2017 Audi Q2 Review
Cuteness doesn’t come cheap, and all-wheel traction doesn’t come at all
By Shahzad Sheikh
Click below now to watch the video of the 2017 Audi Q2 Review now
This is the Audi Q2 – the smallest of the SUV Qs from the Ingolstadt manufacturer and it seems to be the result of stylist getting bored of just retracing the big daddy Q7 and reducing the scale a little each time.
This one’s got a little flair, not least of which is the distinctive elongated hexagonal shape on its waistline – a very unique and quite appealing feature – and the matte silver panel that breaks away the roof panel and actually suggests a chop-top appearance.
A smiling slash of silver underlines the corporate but somehow cheekier Audi grille. And talking of cheeky, this car is actually smaller than the new Mini Countryman – or should I be saying that the new Mini Countryman is now actually bigger than an Audi SUV?
However, how is this an SUV when a) you can’t easily fit five full-size adults within it, and b) it’s not actually an Audi trademarked Quattro all-wheel driver?
Well alright we do now have other mini-SUVs and some of them – even Jeeps – don’t always come with 4WD. But there’s a couple of other stumbling blocks, though in a blatant effort to keep you reading further (Oi! Don’t jump ahead, eyes back here now!) I’ll come back to those in a bit.
Those of you that didn’t jump ahead will now be rewarded because I lied. Firstly, who’s been sneaking under the bonnet and made off with a whole cylinder?! There’s only three!
Actually that’s not true either. The car you see in the video above and in the pictures on this page does have four pistons cranking up and down – it’s a 1.4-litre unit producing 150bhp and 184lb ft of torque from 1500rpm. It manages a 0-100kph time of 8.2 seconds and gets up to 224kph. To get this ’35 TFSI’ as they’ve dubbed it, you hand over AED117,000 ($32k).
But there is another Q2 sitting below this on the price ladder, and that has a 1.0-litre THREE-cylinder unit with 116bhp and 147lb ft, giving 0-100kph in 10.5secs and topping out at 190kph. The ’30 TFSI’ starts at AED111,000 ($30k).
Both get 7-speed autos sending torque to the front axle only. And the front deploys the go-go forces with reasonable eagerness, at least in the 1.4, and certainly more enthusiasm than you might feel when I tell you this particular press car version of the entry-level Audi high-rider weighed in at AED160,100 ($43,500). Gulp.
Do without all the elaborate kit though and you get a compact SUV for two and a couple of kids with reasonable room in the boot for their stuff or more, if you drop the adjustable floor. There’s a good comfy driving position up front with all the usual Audi attributes of high-quality interior trim, sensible ergonomics and even a bit of colour to add more personality to a solid dash.
It goes, turns and stops very well – as you’d expect – and manages to merely sip at the fuel as it does so. It’s an easy drive with a good ride, that could be even better with smaller more sensible wheels.
Verdict
It’s pricey, doesn’t have enough driven wheels, is a little tight in the back for tall adults, starts off with one cylinder short of a full set and is a good, rather than great, drive. However, it’s a nippy and stylish city runabout that instantly endows you with the cred of a classy bit of German kit, that’s beautifully presented, stands out from its siblings and is a pretty solid offering.
Do grab a go in the even more expensive Mini Countryman first, but for some this Q2 might be all the pretend-SUV you need to flash the badged around your neighbourhood.
