New Audi Q2 : An In-Depth Review | Quick Revs
- Car Reviews,
- Jan 09, 2020
When you briefly look at the contributions made by the different countries in the past century or so, Germany would stand out easily for their countless achievements, especially in the area of science and technology. Their domination can be judged by the fact that for nearly all of the 20th century, Germany has boasted the most Nobel Prize winners than any other country in sciences and information technology.
German technology has been the leading authority in the fields ranging from biochemistry, physics and more tangible end-user products that consumers have come to cherish. Their superiority can be traced back to their flair for innovation and the amount of research they put behind their industries and universities. It comes as no surprise, therefore, when you look at some of the leading car manufacturers in the World and trace their origin to Germany. We will be dissecting one such car belonging to a company that is both famous and loved by the masses for its robustness and luxury: Audi AG.
Audi’s Origin and Background:
The company has a rich history that goes back as early as the early 1900s when the German engineer Augustus Horch along with two other automobile companies co-founded and started a giant car manufacturing enterprise. It was not until a few years later when Horch was required to come up with a new name for his company, that the name Audi came into being. The name has Latin roots meaning ‘listen’, which is a German translation of the founder’s name, Horch. Part of the esteemed Volkswagen group, the four interwoven rings of Audi have today come to be associated with modern technology and sophisticated luxury.
Audi is not only the most popular and liked car manufacturer in Germany but has slowly emerged as the company which produces the most sought after cars by the younger and older demographics alike, globally. Their motto states “Vorsprung Durch Technik” (Lead by Technology) and they have followed up closely to stick to that. With more than 50 models produced to date, all the Audi vehicles are considered bestsellers, being top of the line and manufactured with the best quality available. In Australia, Audi has launched some 40 models targeting the higher end market mostly which are all popular and frequently seen on Australia’s roads. We present to you: the Audi Q2 review Australia.
The Audi Q2:
Belonging to the Audi’s Q range, which includes the four models Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7, the Q2 is a compact SUV that fulfills all the requirements to meet up with the company’s reputation for state-of-the-art technology and luxury. The Audi Q2 interior is both satisfying and comfortable, with plenty of space in the boot as well in the rear seats (if you are not over six feet tall, that is). Being the smallest member of the Q family, the Q2 is designed as a mini-SUV to be used primarily as a family car and best suited for driving within the city, even though there is still plenty of power in this machine to think otherwise.
Apart from the standard features including automatic emergency braking in case of pedestrians spring up in front suddenly, front and rear sensors for parking purposes, blind zone warning and six airbags to name a few, the Q2 also boasts an all-wheel drive, Audi’s pre sense city suite and a virtual cockpit (we will come to those in due course). And if that’s not enough the Q2 offers two different model lines from which you can choose from, namely Q2 35 TFSI S-Tronic design and the Q2 40 TFSI Quattro S-Tronic sport, differentiating in design and sports styling and plenty more additional features. Let’s take a look at some of the specs first:
Audi Q2 Specifications:
As advertised by the official Audi website, the Audi Q2 specifications are thus: the Q2 comes with a 4-cylinder petrol engine with FSI direct injection, turbocharging. The 35 TFSI is a rear-wheel-drive while the variant 40 TFSI has a standard Quattro driveline and both the model lines utilize a 7-speed S-Tronic transmission. The former variant boasts to reach 0-100 in 8.5 seconds, while the latter reaches the speed at a whopping 6.5 seconds! Pretty amazing for an SUV, right?
The Audi Q2 dimensions are worth mentioning here as well; the length is a handsome 4.2 meters (almost!) while the with, which makes it quite the compact SUV, is a mere 2.0 meters.
Moreover, Audi has stressed a whole lot more than usual when designing the Q2 over safety (maybe because they had been thinking of this as a family vehicle from the start), with front airbags for the driver and passenger, side airbags for front seats, head level curtain airbags for front and rear. That is quite reassuring if truth be asked, and it does not end there; behold the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and the electronic stabilization program (ESP), a duo that is going to make your travels a whole lot safer than most cars.
Audi Q2 Colours:
Rather than getting your Q2 white in color or the traditional black, the Audi Q2 2019 comes in 6 different shades from which you can pick from. These are the available colors, all in metallic:
✓ Glacier White
✓ Tango Red
✓ Nano Grey
✓ Mythos Black
✓ Floret Silver
✓ Coral Orange
AudiQ2 Additional Features:
Apart from the standard features that Audi promises, there a handful of features that are included (or can be ordered) for your Q2.
Progressive steering:
Tired of stiff handles that make you wish for a smoother drive? The Q2 comes loaded with progressive steering, where the ratio increases with the movement of turning the wheel and gives a great feeling when cutting through suburban traffic. Be sure to have a relaxed drive and let your steering wheel be the least of your worries!
Audi virtual cockpit:
This feature is available an option and can be ordered that replaces the traditional dials and the speedometer with a 12.3-inch display which portrays the particulars and vehicle specific information in a high resolution, brilliant layout.
Audi pre-sense city:
Another feature that focuses on making your journey safe and hazard-free, the Audi pre-sense city stays alert even if you are not. The feature uses the AEB (autonomous emergency braking) and makes use of the numerous sensors to detect and avoid any collision on-road.
Quattro all-wheel-drive:
This is a standard feature included on the 40 TFSI model, that makes sure that there is even traction during any driving condition, ensuring safety even if it there is a blizzard or a thunderstorm. The overall performance of the vehicle is dynamic because the power is distributed variable across all four wheels, making the vehicle stick to the road however much the conditions are tricky.
Audi Q2 Price Range:
The Audi Q2 price in Australia starts for around $42,000 for the base model of the Q2 and the 40 TFSI starts at about $49,000, almost the same range in which you can also consider a Mercedes-Benz GLA or a BMW X1, keeping in mind that you will not be getting most of the additional features that we talked about. There are multiple single-items options and add-ons that come with extra payment if you are willing, and complete packages to further customize your Audi Q2. The Assistance Package, Comfort Package, and the Technik Packages are some of the examples which would cost you another $2000-$2500.
Audi Q2 Drawbacks, if any?
You might have noticed till now would be wondering as to the options you can have in the price range as the Q2. You would be justified in thinking so and it is admittedly a bit pricey, even for an Audi. And you might even consider going for the Audi Q3, but that is a discussion for another time (maybe an Audi Q2 vs Q3 in-depth Analysis?) Nevertheless, once you delve deeper into the effort put in the design and the safety features, you might come to terms with the price.
Another thing you would need to take into account is that the Q2 is basically a car to be used in the city and going for an off-road trip on it might not be a great idea. The ground clearance is a mere 147mm, which is bound to be troublesome if you take it too far.
Final Verdict:
The Audi Q2 is a great SUV for families with a top of the edge design that is sure to make heads turn. Add to that the fact that it is completely customizable and with nice safety features that only German technology can bring. Still, there are more and more options available in this price range, or even less, for cars that are more practical and might suit your needs better.