What's the difference?
Replacing a popular model is fraught with danger. Existing customers will tell you they love it, while focus groups of non-customers will tell you why they hate it and sometimes carmakers get caught trying to appease both groups.
Sometimes they’ll make it too big or change too much in the search for more sales and ultimately end up removing the elements that made it popular in the first place.
Which is why Audi has been extra careful with some subtle evolution for this new-generation Q3 SUV and Sportback. This isn’t just a popular model for Audi Australia, it has been the best-selling model for the German brand for more than five years, so getting it wrong would be a disaster.
Peugeot has dropped its traditional petrol and PHEV options for a new mild-hybrid system in the next-generation 3008.
We’re testing the flagship GT Premium Hybrid, which brings fresh styling, upgraded tech and a premium cabin into one of the most competitive SUV segments, but is it enough to stand out?
So is this new Q3 good enough to remain Audi’s number one choice? In a word, yes.
Audi has resisted the temptation that some brands fall into by making too many changes to a proven sales performer. This new Q3 isn’t radically different from the old Q3, but it has improved in almost every way.
It isn’t different enough to widely expand its appeal to a new wave of customers, but there’s no reason it won’t remain Audi’s most popular choice for the foreseeable future.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
The new Peugeot 3008 GT Premium Hybrid might not be the most spacious SUV for passengers, but it makes up for it with ample boot space and a standout design. It’s fresh-faced, interesting and packed with comfort features that elevate the everyday driving experience.
Is it expensive? Absolutely. But it also delivers a genuinely premium cabin that many rivals can’t match, along with refined on-road manners and efficiency that make it a pleasure to drive.
It doesn’t hit every note perfectly but there’s definitely a melody here worth listening to.