Driving Audi’s best seller today – the compact Q3 40 TFSI quattro S-Line
Sportback SUV – a 2.0-litre turbo 132kW four-cylinder seven-speed dual clutch
automatic with all-wheel-drive. I’ve always highly regarded the Audi Q3 and the
sloped roof Sportback variant adds another perspective – these days its grown in
price like a lot of cars – now $78,245 drive-away but fortunately still under the
luxury car tax threshold. A roomy cabin and nicely proportioned power front
seats make this a very comfortable compact SUV – it’s the perfect package size
for four good sized adults. And despite the sloped roof, headroom in the rear
remains nearly as good as the wagon version. A flat bottom steering wheel gives
it a sporty feel while an excellent dash and instrumentation with large touch
screen and a driver’s display can be configured in different ways. The driving
side features a nice torque band from 1400 to 3900 revs while Sports mode steps
up the enjoyment level making it real driver’s car. Push it hard however and it can
become a little thirsty, I managed 8.9l/100 on 95 grade petrol. But with a stack of
convenience, comfort and driving features the compact Audi Q3 Sportback offers
just so much despite its hefty price tag. I’m David Berthon

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Driving Audi’s compact Q3 SUV today – available in both five-door Wagon and Sportback. The Q3, Audi’s best seller, and the biggest selling small prestige SUV. I’m driving the Audi Q3 2.0-litre turbo 40TFSI quattro S-line Sportback, $78,245 drive-away, not inexpensive today but importantly, still under the luxury car tax threshold. The Audi Q3 Sportback has always appealed, the perfect package size, the sloped roof giving it a sporty feel. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbo driving through a seven-speed automatic to all four wheels plus Audi drive select with four different drive modes – this aspect so rewarding – all-wheel drive giving it a solid footprint on the road with well shod 20-inch alloy wheels. The Audi Q3 Sportback excels in interior room, seat comfort, 360-degree cameras, power front seats, leather trim, a great dash and instrumentation and thankfully knobs and buttons for temperature and fan speed, far superior to the touchscreen functionality of many cars today. It also features a full gamut of infotainment services like weather, fuel prices and Google services plus Audi virtual cockpit plus with a digital configurable instrument cluster and much more. Warranty five- years/unlimited kilometre. The Audi Q3 Sportback remains an impressive compact premium SUV and one can see why it is so popular. I’m David Berthon

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Korean manufacturer Hyundai celebrated the production of its 100 millionth
vehicle recently, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 rolled off the production line at the
company’s Ulsan Plant, this facility recognised as the birthplace of the Korean
car industry. Here in 1975 Hyundai produced its first independently developed
model the Pony. For the record Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967,
building its first car, a Ford Cortina under license, before moving on to its own
car design a year later. I well remember the brand’s arrival in Australia under Alan
Bond’s distribution in 1986 where it became one of our fastest growing brands
with the cheap and cheerful small Excel hatchback. The company snapped up Kia
in the mid-nineties – last year becoming the world’s third biggest producer
delivering 7.1 million vehicles behind Volkswagen with 8.8 million and Toyota
with 10.8 million. I’m David Berthon

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