Q3 Sportback strikes a chord

The all-new Audi Q3 Sportback which arrives in Australia next month, has nailed the top spot in its category in this year’s ‘Best Cars’ readers’ choice awards. One of the most important competitions in the European automotive industry, the awards are run by leading automotive publication auto motor und sport and call on more than 100,000 readers to determine the very best automotive offerings in 11 separate categories.

Now in its 44th year, the awards this year saw 387 different models judged across the 11 categories, with readers given two votes per category – one for the overall winner and one for the best imported model. The category for ‘compact SUVs/cross-country vehicles’ was one of the latest categories with 63 models represented, the Audi Q3 Sportback the clear winner with 11.5 percent of the votes, mirroring the result of its sibling the Audi Q3 which won the category last year.

“This victory for the Q3 Sportback is extraordinary confirmation for us, especially since we won last year with its close technical relative, the Q3,” said Audi’s Head of Design, Marc Lichte, at the award ceremony in Stuttgart. 

“Customers appreciate our concept of the compact premium SUV with a progressive exterior,” the Head of Audi Design added. “Its coupé-like roof line makes the Q3 Sportback appear considerably longer and thus makes it an elegant brother of the Q3.” 

Audi’s longstanding success in the awards continued with the The A1 taking second place in the ‘compact cars’ category, while the A5 Sportback, A8 and Audi e-tron each took third position in the ‘medium-size class’, ‘luxury class’ and ‘large SUVs/cross-country vehicles’ respectively.