SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


Personalised: 2017 Audi Q2 1.4T FSI Sport S-tronic

Dig a little deeper

Posted: 29 April 2017

The numbers
Base price: R529 500
Engine: 1395 cc, DOHC, inline four-cylinder,16-valve, COD turbopetrol
Power: 110 kW between 5000 and 6000 rpm
Torque: 250 Nm between 1500 and 3500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 8.5 seconds
Maximum speed: 212 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.8 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Luggage: 405 – 1050 litres
Warranty and maintenance: 5 years / 100 000 km



Audi’s little Q2 crossover is a bit of an enigma. First, it breaks the familiar odd-numbered naming series; Q3, Q5, Q7. Second, if we ignore Q3’s trio of Quattro models, it’s priced generally a touch higher than offerings in that range. Sizewise, it’s somewhere between Mini’s Clubman and Countryman in length and width.

Despite being nominally an SUV, it has no realistic off-road expectations. Its ground clearance is only 147 mm - Golf territory - so forget about playing seriously on tracks and trails. A Quattro version is available overseas but that would be more for sporty asphalt driving.

What it does offer is almost Q7-levels of optional kit and loads of personalisation potential. There are three exterior styling packs including one for that off-road look, two dedicated paint colours, deco-films to brighten up the “C” pillars (Audi calls them Side Blades), coloured or metallic dash- and door inlays, coloured seat panels and contrasting stitching. That’s apart from the usual assortment of road- and steering wheels, upholstery options, head lights, air conditioning upgrades, special safety items and two levels of navigation equipment.

Our test car’s office area was plain and simple, forming a straight line from the passenger’s door to the main instrument binnacle. Big, round air vents mirrored the circular analogue instruments (a virtual dash is a R6 400 option), minor controls and the various input devices. Standard (at this level) sports seats were comfortable and supportive with decent under-thigh length. The tablet-like touch screen is fixed.

The local range consists of seven models; 1.0-litre in Base and Sport trims with choice of manual and automatic in each, 1.4-litre Sport versions in manual and S-tronic and a 2.0 TDI Sport with S-tronic. Prices range from R434 500 to R565 000.

Even basic models offer alloy wheels, a four-speaker music system with Bluetooth, cruise control with speed limiter, Script cloth upholstery, a driver information system – it’s the usual Audi setup that requires you to reset Trip 2 if you want to measure long-term consumption because Trip 1 covers only the current day and resets itself automatically – six airbags, three ISOFix points, ESC, light and rain sensors, a space saver spare, manual air conditioning, halogen head lamps and rear fog lights.

Sport versions upgrade the seat cloth to Index, sixteen-inch wheels make way for 17”, aluminium door sill trims and front and rear diffusers are added, it gets the front sport seats mentioned earlier and a few paint details are changed.

Although there is a hint of coupé styling, the Q2’s side- and rear windows are big enough to see through without feeling shut in. We believe that therein lies the real reason buyers turn to SUVs, crossovers and dual-cab pickups. They hate the claustrophobic feeling generated by skinny, slit-like windows on most sedans. Manufacturers seem to believe, despite never asking, that we all want the squashed, four-door coupé look. We don’t, actually, and that’s why we flock to alternatives. Just saying; use it, don’t use it. It’s up to the industry.

Despite Q2’s compact dimensions, there’s enough space for five inside; with tall people in the back seat adequately, if not over-generously, accommodated. The boot, too, is nicely sized at 405 litres that expands to 1050 with the seatbacks folded. As usual for Crossovers and SUVs, the loading floor is level with its sill – until you dig a little deeper.

A cavity beneath the base board can hide private items or be used to accommodate taller luggage. The board can be shifted down until it almost rests on the spare wheel, thus gaining about 20 cm of depth. It could also be left in its normal position after changing a flat and putting the punctured road wheel in there.

Although the little 1400 motor puts out “only” 110 kW it feels like much more. The car happily points, squirts and howls and is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. We loved it. And the seven-speed DSG is one of the world’s better ‘boxes. We couldn’t find fault.

Audi Q2 offers, either as O/E or optionally, everything one needs in a usable and practical city SUV. It has enough people room, it has as much boot space as most sedans do, it runs like a racehorse and it can be customised almost infinitely.

Test unit from Audi SA press fleet

We also drove the 2021 update

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What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.