I’ve had the privilege of driving 2 of the big 3 luxury cars: Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The BMWs I always felt stuck to traditions and delivered a superior driving feel while keeping the bells and whistles in and out of the cabin minimal.
The Mercedes-Benz with its design revamp in the 2000s, looks ‘extra’ both inside and outside (the A45 AMG comes to mind), but to me, didn’t feel as engaging to drive. Mercedes also had a reputation for confusing names which is apropos of nothing, but I like to bring that up.
That said, I’ve been campaigning to get an Audi to review since I began my career as a writer and here we are, nearly 10 years later, and I’ve finally been given the chance to get behind the wheel of an Audi.
What is the Audi Q2?
The Q2 is a subcompact crossover, think the Honda WR-V, but kayangan. At RM275k, it’s kayangan enough. Its price puts it above the BMW and the Mercedes of the same size, and if you can even get the larger Volvo XC40 with that money.
You should also know that its blocky look hasn’t been changed since 2016 and that it’s smaller than most of its contemporaries. It only comes in one trim here, the S-Line, which you’ll find paired to a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine and 8-speed automatic gearbox.
The rear pillars (called blades by Audi) have a signature contrast colour, which to my eyes, look a little awkward. Overall, in the looks department, it’s got a staid look that runs in opposition to other carmakers.
The small SUV with its price above its competitors, is ironically, the most affordable option for people looking to get an Audi SUV. And in Malaysia, the Q2 provides the lowest entry fee to join the Audi family.
Audi Q2 Interior and Exterior
While I mentioned that the look hasn’t changed since 2016, there have been facelifts over the years with its latest introducing Matrix LED headlamps, the aforementioned side blades on the rear pillars, ambient lighting, digital instrument cluster, and smartphone connectivity, among others.
The headline in the cabin is the clicky, tactile buttons that control entertainment and climate. I cannot express to you the hate I feel having to navigate slow, unintuitive, proprietary interfaces to change airconditioning settings or the volume.
In a world where iPhones and iPads are a thing, where everything just works and is easy to navigate, how has it become the norm for us to accept clunky touch screens in our cars that look like they were made in the 2000s?
It doesn’t help that car manufacturers are using the screens in cars as leverage to charge more, which means more car manufacturers are making bigger, crappier screens while justifying its existence and removing physical buttons.
Unless you have the engineering know-how of a Samsung or Apple to make said screens work seamlessly, please, stop making touchscreens in cars a thing.
Rage tangent aside, the rest of the interior is good, not exactly plush with luxurious fabrics and soft touch materials all around, but you won’t feel like you’ve been short-changed. My favourite feature inside is the built-in key holder inbetween the cup holders. It’s amazing and I wish more automakers did it too.
One noticeable downside however, is the cramped feeling you get inside. It’s comfortable enough to sit in, but slap 2 baby chairs in the back, the diaper bag plus snack bag in the front and rear seats and the space will fill up fast.
The boot doesn’t help much either as it has 405 litres of capacity, which for reference, is smaller than the Proton Saga which has 420 litres. I drive a 1.6 Saga FLX, it sucks, I hate it, but the Q2 has just about as much space as my car.
Parents looking at this car for its practicality as an SUV should look elsewhere. For reference, the boot can fit one stroller and one foldable trolley comfortably, but anymore and you’ll be playing luggage tetris in a very limited space.
How does the Audi Q2 drive?
At about 150hp and 250Nm of torque, the Q2 is no slouch. While having the look of an SUV, the Q2 is far more nimble and behaves more like a sedan.
Leaving the car even on the default driving mode resulted in a pleasant and responsive ride with the tuning dialed towards comfort. Compared to the Tiguan R-Line that I recently reviewed, the Q2 is far quieter and more refined.
The 17-inch wheels steamrolls potholes and are proper grippy. As a responsible family man I didn’t exactly floor it every chance I got, but at the odd overtakes the Audi will not disappoint.
There’s no disconnect between you and the road when you driving and you feel confident driving the Q2. Some cars can go fast, but you don’t it to; some cars can only go slow, when you need it to go fast. The Q2 makes you want to go fast, a lot.
I suspect the size has a lot to do with the driving performance which is both a boon and a bane against the car.
Yes, it’s fun to drive, but wouldn’t a sedan be… funner?
The trouble with the Audi Q2
For all the fun of its clicky buttons, the drive, and the bragging rights that come with the badge, the Audi Q2 is a hard sell.
I’ve only seen one other Q2 on the road while the X1 and the GLA practically conquer the streets. This makes me realise two things: one, that there are plenty of rich people in Malaysia they’re sadly not me and two, very few of those rich people are choosing the Q2.
Its size discourages young families from owning it and its price puts it out of the range of many youngsters. I suspect the same crowd that would choose a WR-V would also look at the Q2, except that, that crowd needs to earn Q2 money to afford it.
According to WAPcar, the Q2 will likely not have a follow up as the automaker focuses on larger premium vehicles (and vehicles without side mirrors), so if you purchase this, you may be owning one of Audi’s last efforts in the mini SUV space.
The Q2 S-line 1.4 TFSI retails at RM276,710 inclusive of the Audi Assurance Package (RRP is RM275,990). This means you get 5 years warranty plus 3 years maintenance.