New 2026 Audi Q3 Takes Q5’s Fresh Look Down a Size
- Competes with: Acura ADX, BMW X1, Lexus NX, Volvo XC40
- Looks like: A scaled-down Q5
- Powertrain: 261-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
- Hits dealerships: 2026
Audi is about to land a one-two punch on the luxury SUV world. The new Q5 has just gone on sale and sports stylish new sheet metal that trades the smooth, uninterrupted curves of its predecessor for a more sinewy, expressive shape. And now Audi’s second-bestselling vehicle, the compact Q3, is adopting the same look for the 2026 model year.
Related: 2025 Audi Q5 and SQ5 Review: Bolder, Mostly Better
What Does the 2026 Audi Q3 Look Like?
Between the wheels, the Q3’s styling hasn’t changed much; the sharp creases over the front and rear fenders and the upswept bone line above the rocker panels remain. But a markedly more aggressive nose with a flat hood and slim LED headlights, along with an expressive rear featuring a full-width faux vent on the bumper, have a dramatic impact on the overall look of the vehicle.
Audi will offer wheels in sizes ranging from 17 to 20 inches in other markets, including five 19- and 20-inch designs from Audi Sport. In the U.S., we’d expect to have no options smaller than 18 inches, which is the standard fitment on the current Q3. Three suspension setups will be available: basic steel springs, a sport suspension and one with adaptive dampers. Audi has not yet confirmed which options will be offered in the U.S.
And the new headlights aren’t just slimmer; they utilize micro-LED technology that crams 25,600 individual elements onto a lighting module that is only half an inch wide. Each micro-LED measures only 40 micrometers, about half the thickness of a human hair. Audi uses this technology in European models to enable a bunch of features (such as selectively illuminating parts of the roadway) that its U.S. vehicles are not capable of, but it remains to be seen if the option will make its way across the Atlantic.
What Are the 2026 Audi Q3’s Powertrain Specs?
The Q3’s mild- and plug-in hybrid powertrains will not come to the U.S. — at least not initially. Audi confirmed to Cars.com in an email that the sole engine offering here will be a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. This engine configuration is one of Audi’s basic building blocks, and in the new Q5, it makes 268 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque. We expect similar output — if not the exact same — in the Q3; Audi says it will make 261 hp and 295 pounds-feet in at least the European versions. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive complete the powertrain.
Screens, Displays and Projections
Inside, the Q3 gets updated with Audi’s new “digital stage” dashboard, which is comprised of an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch touchscreen that are melded into a single curved screen angled toward the driver. An available head-up display puts even more pixels more directly into the driver’s line of sight.
The shifter moves from the center console to the steering column, freeing up space for a wireless phone charger with a sliding cover to help keep your device in place. In addition to 30-color ambient lighting, the Q3’s cabin features available backlit door panels with some 300 laser-cut perforations through which animations are projected for visual confirmation of such operations as locking or unlocking the doors.
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Safety and Technology
Standard safety tech on the new Audi Q3 includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, front cross-traffic alert, emergency steering assist, lane departure prevention, a driver attention monitor, road-sign recognition and parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous highway driving will be optional, as will an extended autonomous parking function that can remember up to 164 feet of maneuvering for five different regular parking locations.
What Is the 2026 Audi Q3’s Release Date and Pricing?
The 2026 Audi Q3 will go on sale sometime in 2026. Pricing will be available closer to launch.
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