Buying or leasing a subcompact premium crossover is a great way for you to own a top-tier luxury-branded vehicle without paying much money. But while these vehicles feature attractive starting prices, the price adds up quickly once you start tacking on expected luxury-oriented features such as leather seating or a sunroof. Luckily, somebody must have forgotten to tell Audi because the 2018 Q3 is feature-rich and much less expensive than its rivals.
Pros Lots of features at a price lower than rivals Interior is lined with high-quality materials Rides comfortably on rough roads Cabin is hushed at highway speeds
Cons Handling and acceleration lag behind class rivals Backseat is a tight fit for adults Ranks at the back of the pack for fuel economy Infotainment controller is awkwardly placed, and no USB interface
The 2018 Audi Q3 ranked #6 in Luxury Subcompact SUVs. Currently the Audi Q3 has a score of 7.7 out of 10 which is based on our evaluation of 25 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Comfortable ride quality Upscale cabin
Cons Underpowered on the highway Few standard features
The 2018 Audi Q3 offers a fun-to-drive alternative to the entry compact luxury car, but with more utility. Versus its rivals, it delivers more ride comfort and interior refinement, but less fuel efficiency.
Pros Smart packaging for tight spaces Frisky turbocharged engine Great control interface, maps Excellent ride quality Pert handling
Cons Tight rear seat More a hatchback than an SUV Lackluster gas mileage No manual here No forward crash prevention system
The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox ranked #11 in Compact SUVs. Currently the Chevrolet Equinox has a score of 7.4 out of 10 which is based on our evaluation of 26 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Good gas mileage Solid handling capability User-friendly infotainment system
Cons Underwhelming base engine Low-rent interior Less passenger and cargo space than many competitors
The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox comes with front wheel drive, and all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.Diesel engine is no longer available.Newly standard safety equipment.Slightly revised packages and options.
Pros Turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is quite powerful Smooth ride over most road surfaces Stable and precise handling
Cons Smaller cargo area compared to most competitors Wallet-friendly base L trim is special-order only The base engine doesn't feel very lively Interior materials quality is disappointing considering the price
Driver-assistance features find their way to the standard features list on the 2020 Equinox: automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlamps—all previously optional—are now on all models. Further to that point, adaptive cruise control is now included in the optional Driver Confidence II package. Elsewhere in the lineup, a Midnight Edition package is new on LT models which blacks out just about everything that can be blacked out, including the Chevy bow-tie logos. The 1.6-liter turbo-diesel engine is no longer available.
Pros Spry driving demeanor, relatively efficient for an SUV, plenty of space for people and cargo.
Cons Base engine lacks power, infotainment display is tilted too far back, high price among compact SUVs.
