Audi Q3 News

Manufacturers including Hyundai, Holden, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroen and Audi have all issued safety recalls for various models, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The Australasian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced another round of national safety recalls, with models from Audi, Honda and Skoda impacted by the call backs.

Audi chairman Rupert Stadler has confirmed that the German prestige brand will bolster its SUV range with the addition of Q4 and Q6 crossovers.

Luxury SUV sales growth continues during first five months of 2016.

Huge recall program set to start as soon as this month, to be completed by December 2016.

Now the German manufacturer is about to run up the flag again with an improved version of the compact sports utility vehicle first seen in Australia in 2012.Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle says for the latest iteration of the Q3, the company had concentrated on equipment customers regularly chose when making a purchase.At the top of the new Q3 trim line is the S line sport package and the S line exterior package.Audi Q3 offers two petrol and two diesel engines, all turbocharged and Euro 6 emission compliant. The 1.4 TFSI engine in the Q3 entry-level model has gained Audi's innovative Cylinder on Demand (CoD) technology; two of its four cylinders shut down under light throttle loads up to 20 per cent to reduce consumption and emissions.Putting out 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque it is capable of pushing the Q3 to 100km/h from rest in 8.9 seconds.Such is the operation of the engine, that during a launch drive in northern NSW and south-east Queensland, switches of cylinder use from two to four were indiscernible.The two 2.0-litre engines – one TDI diesel and one TFSI petrol – produce figures of 135kW and 380Nm and 132kW and 320Nm respectively. The TDI reaching 100km/h in 7.9 seconds, with measured consumption of 5.4L/100km.The fastest Audi Q3, the TFSI petrol, sprints to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds, with only minor cost to combined fuel rating at 6.7L/100km.The Q3 1.4 TFSI COD makes use of the Audi six-speed S tronic transmission, while other models have the benefit of seven-speed S tronic and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.Generous ground clearance enables the Q3 to handle mid-range off-road driving conditionsChassis fine-tuning, Audi quattro all-wheel drive, plus speed-sensitive power steering, ensure agile handling and superior ride comfort, well illustrated on the launch drive on a range for roads from suburban streets to tight twists and turns, plus some highway cruising. Nothing too strenuous.The cabin interior was light on intrusive noise from any of the engines and road surfaces. Body roll in tight corners was kept to a minimum, with only a hint of understeer coming through when the vehicle was hard pressed.Generous ground clearance enables the Q3 to handle mid-range off-road driving conditions. And now for the first time the standard electronic stabilisation control can be deactivated in two stages.Interestingly, an ESC off-road mode provides optimal traction off the beaten track. This adjusts certain functions, such as ABS and the electronic differential lock, and the control function optimised for the surface. That's clever.The Audi drive select dynamic handling system, which is standard with the sport line, allows the driver to switch between comfort, auto, dynamic and efficiency modes by means of a button. The system combines the accelerator, power steering and S tronic transmission.The Q3 maintains the coupe-like profile that has come to characterise the modern SUV, while its 'Audiness' is announced by the sculpted single-frame radiator grille and wraparound tailgate.Redesigned standard headlights are xenon plus, daytime running lights LED. Optional LED headlamps are offered in combination with dynamic turn signals integrated into reworked LED taillights. The turn signals light up sequentially from the inside in the direction the driver intends to turn.Fifteen wheel designs – seven of them new – in 17 or 18-inch sizes are on offer as standard. Options are 19 and 20-inch. All tyres are low rolling resistance and a tyre pressure indicator is standard.Inside the cabin there is room for five. Cargo capacity of 460 litres can be increased to 1365 litres by folding the split rear seatbacks.Ergonomic instruments and controls, plus the use of quality materials fitted with top-notch workmanship mark the Q3 as a premium product. Clever options include a luggage compartment package, a pass-through and power tailgate. Roof rails and a new, extendible cargo cover are standard.The standard radio features MMI operation from larger Audi models. The fold-out colour monitor with 6.5-inch display, a memory card reader and an audio tuner with phase diversity are standard. The MMI radio also includes a Bluetooth interface and the Audi music interface for easy connection of a mobile player.At the top of the multimedia range is MMI navigation plus with rotary pushbutton and 7-inch monitor displaying graphics and navigation map in 3-D.Audi sound or Bose surround sound are on offer, the latter a ten-channel, 465 watt amplifier driving 14 speakers, including a subwoofer. It uses a microphone to analyse intrusive noises and adjusts playback accordingly.The Audi Q3 achieves the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating and owners can take advantage of a range of advanced driver assistance systems.For example, Audi side assist, active lane assist, high-beam assist and hill descent control, along with electric folding and dimming exterior mirrors can be combined into a new $2490 Assistance package.A Comfort package ($2490) consists of electric and heated front seats, and automatic tailgate, while a Technik package ($2990) includes MMI navigation plus, park assist and Audi sound system.Q3 prices start at $42,900, plus on-road costs, for the Q3 1.4 TFSI COD S tronic and top out at $56,900 for the 2.0 TDI S tronic quattro Sport.The ultimate option is a new Q3 camping tent that can be set up in minutes and fastened to the vehicle's open tailgate. One person with an air pump can set up the entire tent in just three minutes.Another four minutes is all it takes to connect the tent to the Q3 via the open rear hatch. Secured to the ground with eight camping pegs, it can withstand winds of up to 70km/h.

Audi Q3 receives styling enhancements for 2015, plus more poke for the range-topping RS Q3.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

Audi has launched a new 1.4-litre TFSI petrol four-cylinder version for its Q3 range, which will become the new entry point to the model. The new Q3 has been announced for the UK market, and is likely to reach other right-hand drive markets after mid-year, slotting in under the current cheapest variants, the $47.500 103kW/320Nm 2.0 TDI quattro diesel and the $49.450 125kW/280Nm 2.0 TFSI quattro petrol.Against their level, the new car offers only front-wheel drive -- with overseas transmission choices of six- and seven-speed dual clutch box -- and just 110kW (from 5000rpm) and 250Nm (from 1750-3000rpm).But it will be the most efficient petrol in the line-up with an official fuel economy figure of 6.2L/100km on a combined driving cycle, compared to the 7.7L/100km of the 2.0-litre TFSI and not far behind the 5.8L/100km of the diesel -- and for some buyers, the cheaper price of petrol may be enough of a trade-off to move them away from the oilburner.Audi is touting a 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds, which would make it a full second faster than the diesel and just 0.7 behind the TFSI in acceleration, so if true, it'll lose little to them.Prices and arrival of the new Q3 have not yet been confirmed by Audi Australia, but if you have around $45,000 in the bank by mid-year, you'll be looking prepared.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

The RS Q3 is the first RS model in Audi's SUV line-up, and is intended to package performance and practicality into a sporty and compact design when it arrives in February next year. Priced from $81,900, it's powered by a five-cylinder 2.5-litre TFSI engine that develops 228kW of power and 420Nm of torque. The engine also lives under the bonnet of Audi's TTRS sports car. Drive is via quattro technology through a seven-speed S-tronic dual clutch transmission allowing the RS Q3 to put away a 0-100kmh sprint in 5.5 seconds. The pint-size powerhouse comes equipped with a high level of standard equipment -- RS specific styling, front and rear, RS high-performance brake system, wave disc design at the front, Xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights. MMI Navigation plus is included with 20 GB of hard drive storage and 2 SD card readers. Also included are Audi parking system plus with rear view camera,  music interface, Bluetooth interface with audio streaming, sports seats with Nappa leather, dual zone climate control and more.   Watch the RS Q3 SUV video here.