Audi RS Q3 Sportback

The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback gets a premium cabin. The build quality is impressive. The leather seats get bright Alcantara highlights, along with the dashboard, seats, and doors. Combined with the soft leather, aluminium accents, and a carbon-fibre-like surface lend the car a luxurious ambiance. Some Audi sports models have swathes of subtle dark grey or black Nappa leather. The cabin itself is pretty well-knitted with the powered front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charger, and a gesture-controlled powered tailgate. But the 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback misses out on driver-seat memory function. The dashboard is dominated by a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, connected to a 10-speaker audio system. But with the numerous icons and menus, it's a bit cumbersome to operate, though the display is crisp and clear. It supports Amazon Alexa voice commands. The 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel replaces conventional analogue dials. The physical buttons on the central console are easy to operate. The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback gets 532 litres of boot space, identical to the regular version.

The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback has a no-nonsense design with a number of aggressive bulges and sharp edges. The front gets a marginally larger octagonal grille compared to its outgoing version, with a sportier piano-black mesh design and the signature Audi logo. There are four separate fake mesh grille units in the front, two on the extreme sides. The headlights are thin and sleek. The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback gets all-around LED lighting. The sloping roof almost plunges at the back and the heavily slanted rear window lends the car an SUV look. But the roof isn't perhaps as graceful as the Audi e-tron Sportback or the Q8. There's a fake diffuser below the rear bumper that's merely for design purpose. The two sports exhaust channels produce a great sporty soundtrack whenever the engine is revved. Other aesthetic upgrades include the new bumpers and skirts, and the flared wheel arches. The car runs on 18-inch alloy wheels.

The multifunction steering wheel of the 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback gets a nice range of adjustment. Both front seats are electrically adjustable and movable lumbar support comes as standard. There's plenty of legroom and headroom on all seats. The interior is wide enough and passengers won't have to rub shoulders against each other. The central console on the front seat is a bit narrow. The driver's seat, pedal, and steering wheel aren’t perfectly aligned. The driver has to adjust their seating position likewise. On the rear seat, the sloping down roofline eats into the headroom. The rear seat is more suitable for two passengers instead of three. The suspension pretty much absorbs everything but tends to get stiff at times.  

The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback is hauled by a five-cylinder, 2.5-litre petrol engine that produces 440PS/480Nm. The motor is mated to a seven-speed automatic. The engine itself is powerful though the drive isn't engaging. Transmission is a bit erratic. The Sport mode makes the gearbox more decisive. But direct control through the paddles behind the steering wheel is the best. The engine sounds distinctive. Handling is easy and the car turns corners sans any drama.

The 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback comes with parking sensors, multiple airbags, and antilock braking. The rearview camera is optional.

At a starting price of AED 324,900, the 2024 Audi RS Q3 Sportback is among the more expensive cars in its segment. The trade-off here is between style and practicality. If the rear seat isn't much used, this car could be a worthy option in the premium crossover-SUV class.