There’s aren’t many U.S. vehicle segments in which Audi can claim leadership, but here’s one: The two-row Q3 was first among compact luxury crossovers in 2024, with sales of more than 32,000 vehicles, topping the BMW X1, Volvo XC40, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Lexus UX, and Range Rover Evoque.
Through the first three quarters of 2025, the Q3 was Audi’s second-best seller, behind only the larger Q5, and now the brand is counting on further growth as an all-new Q3 rolls into Audi showrooms in early 2026. The first-generation Q3 arrived in 2011, and the second-generation in 2019, so the time has come for a full redesign, with a bigger price tag.
Audi Claims Best-in-Class Acceleration
Audi has five other all-electric e-Trons in the lineup, but this one runs on old-school internal combustion, a “thoroughly updated” 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque while running on regular fuel. Audi claims best-in-class acceleration for the Q3 of 5.5 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 130 mph.
That’s notably faster than the 7.1 seconds necessary for the 2025 Q3 using an earlier version of this 2.0-liter turbo-four that was rated at 228 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque.
Three New Wheel Styles To Consider
Power reaches the wheels of the 2026 Q3 through standard quattro all-wheel drive and a new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. Those wheels (multi-spoke, 10-spoke and five-spoke) vary in size from 18 inches to 20 inches, riding on all-season rubber with tread width up to 255 mm.
The body rides on standard steel springs with a MacPherson strut front suspension and four-link rear setup. Ventilated disc brakes measure 13.4 inches at the front, 12.2 inches at the rear, clamped by single-piston floating calipers.
Longer, Taller, Wider
Now that specs are released, we know the 2026 Q3 grows 1.8 inches in overall length (to 178.4 inches), and it’s 1.2 inches taller (64.1 inches), while width stretches 2.5 inches (to 82.2 inches). Wheelbase is largely unchanged, at 105.6 inches, and the new Q3 gains 23 pounds to a curb weight of 3,935 pounds.
EPA fuel-economy numbers are not yet available for the 2026 Q3, but the current model with less horsepower and torque was rated at 23 mpg in combined city/highway driving.
Shifter Moves To Steering Column
The new sheetmetal was designed to convey more muscular performance, borrowing some of the styling cues of the A5, A6, Q5 and Q6 e-tron. For the first time, the Q3 gets standard dual-pane acoustic glass for the front side windows to quell road and wind noise.
The Q3 cabin employs the Audi Digital Stage MMI, viewed through an 11.9-inch instrument cluster (with maps visible in the virtual cockpit) and 12.8-inch MMI touch display in the center. The steering wheel is all new, the shifter is now located on the steering column, and second-row seats slide fore and aft and recline.
Q3 Can Park Itself
In addition to a full suite of driver-assistance technologies, including standard adaptive cruise control, the new Q3 offers a driver assistance package that lets you train this crossover to park itself. “If access to a carport or garage is difficult, the Audi Q3 only needs to be trained once and will, after that, take care of parking on its own when activated,” Audi says. “The driver only needs to observe.”
If you need to pull a compact trailer, the new Q3 has a towing capacity of 1,500 pounds, and it comes pre-wired for a hitch. LED headlamps and taillights are standard.
Starting Price Of $44,995
Now in its third generation, the Q3 remains the brand’s crucial entry point for crossover shoppers.
Built in Hungary for the U.S. market, the new model arrives in the first quarter of 2026 with a starting price of $44,995 (with destination charges), representing a $3,900 increase from the 2025 Audi Q3. The $1,295 destination charge is unchanged from 2025 to the new model.
Source: Audi
Read the full article here