Audi Q3 gets smaller engine and fuller specifications in the U.K.

The Audi Q3 is the latest beneficiary in the Vorsprung durch Technik brand's drive to cut engine capacities down to an even more efficient size without paring back on performance. The compact SUV has just adopted a new, more compact and even more sparing 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine, which joins the range alongside an attractive and comprehensive new S-Line Plus specification option.

The new 1.4-litre TFSI slots in at the entry point to the Q3 lineup as an alternative to the 140bhp 2.0-litre TDI model, and shares its exclusively front-wheel driven configuration.

Available in conjunction with SE and S-Line trim levels priced from £23,870 (S$50,370), it offers peak power of 150bhp, delivered between 5,000rpm and 6,000rpm and maximum torque of 250Nm from 1,750rpm to 3,000rpm. It can channel these through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed S-tronic twin-clutch transmission.

Paired with the slick-shifting manual transmission, the Q3 1.4-litre TFSI will reach 100km/h from rest in 9.2 seconds (8.9 seconds for cars equipped with S-tronic), and on to a top speed of 202km/h. Combined fuel economy stands at 20.4km/L, and CO₂ emissions match the efficiency-focused 140bhp version of the 2.0-litre TDI engine elsewhere in the range at 137g/km (145g/km for S-tronic models).

Customers looking further up the Q3 range at quattro-equipped variants can also now choose a new S-Line Plus specification that slots into the lineup above the S-Line option and expands on its many benefits both inside and out.

The new top-ranking specification boosts visual appeal by replacing the 18-inch S-Line wheel with a 19-inch 'five segment spoke' design, and by incorporating privacy glass extending from the B-pillar rearwards. It also includes a choice of seven metallic paint finishes - Ice silver, Samoa orange, Monsoon grey, Caribou brown, Platinum beige, Cobalt blue and Glacier white.

Inside, the standard S-Line cloth and leather combination upholstery is replaced by a perforated leather and Alcantara mix in S-Line Plus models, and they also benefit from the addition of cruise control, the Audi parking system plus and SD card-based satellite navigation via the 6.5-inch colour display.