REDESIGNED FOR 2019, AUDI Q3 RATES AMONG BEST LUXURY COMPACT CROSSOVER/SUVS

If you’re looking for a reason for the rise in popularity of SUVs/crossovers and the corresponding slumps in sedan sales, you need look no further than the 2019 Audi Q3, a compact SUV that drives and rides like a traditional car while offering the roominess and hauling capacity that today’s buyers appreciate in an SUV.

Redesigned for this year, the Q3 has it all.

It has two rows of seating to accommodate five passengers comfortably, and its 23.7 cubic feet of cargo behind the second row is 7-10 more cubic feet than you usually get from the traditional sedan trunk. Fold the second row and there is up to 48 cubic feet behind the front row. Even sedans that allow you to fold the back seat can’t match that.

Legroom for second-row occupants is 36.1 inches, which is more than your usual sedan offers. Those in the front get a healthy 40 inches.

Yet you can squire the Q3 with ease through mall parking lots and slide it comfortably into the tightest of spaces without fear of door dings (unless occupants of the adjacent cars are exceedingly careless or rude or both).

Behind the wheel, you get the feel of driving a midsize sedan, whether in urban environs or on the highway. In either case, the ride is smooth and quiet.

The new 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and delivers 228 horsepower from 5000-7500 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque from 1700-4400 rpm.

The zero-to-60 mph clocking is 7.0 seconds, not neck-snapping but certainly not sluggish. With Audi’s all-wheel drive quattro system, fuel mileage is 19 miles-per-gallon city, 27 highway, and 22 combined.

Those are not particularly impressive numbers for the class, especially with some of its luxury competitors boasting highway numbers into the low 30 mpg. But if you’re shopping in this segment, I doubt that would be a deal-killer.

The 2019 Audi Q3 comes in two models with three different trims.

The base Q3 starts at $35,695 (including destination and delivery) with Premium trim and $38,795 with Premium Plus.

The Q3 S Line runs $36,995 in Premium mode, $40,095 in Premium Plus, and $43,995 with Prestige Plus trim.

The S Line rides on 19-inch wheels with 20-inchers as optional, while the base Q3 gets 18-inchers.

In addition to differences in standard equipment, some option packages are also offered only on the upper trim levels on S Line models. A Sport Interior Package available on S Line Premium Plus and Prestige trims includes S line sport seats in black or gray leather with contrast stitching, steering wheel shift paddles and brushed aluminum, matte inlays.

With that Sport Interior Package, you can also add an Alcantara® Interior package which enhances the interior with orange Alcantara accents on the dash and door armrests.

What I liked about the 2019 Audi Q3 S Line quattro: It's a great looking car and the inside is packed with high quality materials. The ride is firm but not not too firm, and performance lively for the segment. A wealth of technological features are very user friendly. Audi's “virtual cockpit” gives you the option of having the navigation map projected into the instrument panel right in front of the driver’s eyes. Setting it to Google Earth view over the standard map also enhances the feature view. Standard all-wheel drive is nice, too.

What I didn't like about the 2019 Audi Q3 S Line quattro: Fuel efficiency could be improved. It seemed like I blinked and the gauge was down to half a tank.

Would I buy the 2019 Audi Q3 S line quattro? Yes. If are wary of giving up your sedan to get an SUV, don’t be. The Q3 will ease that transition for you.