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The guys at TFL have written a review on the Audi Q3. Ultimately, they love it.
Check out the full review here --> http://www.tflcar.com/2015/09/2016-audi-q3-blending-compact-utility-with-german-sportiness-review/
Audi Q3 Gets Reviewed by TFL
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The guys at TFL have written a review on the Audi Q3. Ultimately, they love it.
I know right.
These guys actually know their stuff and are for the most part passionate about what they review which as you can imagine with a cool audi like this its easy to be passionate.
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I think they will do one. They usually do both but release them at different times. Maybe just for editing time or something like that.
Really the only knocks from the media or owners on the Q3 are:
1) Boot space.
2) 6 Speed transmission
3) More HP/TQ
4) Memory seats
My wife & I rationalized it for ourselves as:
1) If we need to haul bigger stuff, either have it delivered or days of getting big stuff are over
* no need to have monthly car payments just for a couple pieces of furniture.
2) Drove most of our lives with 5 Speed manuals or slushboxes - so 6 is an upgrade.
* yes, it would have made the mpg & driveabilty better but it is what it is.
3) Rather be quick in Q3 in mall/grocery/soccer Mom mode than top speed fast any day.
* out right top end speed is useless in most day to day operation
* torque is nice but we're also not Camaro/Mustang light-2-light racing with a Q3 either.
* more hp/tq is like wishing for more height or more pay...a common refrain across all spectrum
4) Wife will be only driver 95% of the time.
* This was a downer but a compromise to most of the positives in the Q3.
1) Boot space.
2) 6 Speed transmission
3) More HP/TQ
4) Memory seats
My wife & I rationalized it for ourselves as:
1) If we need to haul bigger stuff, either have it delivered or days of getting big stuff are over
* no need to have monthly car payments just for a couple pieces of furniture.
2) Drove most of our lives with 5 Speed manuals or slushboxes - so 6 is an upgrade.
* yes, it would have made the mpg & driveabilty better but it is what it is.
3) Rather be quick in Q3 in mall/grocery/soccer Mom mode than top speed fast any day.
* out right top end speed is useless in most day to day operation
* torque is nice but we're also not Camaro/Mustang light-2-light racing with a Q3 either.
* more hp/tq is like wishing for more height or more pay...a common refrain across all spectrum
4) Wife will be only driver 95% of the time.
* This was a downer but a compromise to most of the positives in the Q3.
I'd have to agree with 2-4. We have #1 solved by having our other car be a 2015 Subaru Outback (1 foot longer). Anything that doesn't fit in that car isn't being loaded by me anyway.
Your rationalizations are similar to mine. On #2 (and 3) I'm coming from a manual shift 6 speed Mini Cooper S so the change is pretty significant. But really even though it's certainly different, it doesn't have an actual negative impact on my ability to get from point A to point B and on the positive side the ride is much more comfortable on our less then well maintained roads. It is odd to have the car shifting for me and to have it feel like it's trying to find the right gear sometimes - which seems to occur right around 5 miles over the posted speed limit...now if only I was willing to speed a bit more it would settle into that next gear....But overall I'm enjoying the ride!
Your rationalizations are similar to mine. On #2 (and 3) I'm coming from a manual shift 6 speed Mini Cooper S so the change is pretty significant. But really even though it's certainly different, it doesn't have an actual negative impact on my ability to get from point A to point B and on the positive side the ride is much more comfortable on our less then well maintained roads. It is odd to have the car shifting for me and to have it feel like it's trying to find the right gear sometimes - which seems to occur right around 5 miles over the posted speed limit...now if only I was willing to speed a bit more it would settle into that next gear....But overall I'm enjoying the ride!
This is what I don't understand...- and it could be just technology advances & modern driver adaptation to new tech - but this slushbox has been around for awhile in all VAG cars.
So to read that the media knocks this tendency is contradicting the data that millions of VW's & Audi's owners who had this tranny & potential owners who eventually bought even knowing that the box hunts for gears occasionally!
When I read about VAG - it isn't that they are known for bad automatic boxes.
Sure, Audi could have installed its latest DSG auto but at what cost vs. potential returns?
Then would the Q3 even have the value box ticked? Surely, with a more modern DSG it would have cost a few potential customer too not just bring in a few.
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I don't know that I want the DSG. My BMW 135i came with a dual clutch automatic and the hesitation when starting out and from a rolling stop made it very difficult to pull away smoothly. I am VERY happy with the Q3s traditional automatic - I find it to be VERY SMOOTH.
I don't know what the DSG gets you but the Q3 is not a sports car so I think it benefits from a smoother transmission.
John
I don't know what the DSG gets you but the Q3 is not a sports car so I think it benefits from a smoother transmission.
John
Thanks for pointing this out.
My GTI exhibit this symptom too.
Not sure if it's the tuning of the auto or turbo engine or a combination of both but yes - 1st thru 2nd & sometime 3rd is bus like.
Look my wife is not as car savvy as a auto journalist but if she's not complaining about it over 2 hour long test drive, I don't think it will be a problem.
Valid point since it's quite obvious when there's a real issue or when it sounds like there could be some issue brewing up in the form of sounds that don't sound like they should be happening.
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All Q3s in the RoW have ALWAYS had nothing but the DSG from the very start, back in 2011. Only we in the NAR get a tip. Not that that is a bad thing but just as you noted, MOST American customers would prefer the full torque converter auto to a DSG. btw, since Audi invented the DSG - theirs has always been the superior implemention of it. One thing I know to be mostly true is the start off sequence which for Audi is : foot on brake clutch disengaged, foot off brake clutch engaged. Others, including BMW : foot on brake clutch disengaged, foot off brake - nothing - foot on gas, clutch engaged. This slight difference creates a host of new behaviors for traditional automatic transmission expectations - Audi's, less so ...
Thanks for the great info!
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That is interesting to know. My BMW drove me crazy with this, enough that I got rid of it, along with a few other reasons.
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