Small SUVs are all the rage nowadays. There are plenty of excellent cars to choose from, including the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Vauxhall Mokka X and Mini Countryman.
Audi is a relatively recent arrival in this class, but its entry has been worth waiting for. The Q2 offers a tempting combination of ability, quality and desirability.
Why go for one? Prices start at £20,230, which is a bit dearer than some, but PCP finance deals are surprisingly accessible.
On the road, the Q2 is grippy and flat through corners, which is not always the case with high SUVs. Audi's ‘progressive’ steering speeds up as you turn the wheels the more you turn the wheel.
The 148bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine is our favourite from a wide range of engines, providing more than sufficient power on demand but also cutting fuel consumption by shutting down two of its four cylinders in gentler use.
It may have a small footprint, but the Q2 is not short of driver or passenger space. Drivers of just about any size will find a huge range of adjustment in the seat and wheel, and forward visibility is excellent. The Q2’s boot is smaller than many of its rivals in terms of outright physical capacity but its useful shape claws back some of that disadvantage.
Audi cabin quality is legendary, and the Q2 fully upholds that tradition with soft-touch materials and multiple personalisation options. We’d go for Sport trim over the reasonably well specced entry-level SE model as it adds satellite navigation, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control and 17in alloy wheels.
Being clever by buying used isn’t really an option just yet as the Q2 hasn’t been around for very long. The larger Audi Q3 is a decent alternative though with prices starting at about £11,000. A 2.0-litre TDI SE model with 40,000 miles will cost in the region of £14,200.
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