2012 Audi Q3 Exclusive Test Drive & Full Review On Malaysian Soil

The 2012 Audi Q3 left-hand-drive version is on ASEAN tour to gauge consumer response, and Live Life Drive is the first and only Malaysian publication on hand to bring you an exclusive test drive and full review of the compact premium SUV, albeit in left-hand drive. When it does arrive in Malaysia in the second quarter of 2012, the right-hand-drive Q3 is expected at RM 270,000, placing the Audi in the price territory of the BMW X1, which is priced at RM 263,800 for the sDrive18i and RM 299,800 for the xDrive20d.

That pricing puts the Audi Q3 at a premium over the Volkswagen Tiguan, with which it shares Volkswagen Group's PQ35 platform. The price premium pays for the desirable Audi badge, a handsome coupe-like sheetmetal, and a typical Audi cabin with well laid-out controls and the expected quality to go with it. Standard on the Q3 is Audi Drive Select, which comes with four modes—Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Efficiency—to cater to the driving mood of the person at the helm. The multimedia MMI system is a standard feature as well, though GPS navigation will not be offered from the start.

The chassis comprises a MacPherson strut front suspension and a four-link rear suspension to substantiate Audi's claim that the Q3 is the sportiest model in the compact SUV segment. Further aiding the Q3's handling is a low kerb weight relative to the Tiguan's, partially due to the use of aluminium for the bonnet and tailgate, while ultra-high-strength steel is used for the rest of the body. An electromechanical steering system completes the dynamic package.

Euromobil has opted not to offer diesel engines, specifically the 140 HP 2.0 TDI and the 177 HP 2.0 TDI, nor the range-topping 211 HP 2.0 TFSI engine probably because that engine is used in the bigger Audi Q5. Instead, the Audi Q3 will be powered by a 170 HP, 280 Nm 2.0 TFSI, which, like the other three engines, is equipped with an energy recovery system and an automatic start-stop system.

With a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system constituting the rest of its drivetrain, the Audi Q3 takes 7.8 seconds for the century sprint and hits 212 km/h if given the road to run. Even so, the Q3 is easily the most efficient SUV from Ingolstadt, returning an official fuel economy up to 13.0 km/litre.

Want to read about the Q3's first-ever test drive on Malaysian soil? Want to know if the Q3 handles and performs in a class-leading manner like Audi claims? Find out in the full and exclusive review of the Q3 in the upcoming issue of the Live Life Drive magazine! Meanwhile, enjoy the live test drive photos of the 2012 Audi Q3 below!