The All-New 2026 Audi Q3 Sets a New Standard

Audi x SHARP

Subcompact SUVs are some of the most popular vehicles on Canadian roads. Combining the versatility and bold looks of an SUV with the performance and ease of a smaller vehicle, they offer a best-of-both-worlds solution. For those who appreciate the modern design and easy handling of a top-tier subcompact SUV, the all-new 2026 Audi Q3 is a welcome ride, boasting innovations in technology, performance, and style.

Audi defines its philosophy with the phrase, Vorsprung durch Technik, or Progress through Technology. Far from a simple corporate slogan, this mission statement has resulted in decades of industry-leading engineering and innovation, making Audi one of Canada’s most favoured luxury automakers. With the all-new Q3 — getting its first full redesign in seven years — Audi has distilled everything this phrase represents into a compelling package. The all-new 2026 Audi Q3 redefines the subcompact SUV segment. That’s the type of true innovation Audi is known for.

Sporting a muscular, confident stance and a sharp and emotive exterior, the all-new Q3 establishes its presence at first glance via a wider, single-frame grille, S line bumpers with prominent air inlets, and a sporty S line rear diffuser. Its sleek LED headlights, meanwhile, are the first time Audi’s new Digital Matrix LED headlight technology has been offered in the subcompact segment. There are 25,600 micro-LEDs on the module, offering superior visibility on dark roads. Given the early sunsets of a Canadian winter, these beams are sure to come in handy.

Beneath this bold exterior, the all-new Q3 delivers an equally stirring experience behind the wheel, starting with a thoroughly updated 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that now produces a punchy 255 horsepower which is up from 228 in the previous-generation model. Paired with a new 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, it can take the all-new Q3 from 0 to 100 kph in a claimed 5.9 seconds. Meanwhile, standard quattro all-wheel drive ensures maximum winter capabilities, allowing drivers to take on Canada’s iciest roads with ease. The all-new Q3’s handling is likewise nimble and assured, with the option to fine tune the engine, transmission, and steering to fit your preferences via Audi drive select.

The all-new Q3’s most dramatic transformation is within the cabin, which establishes a new standard of finesse in the subcompact luxury SUV segment. The focus of the interior is the Digital Stage — a curved, driver-oriented interface consisting of an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and a 12.8-inch MMI touchscreen display. This advanced digital cockpit, which is built around an Android-based operating system, provides a user-friendly layout and access to a host of for entertainment and information functions. Elsewhere, the cabin is refined and comfortable, offering features usually reserved for larger, higher-end vehicles. Highlights include acoustic glazing for a quieter cabin, standard heated front seats and steering wheel (must-have winter features), a panoramic sunroof, and a Sonos sound system boasting 12 speakers and 420 watts of power.

Of course, reading about these features and experiencing them in person are two very different things. Anyone familiar with Audi’s signature blend of performance and design will appreciate the many improvements in the all-new 2026 Audi Q3 over the outgoing model, while those new to the Audi brand will find plenty to appreciate in the style, premium engineering, and cutting-edge connectivity on offer. There’s no doubt that the all-new Q3 is the best version built thus far, and anyone who sits behind the wheel will quickly understand why Audi consistently draws in such a loyal fan base.

If you’re eager to see it in-person, you’re in luck: The all-new Q3 just made its Canadian debut at the Montreal Autoshow, and will be making stops at the Toronto and Vancouver auto shows. It lands in Canadian dealerships this March.

Learn more about the all-new Audi Q3 here.

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