Audi Q3 Third-Generation SUV Set to Launch in India by 2026

Audi’s Third-Generation Q3: A New Chapter in India’s Premium SUV Story

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Audi, the Ingolstadt-based automaker, is preparing to unfurl the third-generation Q3 in India by the third quarter of 2026, a move that signals both ambition and continuity. Globally unveiled in June and slated for its European launch next month, the Q3 promises to arrive on Indian shores as part of a broader offensive that also encompasses the new A5 sedan, next-generation Q5 and A6 models, and electric stalwarts such as the Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron Sportback.

At its heart, the India-bound Q3 will be powered by a 204hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, an offering fine-tuned to strike a balance between performance and refinement. Constructed on the latest iteration of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, this new avatar of the Q3 has grown by approximately 40mm, a seemingly modest yet meaningful increase that bestows it with a more commanding presence. In Europe, the model is offered with petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid options, though Indian buyers will initially see a more focused portfolio.

Design, however, is where Audi’s latest creation seeks to enthral. Split headlamps, chiselled contours, and a bolder front overhang contribute to a sculpted modernity that is further accentuated in the Sportback variant with its coupe-inspired roofline. Inside, the metamorphosis is equally striking: a 12.8-inch central touchscreen, 11.9-inch digital dials, and a head-up display elevate the cockpit into an arena of digital sophistication, ensuring drivers and passengers alike revel in both utility and elegance.

Expected to retail at around ₹50 lakh (ex-showroom), the Q3 will lock horns with the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA in the fiercely contested premium compact SUV segment. Yet, beyond the numbers, the third-generation Q3 represents Audi’s reinvigorated attempt to reassert itself as both custodian of Germanic engineering prowess and purveyor of aspirational mobility in India’s ever-evolving automotive theatre.