Used Audi Q2 2016-present review

Small doesn’t have to mean cheap, particularly in the small SUV market. Take the Audi Q2. It has bold styling on the outside, a well-finished and sporty interior and tidy handling.

You also have the benefit of driving around in a compact vehicle that’s easy to park in town and should be relatively fuel-efficient compared with bulkier premium SUVs, such as the BMW X1, Peugeot 3008 and Volkswagen T-Roc.

Engines & Performance: The engine range initially consisted of three petrols and two diesels, with quattro four-wheel drive available on the most powerful 2.0-litre petrol and diesel options. Even the entry-level 113bhp 1.0-litre TFSI three-cylinder petrol is perky enough for town work, but the 148bhp 1.4 TFSI petrol is better, since it uses cylinder deactivation technology to achieve similar fuel economy to the smaller 1.0 while having much better out-of-town performance. Either diesel is fine for those who travel a lot and need the superior fuel economy, with the 2.0 TDI being the more refined one of the two.

From 2018 onwards these engines were renamed as 30 TFSI (115bhp), 35 TFSI (148bhp), 40 TFSI (187bhp), 30 TDI (115bhp), 35 TDI (148bhp) and high-performance SQ2 (296bhp).

The 1.0-litre petrol (badged 30 TFSI) offers perfectly adequate acceleration, although it can struggle a bit in hilly areas when the Q2 is fully loaded with people and bags. For more flexible performance, the 148bhp 1.5-litre engine (badged 35 TFSI) is a better bet. It has more mid-rev shove. If you want even more oomph, the 40 TFSI – a 187bhp 2.0 petrol – sits at the top of the tree. It’s undoubtedly quick, with 0-62mph taking just 6.5sec, but you can have it only in conjunction with the top trim levels and four-wheel drive, making it more expensive.

Anyone doing very high miles will find the diesel 30 TDI (with 115bhp) a tempting proposition. It's not exactly quick, but has enough pull at low revs to make the more powerful 35 TDI (with 148bhp) seem unnecessary.

Ride & Handling: The Q2 has firmer suspension than many small SUVs, including the Peugeot 2008 and VW T-Roc. The upshot? You're jostled around in your seat a little more, particularly along pockmarked urban roads.

In the bends, there's hardly any more body lean than there is in a regular hatchback. There's also plenty of grip, so this is a car you can drive quickly along a country road with real confidence.

All versions come with Audi’s progressive steering, which means the steering gets quicker the more you turn the wheel, so fewer turns are required when parking and manoeuvring. It works well, but the Ford Puma has more accurate steering and is even more fun to drive because of it.

Interior & Practicality: People in the front will find the Q2 fine for space, but those in the back will find it a little cramped. Three people cannot sit across the rear bench comfortably, but that's par for the course in this class. Leg room isn’t brilliant because adults and taller teens will find their knees touching the backs of the seats in front.

The driver has plenty of adjustment to get comfortable, but the driving position is quite low and doesn’t afford you the commanding driving position that many SUV buyers expect. It's also worth noting that lumbar support isn’t standard on the Q2, so look out for it as an option.

Speaking of options, the Q2 could have been ordered with a whole raft of them to turn it into a very fancy (and expensive) pint-sized SUV. The most impressive is the configurable display that replaces the analogue gauges for the speedo and rev counter with a 12.3in screen that can show you all sorts of driver information, from sat-nav instructions to fuel economy and driving data, all in the driver's line of sight. The great thing is that it isn’t at all distracting and quickly becomes second nature to use.

Even if your Q2 doesn’t have this, it comes with one of the easiest infotainment systems to use in the class. The standard 7.0in screen is controlled using a rotary dial by the gearlever and dedicated hard keys, which are often much easier to use on the move.

The rest of the interior is nicely put together with enough soft-touch plastics to make it feel a cut above the herd. All models get alloy wheels, a DAB radio, air conditioning and smartphone connection capabilities.

The boot can take a folded children’s pushchair or four large shopping bags, thanks to its square shape. Mind, if you get a quattro-equipped model, you won’t get a variable-height boot floor because the four-wheel drive gubbins underneath gets in the way.

Interested in buying a used Audi Q2? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Prices for an Audi Q2 start at £9000 for a higher-mileage version. Expect to spend between £10,000 and £15,000 on 2017 and 2018 models and £15,000 to £20,000 on 2019 and some 2020 cars. Spend over £20,000 on 2022 and 2023 cars, a little more for 2024 ones.

To keep up to date with used Q2 prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.

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Being a small SUV, most versions of the Q2 have reasonable running costs that are comparable to more traditional family cars.

MPG: The 1.0 TFSI is the most frugal petrol offering with 55.4mpg under the older NEDC tests, but the clever fuel-saving tech on the 1.4 TFSI means it isn’t that far behind at 51.4mpg. The worst-performing petrol is the 187bhp 2.0 TFSI at 44.1mpg, but it does come with four-wheel drive that always compromises economy.

The 1.6 TDI is the most frugal engine available in the Q2, with an average of 64.2mpg. If you want four-wheel drive, you’ll need the 2.0 TDI; however, because of the extra driven wheels, economy drops to 58.9mpg.

Under the later, more realistic WLTP tests, the 30 TFSI records 47.1mpg, the 35 TFSI 44.8mpg, the 40 TFSI 34.9mpg, the 30 TDI 49.6mpg, the 35 TDI 46.3mpg and the SQ2 33.2mpg.

Road tax: Most Q2s will have been registered after 1 April 2017, meaning that they'll be charged under the £190 flat-rate road tax fees as opposed to the CO2-based system used previously. For the very early cars that fall under the old system, you should expect to pay £120 per year for a 1.4 TFSI and 2.0 TDI, or just £30 for the 1.0 TFSI and 1.6 TDI models.

Servicing: All Q2s are covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty from new, with the option of an extended four or five-year plan, so check with your local Audi dealer to find out how much cover your car has left.

Engines

If you need a diesel engine because you do lots of miles, we’d suggest going for the 1.6 TDI, since it can be found in most trims and, because it’s not lumbered with four-wheel drive, has the lowest running costs. Our favourite engine, however, is the 1.4 TFSI, because of its punchy performance, smooth running and excellent fuel economy. In later models, this is a 1.5-litre engine and known as the 35 TFSI.

Trims

We'd advise going for a Sport model, because it comes with sensibly sized 17in alloy wheels to ensure the ride remains on the right side of firm, but it also gets you sat-nav, auto lights and wipers and cruise control. S line brings LED headlights, but the majority of extras consist of styling tweaks, so it isn’t worth the additional expense.

Our favourite Audi Q2: 1.4 TFSI 150 Sport

King of all the posh, medium-priced SUVs is the BMW X1. It's a little bigger than the Q2, but its premium badge is a huge draw for people buying this type of car. Thanks to a brilliant infotainment system and practical 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, it’s an easy companion to family life. And, with a great range of engines and excellent driving dynamics, you’ll find it an agreeable drive, too.

The Peugeot 3008 is proof that, with a bit of flair and some effort, any car company can turn itself around. The 3008 is, again, bigger than the Q2, more relaxing to drive than the Q2 and you’ll have more rear-seat space that will come in handy if you have older children.

While the interior of the earlier, post-2022 cars is a major letdown, everything else about the Volkswagen T-Roc is more than up to the class best. Underneath the skin, the T-Roc shares plenty of its mechanicals with the Q2, so it's worth shortlisting.

Interested in buying a used Audi Q2? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

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