Specifications of Audi Q3 (F3) 40 TFSI (190 HP) quattro S tronic

General characteristics of Audi Q3 (F3) 40 TFSI (190 HP) quattro S tronic

The Q3’s best gifts are inside, where it’s comfortable and svelte despite its 2-ton heft. Rear seat passengers get more than 36 inches of leg room, which is admirable among its contemporaries. Behind the rear seats, the Q3 holds up to 23.7 cubic feet of cargo (with the rear seats slid back for more passenger comfort that figure drops to 18.7 cubic feet). With the seats down that space expands to 48 cubic feet, which in our testing was only hampered by a stylish roofline that descends toward the rear liftgate.

In addition to top NHTSA safety scores, the Q3 gets standard automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warnings to complement those crash-test scores.

For a small crossover, the 2021 Audi Q3 returns disappointing fuel economy; the size-up Q5 even rates higher according to the EPA.

Official data isn’t yet available for 2021, but based on the crossover’s similarities with last year’s version, we feel confident carrying over those scores.

The EPA says base Q3s rate 22 mpg city, 30 highway, 25 combined. That’s 4 on our scale. The S-Line turbo-4's rated at 20/28/23 mpg.

Competitors do better, but they’re also smaller. The Mercedes-Benz GLA Class nets 25 mpg combined with all-wheel drive, and the BMW X1 manages 26 mpg combined with all-wheel drive, according to the EPA.

The good news? The Q3 doesn’t ask for premium fuel, the others do.

In terms of powertrain, the 2021 Audi Q3 does all of the thinking for you. That’s probably a good thing. Picking out a color for your Q3? Another story.

Just one engine, one transmission, and one way to drive the wheels is available this year; luckily for shoppers, they’re all good.

Starting from an average score, the Q3 gets points above average for its tight handling and spunky turbo-4. It’s a 7 for performance.

The Q3 in S Line trim is driven by a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that makes 228 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-60 mph time of 7.0 seconds. (Don’t ask us where the “45” comes from on the badge.) That's in its higher spec: A new lower-output turbo-4 makes 184 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, which Audi pegs with a 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds. It's less expensive but also less common, for now—so it doesn't cost the Q3 a performance point.

The engines pair up to an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive on every model that sashays its way into our good graces with fat chunks of power despite its small size. 

It handles well, and we’ve found that it can dart around town without much of a fuss. Its turning circle is relatively small too, which is a boon for “where are we going?” moments that always tend to come up.

Despite its big standard 18- or 19-inch wheels, the Q3 is collected on crappy roads, which is something that few competitors can tout.