Audi Cabriolet Reviews

The entry-level model in the new-for-2026 Audi Q3 range is now known simply as the 110kW.It is priced from $61,600 for the SUV and $64,600 for the Sportback variant.Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery and a 10-speaker sound system.It is powered by a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid, turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 110kW/250Nm and sends all that performance to the road via the front wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.Fuel economy is rated at 5.8L/100km for the 110kW model.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

The new, third-generation Audi Q3 arrives with big expectations. It’s the best-selling model for the German brand in Australia, so it needs to retain all the elements that have made it a sales hit while trying to expand its appeal. We drive the new Q3 110kW, 150kW and 195kW models to see if Audi has done enough to keep its small SUV ahead of rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Volvo and more.

Audi wants to have it both ways. The German brand is planning to expand its new Q3 range with both a flagship, high-performance RSQ3 and a more frugal, budget-helping plug-in hybrid.Speaking at the launch of the new Q3 range, which is rolling out with 110kW, 150kW and 195kW variants initially, Audi Australia management have made it clear that more options are on the way.Officially Audi hasn’t confirmed plans for an RSQ3, but Matthew Dale, National Product Manager for Audi Australia, leaves no uncertainty what the local position would be when plans are announced.“ We'd love one tomorrow,” he told CarsGuide. “Definitely put our hand up for one.”While Audi is almost-certain to revive the RS badge for this latest generation Q3, exactly what form that takes remains to be seen. The previous generation was powered by the brand’s iconic five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, but Europe’s strict emissions laws have put its future in doubt. That means Audi is likely having to develop a new powertrain for the RSQ3, which will need to balance performance with efficiency and emissions requirements both in Europe and around the world.Given the RS model accounted for up to 15 per cent of total Q3 sales in Australia with the previous generation, the local demand is expected to be high - five-cylinder engine or not. So the most likely scenario is Audi Australia is simply waiting for head office to confirm its existence and timeline before committing publicly.On the flip side, the finishing touches are being made to the arrival of the all-new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant of the Q3. Its omission was obvious, as the new Q3 launches at a time of sky-high petrol prices and an increased demand for electric vehicles.Officially the Q3 PHEV is under ‘evaluation’ but all signs point to its arrival in the not-too-distant future.“ The main reason for that is, obviously, the latest generation Q3 we locked in all of our ICE models,” Dale said. “We just want to make sure that, one, the product that's available in Europe is fit for the Australian market and Australian consumer. Two, it's been tested for Australian conditions as well. And three, it’s the latest generation of the product. So it's close to getting to the end of its evaluation and getting a decision, but we just want to make sure that all three of those areas are ticked prior to bringing a product to market.”Asked if he foresees any of these issues holding the PHEV back, Dale was confident the latest model, which reportedly boasts up to 100km of EV-only driving range, will be a good fit for Audi Australia. “No, the big thing is that space is moving so, so quickly with, say, battery technology,” he explained. “Not necessarily the hardware components of the actual PHEV itself, but with battery technology, it's moving so, so fast, and that's something that we've obviously shown in, say, A5 and Q5, is the latest generation products. We've moved from having, say, 30-40km range in a battery pack that is essentially the same size as today, up to closer to 80km of pure EV range. And that shows that, we're using the same hardware size, but the hardware inside and the software has been increased exponentially over that period of time to offer the latest products to Australian consumers, and I think that's where we're looking into to ensure that if we position a vehicle in the market, that we're bringing the latest product to Australia.”The addition of a Q3 PHEV would help expand the appeal of the popular small SUV to people looking to save money at the petrol pump. The recent surge in fuel prices has seen interest in EVs dramatically increase, which is good news for Audi, as it was one of the first luxury brands to make a major commitment to EVs.“ Definitely ,” Dale said. “We've seen, even through our dealer network and our partners that invest in our Audi dealerships, they're basically saying that just inquiry on electric vehicles alone has been astronomical and it's doing quite well. Hopefully we continue that momentum. But yeah, you can see based on, consumables like fuel prices and things like that, where the consumer pivots to alternative solutions and with our broad portfolio of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles as well, even mild hybrid pluses and mild hybrids that we've got in this car as well, there's quite a broad range of products where consumers can pivot and have broader options.”

Audi has finally revealed some details of its incoming Q9 flagship three-row large SUV.The Q9 is an all-new nameplate for Audi, which is expected to fight back against the new wave of more than five-meter long luxury SUVs from Chinese automakers Zeekr, BYD and GWM.Audi says its new large SUV will feature either six- or seven-seat interior layouts, with “premium materials, variable seating with individual electric seats in the second row, and automatic doors”, among other features.The brand said the Q9 aims for “business-class comfort” when chosen in six-seat format, and features a 1.5 square meter panoramic sunroof, standard ambient interior lighting and surround sound.There will be an extensive range of optional interior trims and colour schemes.Practicality will include dual wireless charging pads up front, a new rail system in the boot for securing cargo “in three dimensions” and every variant will include a roof rack as standard.Elsewhere other familiar themes can be seen, with the Q9 featuring a similar steering wheel and tri-screen dash layout as the Q6. The centre console also features a handful of driving function shortcut buttons, although it appears climate and multimedia functions will continue to be controlled primarily via the central touchscreen.The Q9 will be the next Audi to ride on the brand’s new PPC platform and will rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS in Europe. Elsewhere in the world it will also have to face a rising tide of five-meter-long three row SUVs from China such as the Zeekr 9X, Wey V9X and BYD Sealion 08.The new flagship will be fully revealed in July and will form part of a new product offensive from Audi, which will include a re-booted A2 e-tron crossover, next-generation Q7, facelifted Q4 e-tron and the RS5.European media has been speculating the Q9 will continue to offer the brand’s signature 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, based on Audi specifically calling out the model’s importance to the US and the Middle East, both less emissions-sensitive markets.In the case of the SQ8, this powertrain produces 373kW/770Nm. Stay tuned for more on the Q9 and its chances for the Australian market. If it does arrive, expect pricing to be north of the Q8’s current $144,400 entry price.

Audi's new all-terrain family wagon is making a glorious comeback in Australia.The new Audi A6 Allroad wagon has appeared government homologation documents, which have approved it for sale.Audi Australia has been contacted for comment to get a firm date for when the car will arrive in showrooms. There is no indication on the price of the A6 Allroad, but it is likely to be above the $123,600 (before on-road costs) tag attached to the current A6 on sale Down Under. The A6 Allroad does not have any direct competition from its European rivals, with neither BMW nor Mercedes-Benz putting a similar car in market.It may have to battle for attention from the recently-released BYD Seal 6, which is a plug-in hybrid and would be a substantially cheaper option at under $40K. The documents reveal it will be car will be available as a hybrid with the petrol engine and electric motor combining for 270kW. The documents state the engine makes 185kW, which leaves 85kW for the electric motor. We can also expect the new A6 Allroad to come with all-wheel drive as standard, like on previous models. Allroad models tend to sit higher than other wagons in the Audi lineup, highlighting increased all-terrain ability.Overseas versions of the A6 wagon have a 26kWh battery, offering an all-electric driving range of around 100km, but Aussie figures are yet to be released.The hybrid set-up looks to be the same as the one on the Q5 plug-in, which has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor, with a torque figure of 500Nm.Both these figures are a step up on the previous generation which had a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 160kW and 500Nm. The car was last on sale in 2024.The only variant of the A6 on sale currently comes with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, producing 180kW and 370Nm.

Audi has released an updated version of its Q4 e-tron electric compact SUV in Europe.The Q4 e-tron is a direct rival to the BMW iX1 and iX2 as well as the Volvo EX40, along with the Zeekr X.The new model starts in Europe from 47,500 euros, which is around $77,000. Cars imported from Europe incur a substantial price hike on sale Down Under, meaning it will be more expensive than its predecessor. The current generation of the Q4 e-tron in Australia starts from $84,900 (before on-road costs), with prices rising up to $107,500 on up-spec models. There is no official news yet on the arrival of the updated SUV in Australia, but it has been confirmed it will be available for order in Europe from May of this year. Audi Australia when contacted for comment said there were no confirmed timings for the car launching Down Under.Among the key updates for this new model is that it now features vehicle-to-load charging capabilities for the first time. DC fast charging speeds have also increased on the Q4 e-tron, with the car now capable of charging at 185kW, enabling a 10-80 per cent fast charge in 27 minutes. On the inside, the car gets a single panoramic display made up of an 11.9-inch digital driver display and 12.8-inch central touchscreen. The car can also be optioned with a separate passenger display. The Q4 e-tron will come with four power set-ups, with the base rear-wheel drive model featuring a single electric motor, producing 150kW and 350Nm. The highest grade of the car has dual electric motors, boosting power to 250kW and torque to 545Nm for the rear motor and 134Nm for the front one. This is the same output as the current generation.It can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in as fast as 5.4 seconds, coming with all-wheel drive.It will have two battery choices which are a 63kWh unit offering a driving range of up to 451km, while the 82kWh option has up to 578km, representing incremental increases.

It was not so long ago plug-in hybrids looked to have found the middle ground between electrified power and long driving range. PHEV power experienced more growth than any other powertrain type in 2025 - and by some significant margin. It was up by more than 130 per cent compared to 2024.Leading the charge for PHEV power is the BYD Shark 6 ute, one of the few utes to experience sales growth last year. Its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors provided outstanding fuel economy (when the battery was charged) capturing attention despite modest towing and carrying capacity. Most other brands have also jumped on the PHEV pathway, especially in the SUV segment. However, it now looks like a change might be on the horizon, as fully-electric sales continue to rise and at an even faster rate.There is a combination of factors likely contributing to this new set of circumstances in the new car sales space.While PHEVs offer incredible fuel efficiency, EVs do not need any fuel and obviously have far superior electric-only driving range with electric-only driving range remaining one of the biggest selling points for PHEVs. This is becoming an increasingly relevant point for buyers due to the current scarcity and cost of fuel in Australia.One of the other key factors which could erode PHEV sales is the substantial improvement in driving range of electric cars. Most EVs now offer more than 400km before needing to be charged, and even then charging times have also rapidly improved, with most brands targeting a 30 minute-or-less fast charge time compared to an hour previously.Charging infrastructure has been seeing rapid investment in Australia in the past 12 months, with governments as well as major brands getting on board. Just this week, the New South Wales government announced $45 million of funding towards new public fast chargers as part of its ‘2026 NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy’, and this adds to the existing federal ARENA public funding for EV infrastructure.BYD has also confirmed it will bring its ‘Flash’ charging to Australia this year, removing barriers to charge speed usually imposed by the grid thanks to an inclusion of a high-voltage buffer battery.There is also the question of increasing accessibility to electric vehicles in Australia, with many becoming available at a more affordable price point. The BYD Atto 1, for example, is available from $23,990, before on-road costs, while the cheapest PHEV, also a BYD, the Sealion 5 is $10,000 more. This is more reflective of the types of vehicles in which PHEV set-ups are offered as opposed to electric cars. The most common PHEV car body type is SUVs, which targets family buyers and more car (size-wise, with two powertrains instead of one) costs you more money.And yet, the models surging the most in the sales charts are the fully electric Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X, which are both in that core mid-size family buyer segment.This combined with the early adopter phase for much of this technology ending and electrified cars becoming more mainstream will mean some buyers who don't have access to home charging, like those who live in units, might not be able to utilise the key benefits of a PHEV.Many of this wider-audience may value the range on offer from an EV, which will see them charge only once or twice a week as a benefit at such a competitive price-point, not having to worry about not being able to charge at home, and not needing to fuel up altogether. This is also an audience which predominantly buys small or mid-size SUVs.PHEVs then, may be destined to be relegated to only larger vehicles, like utes and three-row SUVs where battery electrics become less cost competitive.

Audi has released the pricing and specifications for its ballistic RS5 performance sedan and wagon in Australia as it gears up to arrive in showrooms in the second half of this year. It will start from $179,900 (before on-road costs), which is roughly $10,000 more than the previous generation of the car sold in Australia. There is also a wagon variant of the RS5, costing an extra $3000.The RS5 shapes up as a rival to other European performance mid-size passenger cars in the segment, such as the hybrid Mercedes-AMG C63S and the petrol-powered BMW M4.Audi’s example is cheaper than the Mercedes and the BMW, which have price tags above the $185K mark. It is $70,000 more than the smaller RS3 and $70,000 less than the flagship V8-powered RS6, but unlike its siblings, the RS5 has been given electrified power. The RS5 uses a plug-in hybrid set-up, which pairs a 2.9-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder engine with a powerful single electric motor. This combines to produce a total of 470kW and 825Nm, which is less than C63S, but more than the M4.It is capable of completing the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds, courtesy of its all-wheel drive system. One of the other key upgrades on the RS5 is the addition of an electric motor incorporated into the rear transaxle to distribute torque efficiently. The 26kWh battery has an electric-only driving range of up to 78km, but it can only be charged via an AC adapter, taking 2 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge. 2026 Audi RS5 pricing Australia 2026 Audi RS5 engine and efficiency 2026 Audi RS5 standard features Other standard features include: Bang and Olufsen premium sound systemRed brake callipersAcoustic glazed front windowsPrivacy glassFlat-bottom steering wheelHeated, ventilated front seats with massageHeated rear outer seatsPanoramic glass roofHead-up displayTri-zone climate control 2026 Audi RS5 safetyThe 2026 Audi RS5 has not been crash tested. Standard safety features: Auto emergency brakingPedestrian detectionAdaptive cruise controlLane departure warningLane change assistRear cross alert360-degree cameraSpeed sign recognition 2026 Audi RS5 warranty and servicing The Audi RS5 comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with an eight-year battery warranty. There is also a 12-year warranty bodywork corrosion perforation. The five-year warranty can be extended up to nine years when additional servicing and roadside assistance is purchased. A five-year servicing plan is available, with two-year extensions up to four years available after this.

The Nissan Qashqai is among several models to learn their safety fate as part of the latest batch of Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) ratings.The updated Qashqai family SUV has received a four-star rating, down from the five-star rating awarded in 2017.The Qashqai maintained a high child protection rating of 91 per cent, but it saw substantial drops in the Adult Protection, Vulnerable User Protection as well as Safety Assist categories.The 78 per cent Adult Protection rating was in significant part due the front structure of the car presenting a moderate risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles in the frontal offset test.Its Vulnerable Road User Protection rating was at 68 per cent, while its Safety Assist rating was 62 per cent.The incoming Suzuki e-Vitara was also hit with a four-star rating.The e-Vitara was the first Suzuki to be tested by ANCAP since the Fronx compact SUV. The Fronx was subject to a major recall following its one-star rating, with ANCAP urging people to not travel in the rear seats of the car.With a 77 per cent Adult Protection rating, the e-Vitara had marginal protection for the driver’s chest and adequate protection for the passenger’s chest, with good protection elsewhere.The car was also marked down due to the lack of a centre airbag, according to ANCAP.The safety regulator’s Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg acknowledged the safety improvement from Suzuki.“It’s encouraging to see improvements in safety performance across the market, this latest rating achieved by the e-Vitara is evidence Suzuki can produce a model that offers sound levels of safety performance,” Hoorweg said.There were new five-star ratings for the revamped Audi A3 hatchback and the Q3 compact SUV. The A3 was awarded 86 per cent for Adult Protection and 80 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, while the Q3 got 87 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively.The other car to earn a five-star rating was the updated Cupra Leon hatchback. It received 88 per cent for Adult Protection and 86 per cent for Child Protection, with 82 per cent each for Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.

There is good news for those wanting to splash out on a new luxury car.The Australian government has signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union that removes the five per cent import tariff that was slugged on all vehicles built on the continent.Australia has not removed the Luxury Car Tax (LCT), which was believed to be a big part of the drawn out negotiations, but it has sweetened the deal for European-soured EVs.The LCT on European cars has been raised to $120,000, up from roughly $91,000.These two measures will slash thousands off the price of some electric cars, with the coming BMW iX3 likely to be about $10,000 cheaper than expected.There has been no movement on the LCT for petrol, hybrid or diesel powered vehicles, with those machines hit with the 33 per cent tax on every dollar over the roughly $80,000 threshold.These measures could entice other carmakers to bring their electric cars to Australia, which may have previously been considered too expensive.Head of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Tony Weber said this was a win for Australian new car buyers.“The removal of the tariff is a positive outcome for Australian consumers and brings European vehicles in line with those imported from other major markets such as China, Japan, Korea and Thailand,” said Weber.Weber called for the removal of the LCT altogether.“The change to the Luxury Car Tax is incremental and leaves in place an outdated measure that no longer reflects the structure of the Australian automotive market.“Luxury car taxes were first introduced in Australia nearly 40 years ago to protect a domestic manufacturing industry which no longer exists. It serves no clear purpose other than raising revenue and continues to impose unnecessary costs on consumers,” said Weber.