touch display with navigation plus, Audi connect services and the Audi App Store. The system delivers a reasonable mix of touch-swipe and real buttons in both the up-spec and more simplified base models.
Both make 110 kilowatts too
Cabin personalisation includes 30 colour ambient lighting and S line interior package options. A sliding second row bench seat allows luggage capacity behind to increase by almost 90 litres. Before folding down to a cavernous space.
I found the TFSI more than adequate on the road. Its silence combined with Q3’s naturally quieter demeanour on the road make for a most impressive driving environment in a truly luxury cocoon. Then they fed us, both fine fare and the propaganda. We clapped about the diesel. And it was time to drive it, too.
Interestingly both variants deliver 110 kilowatts. And there’s virtually no way to tell them apart either. I found it was best to just check the range. The diesels showed some 750 km, the petrols 550 odd. Otherwise just bring the rev counter up. That petrol red lined at over 6000, this diesel around four.
New Q3 is a great sign of Audi’s future
The responsive and refined 1.4-litre TFSI engine also produces 250 Nm. The 2-litre TDI makes 360 Nm of torque. You notice it pulls stronger, while the other telltale is the fuel gauge and range meter. They’re much lazier to drop than in the petrol. The only other noticeable difference is the diesel thrum is a little more invasive.
Among Audi’s most successful models and a cornerstone of its South African SUV portfolio, the all-new Q3 is a crucial model for the brand. It ushers in a bright new era that caresses every driver’s need. Most South Africans are more than happy with petrol and diesel Audis. But you can choose EV and hybrid Audis too, if you want that.
If this new third generation Q3 is a sign of Audi’s future, we can only be delighted with that. And that the world in general is returning to its senses at last after five years most of us want to forget, thank goodness for that! – Michele Lupini
New Audi Q3 Pricing
Model SUV Sportback
1.4 TFSI 110kW S tronic R814K R849K
2.0 TDI 110kW S tronic R852K R887K
1.4 TFSI 110kW S tronic Advanced R867K R902K
2.0 TDI 110kW S tronic Advanced R905K R940K
1.4 TFSI 110kW S tronic S line R904K R939K
2.0 TDI 110kW S tronic S line R942K R977K
1.4 TFSI 110kW S tronic S line Black R929K R964K
2.0 TDI 110kW S tronic S line Black R967K R1.01M
*Q3 comes with a 5-year/100K km Audi Freeway Plan.