The brand new 7-speed dual-clutch is the 2026 Q3’s largest level of development in comparison with final 12 months’s mannequin. The previous automotive’s 8-speed torque-converter felt prefer it was out of form and wanted to take a breath between every shift no matter throttle enter. The brand new dual-clutch unit does a significantly better job of fixing gears, particularly when utilizing the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. It nonetheless feels characteristically like a dual-clutch although, in that whenever you take your foot off the brake, you’re feeling a surge of energy that will get the automotive transferring ahead at a surprisingly quick tempo with out touching the throttle pedal. You get used to it fairly rapidly, nevertheless it’s alarming the primary few instances it occurs.
Its extra highly effective turbocharged engine does transfer the brand new Q3 alongside with out grievance, however this isn’t a sporty automotive. The lazy throttle pedal requires a variety of enter to get the factor transferring, and I discovered its calibration to both trigger me to crawl away from a cease, or dig deeper into the throttle and unintentionally velocity away from a cease. That is one thing that’s more likely to normalize finally for real-world homeowners, however in my brief time driving the Q3 I did not discover a candy spot with the throttle. Use the paddle shifters to maintain the engine in its energy band, and it scoots properly out of corners.
On the beautiful inexperienced twisting roads round California’s pristine central coast, the Q3
felt completely able to hustling by twisty roads, nevertheless it by no means felt playful or particularly thrilling. The brakes are nice, and the suspension is just not adaptive however manages to maintain the tall Q3 remarkably flat by turns. The seats provide little lateral assist, although, so you will be bracing your self along with your knees the entire time. I did not discover any tendency for the nostril to push huge when getting into a nook, however I additionally did not get a lot time to push the automotive.
Take it on much less thrilling roads and the Q3 feels highly effective, strong, and general very simple to drive and get together with. There’s ample energy for merging or passing, and engine noise is nearly unnoticeable, no matter engine velocity. Although regardless of its normal dual-pane entrance home windows, my take a look at automotive’s 20-inch wheels produced a good quantity of highway noise that made its method into the cabin. Cannot win ’em all, I suppose.
Logan Okay. Carter/ Jalopnik
My absolutely loaded take a look at automotive was outfitted with the $1,250 driver-assistance package deal, which provides lane centering and lane-change help to the usual adaptive cruise management, a heated steering wheel, park help plus, and a surround-view digital camera. The lane centering and adaptive cruise management labored nice throughout my very temporary time utilizing them, and I appreciated the haptic steering wheel that does not require a jiggle to remind it you are still alive; you’ll be able to simply contact it.
