Cars Reviews

In response to shrinking sales of large SUVs in most parts of the world carmakers are prepping a new generation of compact softroaders aimed at both the affordable and premium sectors of the market. We’ve already seen Ford release the new Kuga and Toyota add the Urban Cruiser, and soon Audi will enter the burgeoning market with a new Q-car positioned below the recently revealed Q5.

The Q3 will be based on Audi’s Cross Coupe concept car that was showcased at April’s Shanghai Auto Show and these renderings show designers will likely stick with the lines of the original show car.

Both three-door and five-door variants are expected, and since it will almost certainly be based on the same PW35 platform as the Audi A3 hatch, it will likely share internals with it as well. Engines will include a 147kW 2.0-litre TFSI engine, a 171kW 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 and a 210kW 3.6-litre FSI V6.

BMW is also working on a similarly-sized vehicle to be named the X1 and Land Rover is expected to launch its own version in the form the stylish LRX. Mercedes’ GLK is a bit larger, more in line with BMW’s X3, but all are close enough in size and specification to be considered competition for one another.

According to an internal Audi document leaked last December, the Q3 is due for a July 2009 global debut, which would mean a concept should be arriving either late this year or early in 2009.