First post in the Q3 section... –
09-08-2015,05:39 PM
Hi all,
I've been an A4 driver for around 10 years now... had 3 in that timeframe. Due to me suffering from some significant back pain in my older age (I'm not blaming the A4s, although they've been a Sport, an S line and a Black Edition) I'm looking to replace with something with a higher ride height and, maybe, even something with a softer ride (let's see!)...
I've tried to keep an open mind and I've spent some time and I have looked at nearly everything out there... including Kia Sportage, Hyundai ix35, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Qashqai, Volvo XC60, Range Rover Evoque, Jeep Cherokee and Volkswagon Tiguan, the Honda CR-V and even the Toyota RAV4 - pretty much anything as my mind is trying its best to be open... but I've done 2 other things, 1 is that I've been consciously avoiding the Audi Q range, and 2 is that I've constantly been drawn back to the Audi Q range. Cripes!
So, I'm thinking of a Q3. Familiar territory for me, I suppose... it's what I know.
The top of the bunch at the moment is either the Mazda CX-5 (I like that car, it's a bit different but the lack of a digital speedo. might be the nail in its coffin) and the Nissan Qashqai (at the top spec. it's no slouch and has a lovely central display with lots of useful information, including digital speedo., speed limit display etc. - plus it's really cheap).
However, the Q3 is drawing me in... I'd be looking for a similar specification as the outgoing A4 that's at the bottom here... do you other Q3 owners find that the car is a good buy? Is a 150ps diesel going to pull along as well as my current A4 seems to do? What are the full LED headlights really like? What's the power tailgate like to work with? Would you upgrade the speakers from what is basic (I've got B&O in my current Black Edition and it's total crap). Does TPMS now tell you anything that's useful, like which tyre has an issue? How is the speed limit sign detection and does it detect other signs too (no overtaking seems to be shown in the manual)?. Can I get a flat-bottomed steering wheel on any trim? Overall... with you knowing that I know Audi cars relatively well... what should I be looking for in an excellent Q3?
Lastly, how new is the current Q3? I see it's got an MMI screen up on the dashboard, but does it have the latest platform out of the Q range, or is it due a refresh?
Hope to hear from you...
Cheers, Hippo
A4 2.0 TDI 150ps Black Edition (B&O, AMI, flat-bottomed steering wheel), alcantara, heated front seats, PQ6 wheels, technology package, Audi Connect, advanced key, interior light pack, folding and dimming mirrors, parking system advanced, TPMS