Audi Q3 TFSI e review (2024): Is The Plug-In Hybrid Worth It? | TotallyEV
The Audi Q3 is quite a popular SUV and it’s now available as a plug-in hybrid to be more specific it’s the 45 TFS which we have on review and in the UK prices start from roughly £445,000 that is of course without adding any additional options and that is a bit of
A premium over the regular petrol model so in this review you can see if it’s actually worth this price tag and how it performs across the board so to kick things off let’s talk about efficiency here you’ve got a 13 KW hour growth or 10.4 KW hour net battery pack that
Supposedly gives you 31 mies on the wltp test cycle realistically however you should expect roughly 25 miles at least that is what I was able to achieve now indeed the Q3 TFS can be driven in Auto hybrid modes and also pure electric modes which can be quite handy better
Still you’ve even got the ability of retaining the battery charge if you want to use it at a later drive or a date and also the ability of self charging which can be also pretty useful if you’re frequenting the motorway and then before you approach a city or town you won’t be
Emitting any sort of harmful fume so good thinking from the manufacturer now Audi actually claim a ridiculous 150 to 180 mes per gallon and that’s probably due to the fact that you’ll majority be driving in pure electric mode but realistically in mixed driving conditions you’ll be able to net roughly
35 to 40 mes per gallon at least that is what I was able to achieve and you can see over here how it compares to some of the other hybrid vehicles that I’ve tested be it full hybrids or indeed those which have got that plug-in function like the Q3 TFS and yes this
Means that the Audi is actually quite disappointing in comparison to what else you can find out there on the market equally the Audi houses a 3.6 KW onboard charger which means it’ll take a whopping 4 hours to attain a full charge from empty that’s quite disheartening considering the fact that some of its
Cheaper competitors offer a 7 11 or even 22 KW onboard charger be it available as an option or indeed fitted as standard alas that’s not the case in the Q3 TFS now as for total driving range with a fully toptop petrol tank which sits at 45 L and also that battery pack you
Should be able to net roughly 300 miles without having to stop to refuel or recharge so with all that out the way let’s get on to Performance and here at the front you have got a 1.4 L 4 cylinder petrol engine which drives the front wheels only
Combined with its battery pack it will have an output of 180 KW or 241 horsepower and 400 new M of torque 250 Newton M are directly from the engine itself while in terms of its EV portion you have got 85 KW of power or 114 horsepower and 330 newm of torque now
Combined in the auto hybrid mode and in its Dynamic preset I had it tested using race logic’s performance box touch touch from 0 to 20 mph in 2.76 seconds 0 to 30 mph in 3.66 seconds 0 to 60 mph in 7.52 seconds and 50 to 70 mph in 3.1 seconds
I also clocked in a peak acceleration of 0.58 G’s as for top speed it is capped at 130.5 mph or 210 km an hour and while in EV mode only this will actually be limited to 87 M hour or 140 km an hour now indeed the Q3 TFS
Packs a bit of a punch but it is worth mentioning again that it only drives the front wheels and therefore can’t quite compete with some of the Alternatives out there on the market which offer an all-wheel drive configuration as such when you’re driving on trickier tarmac
Or indeed if it rains then you might have a little bit of a loss of traction so just be mindful about that specifically if you’re very fruitful on the accelerator pedal now what I do love however is it dual clock clutch six-speed stronic transmission it’s absolutely excellent super smooth and
Can also be adjusted manually using the gear Lether of course if you shift it to the left most people will probably want to just run it on its default configuration and just Tinker around with the different Drive modes that are available for example the dynamic preset which tightens up the accelerator
Response and also the steering wheel now as for the suspension system it is also very good it’s been tuned to Perfection at least in my opinion you’ve got a mcferson struts at the front and a full link rear axle system at the rear and the combination means that you’re not
Going to suffer from too much body roll when you’re going around winding Country Roads and you’re also going to be able to soak up a lot of those anomalies speed bumps and pottles when you’re pottering around town I would also like to say that the overall driver’s feel
Given it is an Audi after all is actually pretty good sure enough it won’t compete with some sportier Alternatives out there but in the grand scheme of things the Q3 TFS does feel actually very engaging at least for most consumers who are going to be driving around those winding Country Roads
Another important factor when it comes to the overall Driving Experience is low cabin noise and here the Q3 TFS actually does do a pretty decent job both at lower and higher speeds this is also in part thanks to the fact that the manufacturer has actually used good quality materials indeed you have got
That premium look and feel with the use of a twin leather design when it comes to the auler nice materials that have been used towards the dashboard the door Trims and even in terms of the steering whe whe and just to top it off you’ve even got a practical design too with the
Use of physical buttons on the steering wheel by the center console with a few shortcut buttons found towards the dashboard and even a dedicated climate control menu which isn’t the same that could be said about some of its key competitors which emit these all together therefore making them a little
Less practical to use specifically when you’re on the move on that note if you do want to display any extra information you’ll be able to see them via the 10.1 in fully digitized display the infotainment system is very responsive and intuitively laid out it also supports Android auto and apple carplay
Both over a wi and wireless connection which is very much appreciated in this modern era it is a shame however that these thirdparty mobile operating systems do not feed through any turn-based navigation data to your 10.25 in fully digitalized instrument cluster which is quite a mistrick at least in my
Opinion nonetheless the instrument cluster will provide you all the key information that you require and it’s somewhat customizable on the flip side it is a shame that you do not have a head up display be it featured as standard in the more expensive trim levels or indeed available as an option
With that said it’s great to see that Audi has thought about those people who actually love their music because you have got the ability of upgrading this six- speaker system to a 15 speaker Solus configuration that outputs 680 Watts this is comprised with in the 1,395 technology pack the solar system
Does do relatively well across the sound frequency range but won’t exactly be that appealing to certain audio files if you want some more information about the Sonos audio system and if you should or shouldn’t upgrade make sure you check out my detailed audio review that can be
Found up on your popup banner down description below or indeed in the pin comments speaking at the technology pack within it you’ll find a wireless charger which indeed I do find it somewhat ridiculous that it’s not included as standard across the entire trim range nonetheless you’ll find this at the
Front of the center console now this does actually bring me onto storage and here you’ll find two USB type-c ports which will be used to connect up to the infotainment system or provide charge then further down the center console you’ll find two cup holders a small little area which can be handy for
Placing let’s say your key fob and then you’ve also got a small compartment found within the center armrest which is movable then you’ve got the glove box which is sizable and has been optimized for right-and drive vehicles and then you’ve also got the door bins where the
Front two have actually been lined in a non-slip material which is very much appreciated they’ll also accommodate a 500ml bottle with ease alongside some valuables at the rear the door bin are unsurprisingly a little bit more limited but you have got a pul down armrest compartment which also reveals two cup
Holders aside from storage within the cabin you have of course got its boots and here you’ve got 380 L to play around with or if you drop down the seats 1,375 lit it’s not exactly class leading figures but it should certainly suffice for most consumers for example those
Doing their weekly shops now in terms of theal practicality it’s great to see that you’ve got an electric tailgate that comes fitted as standard across the entire trim range hatchback design making it very practical and a 40 2040 rear split folding design with a completely flat loading Bay you’ve also
Got a small little underfloor compartment which will suffice for sating a singular charging cable my only complaint however is that the seats need to be dropped down from within the cabin making them a little bit more cumbersome to use on a day-to-day basis and there’s also no place to store your bootload
Cover in the under floor compartment and as such you’ll have to leave it at home or take it with you when you’re on the move moving swiftly on let’s talk about seating comfort and here we’ got no issues whatsoever at the front or rear of the cabin the seats themselves are
Very accommodating and soft better still head room and leg room has been optimized both at the front thanks to the fact that you have got manual controls and a four-way lumbar support and even at the rear indeed over here leg room and Headroom have been optimized for even taller sized adults
Although it’s worth noting that there is a transmission tunnel that’s present so therefore someone who sat in the rear middle seat might be left a little bit more uncomfortable specifically on longer Journeys now I do find it rather ridiculous however that if you want heated front seats you’ll have to go for
The technology pack which will set you back 1,395 and equally if you want a panoramic glass sunroof and electronically controlled front seats you’ll have to Splash out a whopping £ 3,895 on the tech pack Pro frankly all of these should really be included as standard specifically given the overall
Asking price of the Q3 TFS now the list of options don’t stop there because when you look at the exterior design of the vehicle it can be customized be it with the black edition or of course if you just want to personalize it here you’ve got 19-in
Alloys that come fitted as standard but if you want a different style it’ll cost you £150 or if you want the larger 20-in Alloys you’ll have to Splash out ,450 as for your paint finishes it comes in white as standard if however you want the metallic a pearl or the pictured
Solid pulse orange it’ll set you back £575 the premium and special paint will set you back a whopping £2,600 instead now in terms of the overall design I’ve got no complaints I’ll be curious to know what you make of the Q3 TFS down the comment section below but
Personally I do love its aggressive stance towards the front and that’s namely due to its Bonnet and headlight design towards the side you have got a really nice sporty flare and that is in part thanks to its Alloys although it would have been great to see body
Colored wheel archers and Sid skirts but given that they don’t protrude Too Much from the vehicle I’ve got no real major complaints and and as for the rear you’ve got that classic Audi DNA with the detail lights and integrated spoiler frankly I really do love what the
Manufacturers achieved with the Q3 and I very much think it’s a good progression over the previous generation models now as for your overall towing capacity it’s rated at 1,400 kg to 1,700 kg for breake trailers which is certainly impressive but for Unbreak trailers this unsurprisingly drops down to 750 kg as
For your roof load capacity it’s rated at 75 Kg so pass is Ser Design This brings me onto crash safety and here the regular Q3 was tested in 2018 by EUR encap scoring the full five out of five stars indeed it scored 95% in it adult occupancy 86% in child occupancy and 85%
In its safety assist scores which are very much impressive however it’s worth noting over here that we’re talking about the modern Q3 TFS so these scores aren’t exactly relevant but somewhat of a reference now what can be talked about however are the driver assistance systems and here you’ve got cruise
Control with speed limiter Lane departure warning which can easily be toggled on and off by pressing a button on a stalk which is very much appreciated specifically if you live near the countryside and you’ve also got Audi prents and a camera based traffic sign recognition system now while these
Are all very much appreciated it would have been further great to see adaptive cruise control emergency assist Audi side assist and highbeam assist included as standard as well but atas these are all comprised within the driver assist pack which will set you back additional £800 on that note if you want a
Reversing camera you’ll have to Splash out £ 1,395 on the tech pack which I find completely ridiculous and equally if you want 360° cameras you’ll have to Splash out on the tech Pac pro at 3,895 given the overall price tag yet again of the Q3 I would expect some of
These to be actually included as standard but unfortunately that’s not the case nonetheless over here the vehicle is actually very easy to maneuver with an 11.8 M turn turning Circle and good visibility at the front side and rear and this is also sunk to the fact that you have got a rear wiper
And also rear parking sensors that come as standards so with all that in mind it brings us onto our verdict and here the Audi Q3 TFS is a very stylish proposition both in terms of its exterior and interior design you’ve also got plenty of tech within the cabin
Really nice upholstery work good amount of space for your re occupant and a practical boot it’s also very fun and engaging to drive and also very comfortable which is very much appreciated the problem however is when it comes to its overall fuel efficiency at least for the plug-in hybrid model
Now granted if you have got the ability to plug in at home and you’re doing shorter drives then that added premium over the regular petrol Q3 might actually make sense if however you’re going to be doing longer drives then you might want to consider either the petrol
Model or some of its competitors from plug-in hybrids full hybrids or indeed fully electric vehicles some of which we reviewed and will be down description below for your own consideration now we’ll be curious to know what you make of the Q3 TFS down the comment section
Below and how you feel it compares to some of its main Rivals now if you have enjoyed this detailed independent review definitely do consider dropping a like subscribing and hitting that Bell notification all of which would be greatly appreciated as such I’ve been Chris from totally EV and I hopefully
See you in the next one take care of yourselves and goodbye
The Audi Q3 TFSI e is a luxurious plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV with a quoted 31 miles of electric range. Find out how it performs by watching our review!
Find the Audi Q3 TFSI e deals: https://locally.link/4KV2
Read the Audi Q3 TFSI e review on our website: Coming soon!
Review of the Audi Q3 TFSI e’s audio system: Coming soon!
Our favourite dash cams: https://totallyev.net/best-dash-cam/
Buy a car phone mount on Amazon (Affiliate link): https://locally.link/ZFZf
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Alternative hybrid SUVs to consider:
BMW X2 xDrive25e (sporty PHEV with the best driver’s feel) https://totallyev.net/bmw-x2-xdrive25e-review/
Citroen C5 X Hybrid (class-leading MPG in a PHEV): https://totallyev.net/citroen-c5-x-review-hybrid-perfection/
Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid (extremely comfortable and spacious PHEV): https://totallyev.net/citroen-c5-aircross-hybrid-review-comfy-roomy-phev/
Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid (sporty PHEV & efficient): https://totallyev.net/cupra-formentor-e-hybrid-review-better-than-bmw-x2/
Honda HR-V (self-charging compact SUV): https://totallyev.net/new-honda-hr-v-review-best-hybrid-suv/
Honda CR-V (available as a PHEV and regular hybrid): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmUTocf_rsA
Hyundai Tucson (PHEV available as an AWD): https://totallyev.net/hyundai-tucson-review-is-the-plug-in-hybrid-worth-it/
Kia Sportage (feature-packed & efficient): https://totallyev.net/kia-sportage-review-better-than-hyundai-tucson/
Nissan Qashqai e-Power (compact self-charging hybrid): https://totallyev.net/nissan-qashqai-review-is-e-power-worth-it/
Nissan X-Trail (5 & 7-seater hybrid): https://totallyev.net/new-nissan-x-trail-review-a-practical-electrified-suv/
Peugeot 408 Hybrid (near-identical to the Citroen C5 X): https://totallyev.net/peugeot-408-review-an-incredible-plug-in-hybrid/
Suzuki Across Hybrid (feature-packed & efficient PHEV): https://totallyev.net/suzuki-across-review-toyota-rav4-alternative/
Alternative fully electric SUVs to consider:
Audi Q4 e-tron (stylish and comfortable): https://totallyev.net/audi-q4-e-tron-review-best-electric-audi/
BMW iX1 (best driver’s feel): https://totallyev.net/bmw-ix1-review-the-best-drivers-feel/
Citroen e-C4 (supremely comfortable): https://totallyev.net/citroen-e-c4-review-most-comfortable-suv/
Citroen e-C4 X (the e-C4’s larger sibling): https://totallyev.net/citroen-e-c4-x-review-a-blended-e-c4-c5-x/
Genesis GV60 (most innovative EV): https://totallyev.net/genesis-gv60-review-the-most-innovative-ev/
Genesis Electrified GV70 (larger alternative to the GV60): https://totallyev.net/genesis-electrified-gv70-review-better-than-audi/
Hyundai Ioniq 5 (futuristic and spacious): https://totallyev.net/hyundai-ioniq-5-review-better-than-tesla-model-3/
Kia EV6 (great design and spacious): https://totallyev.net/kia-ev6-review-the-hyundai-ioniq-5-alternative/
Kia Niro EV (compact SUV): https://totallyev.net/kia-niro-ev-review-an-upgraded-e-niro/
MG5 EV (feature-packed and affordable): https://totallyev.net/new-mg5-ev-review-the-unrivalled-electric-estate/
MG ZS EV (affordable SUV): https://totallyev.net/new-mg-zs-ev-review-still-the-best-budget-electric-suv/
Smart 1 (small, feature-packed and safe): https://totallyev.net/smart-1-review-the-best-new-ev/
Skoda Enyaq iV (long-range and spacious EV): https://totallyev.net/skoda-enyaq-iv-review-volkswagen-id-4-alternative/
Volkswagen ID.4 (stylish design & good range): https://totallyev.net/volkswagen-id-4-review-better-than-the-vw-id-3/
Volkswagen ID.5 (class-leading range): https://totallyev.net/volkswagen-id-5-review-germanys-best-electric-suv/
Tesla Model Y (excellent efficiency): https://totallyev.net/tesla-model-y-review-best-electric-suv/
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Video timestamps:
Price & efficiency: 00:00
Performance: 02:20
Driving comfort: 03:32
Interior design & tech: 05:15
Storage: 07:10
Seating comfort: 08:59
Exterior design: 09:55
Safety & parking: 11:28
Verdict: 13:08
#audi
#audiq3
#hybrid
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