What's the difference?
Audi’s littlest and most affordable SUV, the Q2, has been updated with new looks and tech, but something else has snuck in with it. Or should I say roared in? It’s the SQ2, with a whopping 300 horsepower and a snarling bark.
So, this review has something for everybody. It’s for those who want to know what’s new for the Q2 in this latest update - those thinking of buying a cool-looking little SUV from Audi - and for those who want to wake their neighbours up and frighten their friends.
Ready? Let’s go.
Mercedes-Benz loves to fill a niche. This is the company, after all, that has a coupe version of its GLC and GLE SUVS, four-door coupes ranging in size from the CLA to the AMG GT 4-door, and enough electric vehicles to make Tesla jealous.
The nichest of all though, might the CLS, which has been updated for the 2022 model year.
Positioned above the E-Class but below the S-Class in the line-up as a sporty sedan for customers after a blend of style, technology and performance, the new CLS is available in just one engine now, while styling and equipment have also been tweaked in the update.
Can the CLS earn its place in the Mercedes line-up or is it destined to be a bit player amongst more popular models?
The Q2 is good value and great to drive – especially the SQ2. The exterior looks new, but the cabin feels older than the larger Q3, and most other Audi models.
More standard advanced safety tech would make the Q2 even more appealing, as would a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. While we’re at it, a hybrid variant would make enormous sense.Â
So, a great car, but Audi could offer more to make it an even better proposition for buyers.Â
Comfortable when it needs to be and sporty when you want it to be, the CLS 53 is a bit like Mercedes’ Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde – or maybe Bruce Banner and the Hulk is a better frame of reference for some.
While it doesn’t excel in any one particular area, its breadth of useability is commendable, but ultimately it might be its all-too-familiar aesthetics that is the biggest letdown.
From the inside, it looks and feels like any other large Mercedes model (not necessarily a criticism), while the exterior – in my opinion – doesn’t go far enough to differentiate it from the CLA.
After all, if you wanted a stylish and sporty sedan, shouldn’t feel special too?