Is Five-Pot Fire-Power And Mad Attitude Enough To Make The Audi RSQ3 A Super SUV?

The Audi RSQ3 is, at first glance, the epitome of every negative stereotype thrust upon the brand; it’s big, powerful and, especially in this bright red colour, about as inconspicuous as a mouth ulcer. It’s also the type of car that you can’t help but drive quickly in a straight line, such is the aural delight of the SUV’s wicked five-pot warble.

Speaking of which, that five cylinder engine is one you’ll already be familiar with. Remember the mental RS3 that struggled to impress the world a few years back (it was quite boring and uninvolving to drive)?

Yup, you’ll find that car’s engine - also seen in the TT RS - tucked away under the bonnet here. That means 306bhp, 310lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds; not bad considering the RSQ3’s 1655kg weight. Transferring this vast power to all four wheels is a seven-speed Tiptronic gearbox.

So what exactly is it like to drive a high-riding hulk of a car like this? While I’m usually quick to hate on hot SUVs - an utterly pointless niche in my eyes - the RSQ3 is an entertaining car at times. The aforementioned engine is an absolute weapon of mass propulsion, offering up huge lumps of go-go juice for beautifully linear acceleration. The engine sounds wicked too, but when have five cylinders ever sounded bad?

But the fact that the RSQ3 only really entertains in a straight line is an unsurprising let down; the numb steering-feel doesn’t give you the confidence to really push hard through corners. The seven-speed Tipronic gearbox also has its pros and cons; it’s quick to respond with instant gear changes when you floor the throttle and push the needle into the red, but should you choose to take control of the gears on the way down - shock horror - the gearbox serves up more laboured changes. The transition between first to reverse is particularly slow.

The RSQ3 does ride nicely and smoothly, however, and that’s despite its RS Sports suspension and designer 20-inch rims.

In all honesty, though, people won’t buy the RSQ3 for the way it drives, handles and copes off road. People will buy the RSQ3 for the way it looks, for the message it conveys and for the fact that it is one of the most unique cars on the road. And in all of these respects, the RSQ3 has it nailed; it’s got prowess, purpose, bling (but not too much), and bucket loads of road presence. It is, then, one of the most Audi of Audis you can buy today.

And I completely get the Audi effect. The RSQ3 is a nice car to walk towards and it’s certainly the kind of car that you look back at, run back to, and double check that it’s locked when you’ve completed your journey from whatever golf club/poker party you’ve been at.

Driving the super-SUV is also a nice experience. The interior is sleek, modern, uncluttered and solidly-made (standard Audi), and oncoming motorists tend to get the hell out of the way when faced with such an imposing mouth - it’s the perfect city car, in that respect…

The high driving position is also nice, allowing you to see over most normal-sized cars in traffic, but that comes at a price; the seating position itself is too straight for my liking and getting comfortable is a challenge. Maybe it’s my short limbs that aren’t Audi-compatible, but finding a nice seating position in other cars has rarely been such an issue.

Overall, then, the Audi RSQ3 is a mixed bag. It looks imposing - if almost indistinguishable compared with the S3 - has a great engine that offers stunning straight line speed, but is let down by unengaging steering, a slow-witted gearbox and a seating position that never feels sporty; it’s just too many cars - sports car, hot hatch and SUV - in one confused package.

For me, the RSQ3 is not a car I’d buy. Were I in the market for a well-rounded, rapid and useable daily driver, I’d sooner buy the Audi S3, which works out about £10k cheaper than the £43k RSQ3, offers similar performance (0-62mph in 4.9sec with the Tiptronic ‘box) and comes with the option of a six-speed manual gearbox.

Then again, if you’re out to make a statement and if you want something that none of your friends realised existed, then the RSQ3 could well be just the thing.