Audi RS Q3 (2020-2025) Review

The RS Q3 always made more sense than it probably should have. On paper, a compact SUV with a 400PS five-cylinder engine looks like the sort of thing built to win internet arguments rather than real buyers. In reality, the RS Q3 carved out a proper niche for itself because it offered something many fast hatchbacks and coupes could not: real pace, real practicality and a genuinely distinctive engine.

That engine is the whole point. Audi could have gone down the usual route and fitted a highly tuned four-cylinder turbo, because that would have been the rational answer. Instead, it kept faith with the brand’s brilliant 2.5-litre five-cylinder, and that gave the RS Q3 a much stronger identity than most rivals. It sounds special, feels special and gives the car a proper Audi Sport flavour rather than merely turning it into a quicker Q3.

It also helped that the second-generation RS Q3 was a much more convincing base car than the original. The standard Q3 had become roomier, more modern and much more polished inside, which meant the RS version no longer felt like an amusing oddity. It felt like a serious fast Audi.

Audi no longer builds new RS Q3 models, while the standard Q3 range has moved on to a newer generation. There are no signs yet of a direct new RS Q3 successor, which leaves this car to stand on its own merits as a used performance SUV. But it still feels like a complete package: immensely quick, full of character and practical enough to justify itself more easily than many performance cars.

There's really only one engine story here, because every RS Q3 uses the same 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine and seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox.

The bigger choice is trim. For most used buyers, the standard RS Q3 is where you should start. It already has the powertrain, the stance and the equipment you want, and it usually makes the most sense on comfort grounds too.

Sport Edition adds some worthwhile attitude, while Vorsprung piles on luxury kit and looks tempting in the classifieds. Unless you specifically want every last extra, though, a sensibly specified standard car is often the sweetest used buy.

Used Audi RS Q3 prices start from around £36,000 for earlier cars, while Sport Edition and Vorsprung models sit higher.

There's enough choice on the used market to be selective, and that’s important because wheel size, optional suspension and trim do make a difference to how convincing the RS Q3 feels.

For many buyers, the best value sits with a clean, well-kept standard car rather than the priciest examples with every box ticked.

The Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 is the most obvious alternative if you want something similarly compact, similarly aggressive and just as serious in a straight line, while the Porsche Macan remains the one to look at if driving feel and overall engagement matters most.

The BMW X2 M35i is another fast premium SUV, but it doesn’t really feel like a full-strength RS Q3 rival because it lacks the same sense of theatre and performance. The RS Q3’s edge is its five-cylinder engine and the way that gives it a stronger character than most of its direct rivals.

The RS Q3 is one of those performance cars that makes a strong case for itself before you even start the engine. Up front there's loads of room, a good driving position and the kind of seat support you expect from an Audi Sport model.

Rear-seat space is better than many buyers will expect as well. Adults can sit comfortably, there's enough headroom even with the panoramic roof, and the bench offers useful flexibility.

The boot is another real strength. At 530 litres, it's a genuinely useful size, and the shape is broad and easy to exploit. The split-folding rear bench and adjustable floor add further versatility. In simple terms, this is a fast SUV that can still do the family-car part of the brief properly.

The Audi RS Q3 measures 4,507mm long, 1,851mm wide and 1,557mm high. That keeps it compact enough to feel manageable on tighter roads while still offering the higher-set driving position and interior space SUV buyers want.

In practice, it never feels as bulky as some larger performance SUVs, which is part of its appeal.

The RS Q3 uses Audi’s familiar dual-screen layout, with a 10.1-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver display.

It still looks smart and modern, and the RS-specific displays help give the car a stronger sense of occasion. The issue is not the quality of the system, but the fact that the screen-heavy layout can feel a bit more showy than intuitive at times.

Even so, this remains one of the more polished interiors in the class, and higher-spec cars with upgraded audio and assistance packs feel especially rich inside.

Material quality is broadly very good. The seats, steering wheel, digital displays and RS-specific trim all help the cabin feel properly expensive, even if there are a few harder plastics lower down that stand out more at this price point than they would in a regular Q3.

That does not really undermine the overall impression, though. The RS Q3 still feels solid, well assembled and recognisably premium.

The 2.5-litre five-cylinder single-turbo engine fitted to the RS Q3 is brilliant. It absolutely is the highlight here. For starters, there’s the noise. It may not be quite as incendiary as it once was, but it’s still exceedingly charismatic, with a thoroughly authentic five-cylinder burble that turns into a rousing blare at higher revs (it’s redlined at a heady 7,000rpm). Rally-style pops and crackles from the exhaust are entertaining as well – particularly from Sport Edition versions, which have a standard sports exhaust.

It’s remarkable how quick it can launch itself off the line, and the power seems to build right through the rev range. It may only have one big turbo rather than two smaller ones, but it’s hard to catch the engine off-boost. Most of the time, it will respond to the accelerator pedal with an instantaneous kick.

We love how free-spinning it is, too. This is a fairly large engine, with five big cylinders, but it’s silky-smooth and feels incredibly inertia-free.

The S Tronic gearbox is a bit more frustrating if you leave it to its own devices. It has a tendency to change up a bit too early, even in Sport mode, seeming reluctant to hold onto gears. Take matters into your own hands with the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, though, and you can flick near-instantly between the dual-clutch transmission’s gear ratios.

The RS Q3 sticks closely to the Audi performance car form book in its setup: it’s firm. Ride quality has an unyielding attitude, with a stiff and jiggly feel. You’d expect nothing less, as this is a very high-performance machine, but it may be a surprise for those used to softer and more supple SUVs.

Optional ceramic brakes are available. They cost a small fortune but give immense and tireless retardation from high speeds, although they’re a bit grabbier in day-to-day use. We’d save the £5k and spend a more manageable £1k on adaptive dampers instead (they’re part of the Sport Suspension Plus kit, and fitted as standard to Vorsprung models). These help reduce the crashiness of the ride over poor surfaces, and give an extra dose of body control at higher speeds.

When you select adaptive dampers, it also adds extra functionality to the RS mode button on the steering wheel. Drivers can choose from two configurations, depending on how stiff (or not) they want the suspension to be. Other settings are adjusted, including the weight of the steering and the spiciness of the accelerator pedal response.

Handling is faithful and trustworthy, with an exceptional amount of grip. It’s higher off the ground than a performance hatchback, but still hunkers down and holds on when being chucked around tight corners at silly speeds. Such speeds really are easy, thanks to the bite from the tyres and the security of the Quattro all-wheel drive system.

The RS Q3 can send up to 85 percent of its drive rearwards, but it never particularly feels rear-driven. It’s not particularly involving either, with the steering seeming remote despite its firm weight. This is Audi’s trademark feel – total security whatever the weather. If you want more involvement, Volkswagen Group sister brand Porsche is there to deliver that.

A comprehensive haul of standard safety gear includes six airbags, an extra ISOFIX mount on the front passenger seat, front passenger airbag deactivation, remote electrically-operated rear child locks and a first aid kit with a warning triangle.

Driver assistance features include autonomous emergency braking in towns (complete with pedestrian and cyclist detection), camera-based road sign recognition and the Audi Side Assist blind-spot warning system. When you engage reverse gear, a cross-traffic assist system warns of approaching cars or pedestrians, and will jolt the brakes if it thinks a collision is inevitable.

There’s a lane-departure warning system, cruise control with speed limiter, an electric parking brake and, amusingly, hill descent control. Not that we imagine a single RS Q3 owner will ever venture far enough off-road to actually use this.

Vorsprung models get a driver assistance package including a 360-degree camera and adaptive cruise control. This maintains a set distance from the vehicle in front, and gives steering assistance to help the driver stay within their lane. It works at speeds of up to 124mph. Euro NCAP has awarded the Q3 range a full five-star safety rating. 

By modern standards, the Audi RS Q3 is a thirsty machine. It’s rare that even performance cars in this sector weigh in with fuel economy below 30mpg, but the Audi manages it. 

Its average combined figure is 28.9mpg. Fuel costs will reflect this, particularly if you use the full performance of the engine. It does, however, come fitted with a standard exhaust particulate filter. This helps keep emissions under control, no matter how hard you drive it. Good news for our city centres.  

Any remaining manufacturer warranty will depend on the age of the car, but Audi Approved Used examples remain the most reassuring place to start.

Audi Approved Used currently includes a minimum of a one-year Audi Warranty, one year of roadside assistance and a 30-day exchange plan, which adds useful reassurance on a used high-performance Audi.

On cars like this, condition and history matter more than almost anything else. A full record of servicing, tyres and brakes is worth prioritising.

Insurance groups and costs are high, but maybe not quite as prohibitive as you might fear. The regular Audi RS Q3, for example, comes in at group 40 – that’s expensive, but this is a 400PS vehicle with a wildly fast 0-62mph time. It could be a lot worse.

The fancy Vorsprung version may have extra active safety features, but it also has larger wheels and more expensive kit elsewhere. It is therefore a bit more expensive to insure, with a group 42 rating.

The standard annual Vehicle Excise Duty (VED or road tax) rate is £200, or £17.50 a month by Direct Debit. However, because the RS Q3’s original list price was well over £40,000, it also incurs the Expensive Car Supplement for five years from the second year of registration. That takes the annual bill to £640, or £56 a month by Direct Debit during that period.