Audi Q2 review 2024

Item: Audi Q2 Review 2024
Author: Phil Hall

The Audi Q2 is more of a high-riding hatch than outright SUV, but that doesn’t stop it from being classy and good to drive.

Quick overview

Easy to use infotainment
Fun to drive
Good boot size

Firm ride
Poor rear seat space
Rivals offer better value

Search used Audi Q2 for sale

Audi’s relentless pursuit of filling every available niche reached an inevitable point with the launch of the Q2 in 2016. Here is a small SUV that sits below even Audi’s very own small SUV, the Q3, to offer a rival to the likes of the MINI Countryman, BMW X2, and Volkswagen T-Roc. With all the styling cues of an SUV wrapped up in a small hatch-sized package, Audi came up with the SUV for those who don’t need and SUV.

Far from dismissing the Audi Q2, however, this thinking has helped to make it a popular choice in the sector, helped to no small extent by the four-ringed badge on the front. Never underestimate the allure of the Audi name and its ability to draw in customers who might otherwise be served just as well by the Ford Puma or Skoda Karoq. If those are cars that you buy more with your head, the Audi is very much aimed at your heart.

Even so, Audi has not fallen into the trap of making the Q2 style over substance. Inside, the quality is up there alongside the Audi A3 small hatch on which it’s based, and the technology in the Q2 is a near perfect balance of high tech and easy usability. A lot of other car makers, including those from the Volkswagen Group, could do well to study the Q2’s infotainment set-up and the fact it retains separate controls for the heating and ventilation.

Elsewhere, the Audi Q2 also makes sense with its comfortable driving position and decent boot, though rear seat space is smaller than many others in this sector. The engine range is now confined to a pair of petrol motors, with a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes depending on which trim you pick. Both motors are lively performers and don’t trouble your wallet much for running costs. Some will find the Audi Q2’s ride errs too much on the firm side, but it doesn’t take away from the good handling of this very desirable small SUV.

Infotainment, comfort and practicality

The Q2 might be Audi’s smallest SUV model, but it doesn’t railroad the front occupants into making any compromises. The front doors swing open wide to give excellent access to the comfortable and supportive seats. Every version of the Q2 now comes with electrically adjusted lumbar support to help ward off aches on longer journeys, and the driver has seat height adjustment in addition to the depth and angle movement for the steering wheel. It all adds up to a car that can accommodate drivers of all sizes and shapes with ease, offering plenty of leg, shoulder and head room. Good vision to the front and sides helps with slotting the Audi Q2 through narrow gaps, while reversing sensors are standard on all models to compensate for the high rear window line.

Audi is to be commended for sticking with separate heating and ventilation controls in the Audi Q2, which are placed in the centre of the dash within a hand’s span of the steering wheel. This makes adjusting temperature, direction or fan speed completely intuitive, unlike the systems in many rivals like the Peugeot 2008 that force you to use the infotainment screen. This isn’t to say Audi is averse to technology inside the Q2 as all but the entry-point Technik trim level now come with the Virtual Cockpit dash display that can be configured to suit your preferences.

The infotainment screen itself is operated by Audi’s MMI Multi Media Interface rotary controller. Like BMW’s iDrive system, this is a much easier set-up to use than those that only work via a touchscreen. The 8.3-inch display in the Audi Q2 has all of the usual menus, but you access them by scrolling with the dial that’s placed naturally where the driver’s hand falls near the gear lever. A quick turn and press take you where you need to be and the menus are arranged in logical order, plus the system reacts very promptly to inputs.

Moving into the rear cabin of the Audi Q2, the back seats are not as generous in the amount of space they offer as those in the front. Two adults can fit in here so long as those in the front are not too gangly. Head room is sufficient and there are Isofix child seat mounts on the two outer pews, but the centre seat is far from comfy due to its flat, raised base that pushes the occupant’s head into the ceiling. It’s okay for kids, but even three children will find shoulder space at a premium in the Q2. Throw in cramped foot space for that middle passenger and it's best confined to carrying two people back here.

Audi does well when it comes to the Audi Q2’s boot space. It’s not the biggest by outright volume, where a Ford Puma has it well and truly pipped, but the shape makes use of every available bit of cargo capacity. The floor sits flush with the bumper for easy loading, and there’s a small amount of hidden storage under the base. Folding the rear seats is hassle-free, though you need to lift the headrests for the 60/40 seat backs to topple completely flat. Audi offers a 40-20-40 split rear seat for greater versatility, though this foregoes the centre rear armrest for back seat passengers.

2016 Audi Q2 engines: how does it drive?

Audi has slimmed down the Audi Q2’s engine line up to a simple brace of turbo petrol motors that are used across a large number of the wider Volkswagen Group of cars. The first is the 1.0-litre TFSI three-cylinder motor that does a very good job of powering this small SUV, especially if you’re not using the car for longer drives on the motorway very often. This is known as the 30 TFSI model in Audi parlance and is only offered with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is fine as it has a light, accurate shift and makes the most of the engine’s 110hp.

The other engine in the line-up is the 35 TFSI’s 1.5-litre unit that has 150hp. As you’d expect with a good chunk more power, it’s quite a bit quicker off the mark, taking 8.6 seconds to cover the 0-62mph dash compared to the 1.0-litre motor’s 11.2 second time. Should you opt for the seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox in the Audi Q2 that’s offered with the 35 TFSI models, there’s no impact on performance. As for how the two gearboxes compare on the road, it’s really down to personal choice as both are easy to live with. They pull away smoothly and let the Q2 flow with traffic around town or on the motorway. The smaller engine sometimes needs a bit more encouragement at higher speeds to deal with steeper inclines by changing down a gear, but it’s refined at all times.

On faster roads, you will be much less aware of the Audi Q2’s firm suspension. This can be improved with the optional adaptive suspension, but that adds to the cost of the car. A better bet is to avoid the top spec Black Edition and S line trims with their larger wheels that undermine comfort. This is especially noticeable around town where the Q2 picks up on smaller surface imperfections that a Ford Puma smooths away. However, on country roads, the Q2 makes up for this with good handling and little body lean in bends.

There’s also a reasonable suite of safety kit to help with driving the Q2. It comes with autonomous emergency braking and cruise control with speed limiter, but lane assist is a cost option and prevents the Q2 from scoring a better rating in Euro NCAP tests. You’ll also have to pay extra to enjoy the safety net of rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring, which are fitted as standard to several of the Audi’s key rivals. Even so, there are six airbags as standard, and reverse parking sensors fitted to all models.

Value for money: how much does a 2016 Audi Q2 cost to buy and run?

There are four trims available with the Audi Q2 and there’s a fairly even price gap between each as you progress up the ranks. It starts with the Technik model at £25,655, followed by the Sport costing from £28,155. An S line model begins at £30,305, while the Black Edition sits at the top with a price from £32,300. Adding an S tronic automatic gearbox in place of the standard six-speed transmission will add a further £1550 to the bill of the 35 TFSI that it’s offered with. Savings of around £1500 are available on a new Q2, while a nearly new model should save you around twice as much. A five-year old Q2 can be found for around £18,000. Going used also opens up the choice to include diesel versions of the Q2 and they start at about £18,500 for a six-year old example.

The entry point to the Q2 range is the Technik model that comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, electrically powered tailgate, reversing sensors, cloth upholstery, and electric front seat lumbar adjustment. Air conditioning is included, along with the 8.3-inch infotainment screen, DAB radio, cruise control, and hill hold assist. The Sport adds 17-inch alloys, Audi Drive Select to offer Comfort, Dynamic, Efficiency, and Individual drive modes, front sports seats, and sat-nav. Choose the S line and you enjoy 18-inch alloy wheels, sporty body kit, part leather upholstery, front footwell lights, and a black headlining. Then there’s the Black Edition with its even larger 19-inch alloys, black-painted exterior trim, rear privacy glass, and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Running costs for the Audi Q2 are lowest with the 30 TFSI model that offers combined fuel economy of 48.7mpg and 131g/km carbon dioxide emissions. Move to the more powerful 35 TFSI model and it emits 133g/km of CO2 and offers 47.9mpg fuel efficiency with the manual gearbox. Swap to the automatic transmission and you’ll see 46.3mpg and 138g/km emissions. Insurance for the Q2 falls between groups 14 and 22, depending on which model you decide to buy.

Verdict: Should I buy a 2016 Audi Q2?

Audi pitches the Q2 very much at the premium end of the small SUV sector, which is reflected in its pricing. This could backfire for many companies, especially as the Q2’s safety equipment counts now falls short of many of its key rivals. However, the good looks of the Q2 and its undoubted appeal as a compact SUV with the Audi badge on the front mean it holds plenty of drivers in thrall. A decent drive, albeit with a firm ride, goes some way to explaining its allure, but it’s really down to the quality of the cabin and its fixtures. The Q2 is everything Audi stands for distilled into a handsome, small package.

There are caveats to consider before being sucked in by the Audi’s many charms. The rear seats are far from the most accommodating if you need to carry passengers, and that firm ride can be wearing if you spend most of the time driving in town.

What could I buy instead of a 2016 Audi Q2?

Ford Puma

The Ford Puma has become the go-to small SUV for many drivers, and it’s easy to see why. The Puma is stylish, great to drive, affordable, and it’s practical too. The cabin is well put together and roomy, while the boot is simply huge once you get used to the idea of its extra underfloor space. It’s also available with hybrid power, which is something the Audi Q2 cannot match. Nor can the Audi quite get on terms with the manner in which the Ford deals with scarred road surfaces or twisty back lanes.

BMW X2

In a very similar vein to the Audi Q2, BMW’s X2 is a clever exercise in offering everything the company knows about small SUVs in an even more compact package. Where the Q2 is decent to drive, the X2 is really very enjoyable and the only car that gets on terms with the Ford Puma in this class in this area. Sparkling engine options help the BMW’s driving manners, too, but the ride errs too much on the firm side for all-day comfort. However, BMW matches Audi for the simplicity and intuitive nature of its infotainment system.

Volkswagen T-Roc

This is where Volkswagen gets to let its hair down and have a bit of fun in the SUV sector. Where the Tiguan and T-Cross are more sober affairs, the T-Roc has funky looks and offers buyers more in the way of personalisation in the way the car looks inside and out. It also gets all of the basics right with a comfortable ride, good handling, and a wide spread of engines. Unlike the Audi, you can also get a T-Roc with all-wheel drive, but there’s no hybrid option as you have with the Ford Puma. Nor is the T-Roc as much fun from the driver’s seat as the Ford.