2022 Audi Q3 S Line Review – Sporty or Just Weird?

The idea of a compact, sporty entry-luxury crossover is appealing.

It’s a sort of a “have your cake and it too” proposition – you get the utility of a crossover, but it’s also fun to drive and at least a little bit upscale. Sure, it’s expensive, but perhaps not out of reach for the upwardly mobile young (or youngish) urban professional.

That’s the proposition offered by the 2022 Audi Q3. Does it live up to what it promises?

The short answer: Well, maybe.

Let’s start with the good news: The Q3 is lively to drive in an urban environment, despite having a motor that doesn’t appear particularly robust on paper. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 228 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque, and while the Q3 isn’t especially fast it still manages to feel spritely enough around town. There is some throttle delay and/or turbo lag at times.

An eight-speed automatic transmission gets the power to the ground via all-wheel drive. The Q3 handles with a lively friskiness that’s just fun enough to liven up the dreary commute, though the steering feels, as if often the case these days with VW/Audi products, a bit too light and disconnected. There’s also a bit of a ride punishment – the Q3 is definitely on the stiff side, though it never veers into punishing.

Where the Q3 confounds me is in the cabin. There’s good here – an easy-to-read digital gauge cluster, an infotainment screen that integrates nicely into the center stack, and appropriate buttons for the radio and HVAC. What’s not quite as good is the use of shapes and materials in its design. It’s a mishmash of angles that mixes black, aluminum inlays, and brown leather. I realize this design is subjective and I don’t find it ugly, just a bit incoherent. More concerning were some below-the-beltline materials that felt a little downmarket and plasticky.

At least the Audi MMI infotainment system is easier to use than it use to be. Audi has made great strides in that area.

I’m less put off by the angular exterior looks. It’s a cohesive design that gives off “upscale lifted sporty hatch” vibes. That’s what the Q3 is, of course, and it shows. The grille is a bit oversized here, as seems to be a trend these days, but not so much that it ruins the flow.

You can snag an S Line for a base price of $38,700, but it wouldn’t be a press vehicle if it wasn’t laden with options. Here we start the proceedings with the $595 Chronos Gray paint, then tack on $3,300 for the Premium Plus package. That includes adaptive cruise control with lane guidance, LED headlights and interior lighting, a top-view camera, driver-seat memory, and satellite radio.

Another $2,700 brought forth the Technology Package, which added navigation, virtual cockpit digital gauges, MMI, and Sonos audio. Eight-hundred more bones gave this one 19-inch wheels.

Slap on $1,195 in destination and you have a total of $47,290. An Audi phone box was deleted from my tester for a total of $47,040.

Fuel economy for the Q3 S Line is 21 mpg city/28 highway/24 mpg combined.

The Q3 S Line left me feeling a bit perplexed. It’s fun enough to drive and the price of entry isn’t too high. Audi’s cabin user experience is generally fine, and that’s true in this application. But some of the interior design choices seem odd – it’s almost like designers wanted more to stand out by being different than creating a cohesively handsome design. And while the price isn’t that far off of today’s newly insane average transaction price, it’s still hard to excuse the use of some downmarket materials, even if they are hidden below the beltline.

I doubt I’d kick the Q3 out of the driveway. But I don’t know if it would be my first choice in this segment.

What’s New for 2022

The 2022 Audi Q3 makes standard the newest generation of Audi’s MIB 3 infotainment system as well as side assist with rear cross-traffic. Also newly standard is the Audi parking system and the interior aluminum inlays.

Who Should Buy the 2022 Audi Q3 S Line

The yuppie seeking a compact sporty crossover at a reasonable price.

[Images © 2023 Tim Healey/TTAC]

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