The second-gen Audi Q3 crossover, judging from a teaser video, appears to get sharper design and updated headlights.
Jay Ramey is an associate editor with Autoweek, an affiliate of Automotive News.
Compact crossovers and SUVs are all the rage, especially among luxury brands, and the second-generation Audi Q3 is on the doorstep.
The first-gen model debuted in 2011 but only made it stateside starting with the 2015 model year, offering a body style similar to that of the Mercedes-Benz GLA class, one of its rivals. The outgoing Q3 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 200 hp and 207 pound-feet of torque, sent to the front wheels or all four wheels courtesy of quattro all-wheel drive.
But the conservative styling of the first generation didn’t exactly get Audi enthusiasts fired up — it was a taller A3 hatch and that’s about it — and the outgoing version is one of the oldest vehicles in the brand’s lineup. Also, it wasn’t particularly roomy, even compared with the Volkswagen Tiguan of the time.
Audi looks to change all that with the launch of the second-generation Q3, which will be unveiled Wednesday. A short teaser video previews sharper design and updated headlights, among other details. Look for Audi Virtual Cockpit when the model is unveiled, in addition to an updated range of engines that will likely include a 1.5-liter TSI power plant.
The second-gen Q3 will have even more competition when it goes on sale this year: The BMW X2 and the Volvo XC40 weren’t around when the first-gen version debuted, all of which means a smaller share of the pie to fight over.
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