A3 or Q3
- Thread starter h5djr
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I had a Q3, it was a good car with plenty of space and a good driving experience. High enough up but you didn't feel too high.
Unfortunately mine had a vibration and I rejected it, they do have some build quality issues.
Have a look at the Q3 forum.
Audi Q3 Forums
Unfortunately mine had a vibration and I rejected it, they do have some build quality issues.
Have a look at the Q3 forum.
Audi Q3 Forums
I drove a Q3 once, very briefly. A bit 'meh'. Not as nice as the A3, especially the interior. I don't like big cars though.
It's mainly that I'm not keen on the interior layout of the A3 that I was looking at the brochure for the Q3. Much of it is closer to my existing A3 and my wife's A1 which we both like. I shall have to have a test drive. Better to have a Q3 than go to a Golf.
What about the interior don't you like? The Q3 I drove had the MMI but worse (screen had to be popped up manually and the control was on the panel rather than near the handbrake which was harder to use). Plus it's more money for something which isn't really that much bigger - it looks chunkier and sits higher, but that's about it. I think the A3's interior is one of its best bits, but each to their own.
My post was aimed at people who had driven both an A3 and a Q3, not at people who just don't like them. We won't go into what sort of person I think drives an S3.
I have driven a Q3 ! And Q5. And Q7 ! I don't see the point unless you really need a lot of headroom ( big ego ? ) the handling is worse than equivalent A 3 A5 or A7 ... If you need space buy an A4 or A6 Avant IMHO.
All my comments are based on real experience !! ;-)
All my comments are based on real experience !! ;-)
I originally was looking at a Q3 before settling on the 8V A3 and test drove both. Considering the premium over the A3 thought it was rubbish in comparison in all aspects, especially the interior , and from a looks perspective I now think it is pig ugly compared to the great lines of the A3 particularly in s-line. Performance was also poor even in the 177bhp Quattro I drove in relation to my 2.0TDI even if the book figure had it as quicker.
There are quite a number of bits of the interior I'm not that keen on when compared to my existing A3. I don't like the MMI control being towards the back on the centre console. I have used the one on my wife's A1 which is the same as on the Q3 and prefer it. I think the interior mirror is far too small. I prefer the existing light switch where you pull it out to get fog lights rather than have to find two much smaller flat switches. The luggage area is smaller than my existing A3 such that my mobility scooter will not fit in easily. I am rapidly going off the circular air vents and the ones on the new A3 are even more fussy. The door pockets are not as accessible as my existing ones. I prefer needles rather than lights on the fuel and temperature gauges. The list goes on.
In very many respects I prefer the interior of the Golf VII but I still like the idea of owning an Audi. I want to like the A3 but I am finding it difficult. I've had eight A3s over the years as well as four other Audis and I would very much like to say with Audi which is why I decided to look at the Q3. Yes it's a bit bigger but I can still get a 177hp engine with 380 Nm of torque in SE trim, s-tronic and also get quattro in the bargain for not that much more than an A3.
I have not driven a Q3 but I think I will give one a try and see what I think.
But you cannot get an A4 with a s-tronic gearbox. At the moment Audi use the 'multi-tronic' in all be the top of the range A4. Mind you that may change as I read the other day that the new A4 will drop the multi-tronic in favour of the s-tronic.
As I said - you can only get an A4 with a s-tronic gearbox if you go to the top of the range models. You can actually get a 2.0TDI quattro and a 3.0 TDI Quattro in both Saloon and Avant and the S4. But all of these would have a starting price well above the A3/Q3 and by the time I've added £5,000 worth of options would work out more than I really want to pay. At the moment Audi only do an s-tronic for their N-S engines in quattro format but that may be about to change with the new A4 unless they are going to make the A4 with a transverse engine which I doubt.
There we do agree. I drove an A4 with multi-troinic many years ago, before I bought my first A3 with s-tronic back in 2004 and it was horrible then and I'm sure it still is.
I shall probably end up with a Golf!!
I suppose I could just buy an extended warranty for my existing A3 and keep longer, but that only really puts off the decision and the ride of the new A3/Golf is so much better.
I agree about the light switch... but for the maybe 2 times a year I need to use fog lights it's not much of a concern really. My fog light switches aren't visible from my position as the steering wheel is in the way.
Perhaps I will have to visit my dealer again. I've known him for 15 years and he really loves the new A3 even though he normally sells the more exotic machinery like A8s and R8s. I shall have to get him to brainwash me!! Perhaps if I spent a day just sitting in an A3 and playing I will come away convinced. If he could get hold of a car of the right SE or Sport trim I could even enjoy driving one as well.
S Line is a better proposition.. you can delete firm suspension if you find it too hard. If you are hooked on s tronic.. how about a 2.0Tdi Quattro 184 s tronic ???? if they did one with manual gears we would have been tempted.. however having to make do with 300PS and an S3... times are hard ;-)
And there is me trying to convince myself to go for the 150 to save some money of diesel !!!!.
Personally I don't like the black headlining in the S-Line.
Do you loose some headroom with the Pan Roof. I've always found headroom a problem with other sunroofs. I once had to reject a Golf VR6 back in 1998 because they forgot to delete the standard sunroof and there was not enough headroom. Mine you it did mean I bought my first A3 so it was not all bad.
I'm 1.9 metres (6 Foot 3 in old money) Our 8P has a Pan roof and is absolutely fine the 8V allegedly has marginally more headroom. We've had x4 8P Audis with roof!
My wife has a 2013 2.0 Tfsi Q3 S-line Quattro.
I have the new S3.
We bought our Q3 second hand with only 3k miles on it and I think it's a really good car. Looks good in S-line guise too.
The Tfsi pulls well and it's a very comfortable drive with a good driving position and good kit.
I'm a bit taken aback by the way it pulls, it's got a lot of grunt and gets about it's business without any issues.
I like the interior of the Q3 but the S3 interior is a better place to be.
Were we considering new A3 or new Golf against used Q3 we'd still have ended up in a Q3.
Depends on what you are going to use it for, but I'd ignore everything said before and test drive all the options and make an informed decision.
Getting out of a S3 and driving the Q3 doesn't feel a disappointment, surely not as quick, but comfortable, spacious and still with a bit of poke.
Dare I say it the steering in the Q feels better than the S.........
I have the new S3.
We bought our Q3 second hand with only 3k miles on it and I think it's a really good car. Looks good in S-line guise too.
The Tfsi pulls well and it's a very comfortable drive with a good driving position and good kit.
I'm a bit taken aback by the way it pulls, it's got a lot of grunt and gets about it's business without any issues.
I like the interior of the Q3 but the S3 interior is a better place to be.
Were we considering new A3 or new Golf against used Q3 we'd still have ended up in a Q3.
Depends on what you are going to use it for, but I'd ignore everything said before and test drive all the options and make an informed decision.
Getting out of a S3 and driving the Q3 doesn't feel a disappointment, surely not as quick, but comfortable, spacious and still with a bit of poke.
Dare I say it the steering in the Q feels better than the S.........
You are unlikely to get much in the way of reasoned response on this forum as most are buying the new A3.
Overall height is not the problem. I am only 5' 9"but I could not drive my existing 8p if it had the normal sunroof. The problem is I have short legs and a long body. I always have to have the seat in it's lowest position. My wife is quite tall for a lady at 5'7" but she has to move the seat back and raise the height from my position to drive my A3. The only way I will know for certain is to find a test car with a Pan Roof and that will no doubt be more difficult than finding a non S-Line.
Craigl - You say that I am unlikely to get much in the way of reasoned response on this forum as most are buying the new A3 but that is just the point. I am looking for comments by people who have driven both and that's more likely on here and the Q3 forum that I am also looking in to. I find most members of this forum give honest and useful opinions.
Private plates are a different type of issue. I have one a like having it but I know a lot of people who think they are a waste of money. The same goes for most things in life. Each to his own.
Tested an A3 S Line with Pano roof and no height loss inside. My cousin just bought one on an SE. Just for my 2p I liked the Q3 interior but having driven several BMW 1 series and Audi A3's the new A3 wins.
Like a few people, I looked at (and test drove) a Q3 when deciding which car to order.
Q3 I test drove was a 2.0 TDI 177 Quattro S-Line S-Tronic.
The Good:
* Fair amount of space inside;
* More upright driving position;
* Simple, conventional dash layout;
* Decent standard specification.
The Bad:
* Wallowy to drive;
* Interior not particularly modern - some systems based on the previous-gen A3, (inc old-style climate control);
* Body roll;
* Noisy engine;
* Very noticable turbo-lag;
* Poor value for money when compared to similar spec A3;
* Quoted an estimated 7 month lead time on a new factory order.
To be fair, the lag issue and noisy engine may have just been the characteristics of this engine in any Audi. However, given my low annual mileage, I would have only looked at the higher powered 2.0 TFSI, (but local dealers didn't have one available).
With consideration to both cars, the 8V A3 feels like it's in a different league to the Q3. Much better interior, almost as much space, better (cleaner) engines, latest tech, and cheaper to buy / run / insure.
Your choice ultimately depends entirely on what you want from your car, but for me, the A3 was a better choice than the Q3.
Q3 I test drove was a 2.0 TDI 177 Quattro S-Line S-Tronic.
The Good:
* Fair amount of space inside;
* More upright driving position;
* Simple, conventional dash layout;
* Decent standard specification.
The Bad:
* Wallowy to drive;
* Interior not particularly modern - some systems based on the previous-gen A3, (inc old-style climate control);
* Body roll;
* Noisy engine;
* Very noticable turbo-lag;
* Poor value for money when compared to similar spec A3;
* Quoted an estimated 7 month lead time on a new factory order.
To be fair, the lag issue and noisy engine may have just been the characteristics of this engine in any Audi. However, given my low annual mileage, I would have only looked at the higher powered 2.0 TFSI, (but local dealers didn't have one available).
With consideration to both cars, the 8V A3 feels like it's in a different league to the Q3. Much better interior, almost as much space, better (cleaner) engines, latest tech, and cheaper to buy / run / insure.
Your choice ultimately depends entirely on what you want from your car, but for me, the A3 was a better choice than the Q3.
Q3 I found was great for interior space, but that was about it. I didnt find the ride appealing being a more 'boat like'. The drive in the
A3 is much more positive and refined. The external size was a problem for me too. I've been meaning to compare Q3 with Q5 for size as they do look very similar.
My wife liked the Q3 but I much prefer the A3 so I bought one. I will say that the manual Sline 184 diesel is superb, I know its not quattro but 4wd is something I dont need. Consequently the car is quite a bit lighter and you can tell.
But it's your choice.
A3 is much more positive and refined. The external size was a problem for me too. I've been meaning to compare Q3 with Q5 for size as they do look very similar.
My wife liked the Q3 but I much prefer the A3 so I bought one. I will say that the manual Sline 184 diesel is superb, I know its not quattro but 4wd is something I dont need. Consequently the car is quite a bit lighter and you can tell.
But it's your choice.
Audi really should do that engine with quattro and manual . In my view quattro transforms a good car to a great car.
or better still - a Golf VII DSG. I have driven both the Octavia and the Golf and personally I think the standard of trim etc in the Golf is better than in the Octavia. The strangest thing for me was the Octavia DSG did not have paddles for the gear change (they are an optional extra) and I use the paddles all the time.
I'm driving another DSG Golf on Thursday for several hours. Perhaps I will know more after that. The last test drive I had arranged for a DSG Golf ended up as a short few miles with the salesman because it was a brand new car as they had sold their demonstrator. I then had a non-DSG Golf for several hours but I let my wife drive as she is used to driving with a clutch and I am not and would have probably spent more time trying to remember to use the clutch than concentrating on anything else.
Also I telephoned VW Customer Services this morning to ask if they could tell me if any dealers had the spec of Golf I was interested in as a demonstrator. The chap said he would check the database and ring me back. Ten minutes later he did ring back and with three dealers in my area who had one. When I did the same with Audi Customer Services a few weeks back they told me they had no list of what demonstrators were being run by their dealers. It seems VW are a bit more interested in individual customers than Audi.
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The golf is a nice car, getting very pricy but still a good quality hatch. The octavia is a better family car due to its size. We have ended up ordering the Tdi vRS over the GTD golf. Preferred the look and size suited out needs better
As for VW, you may have been luck or I was unlucky but asked questions of 5 dealers and 1 rang back! Car dealers....pft lol
