The presidential race has illustrated all sorts of ways in which unwanted underperformers strive to appear more desirable. In Audi’s case, it has simply cut the price of the compact Q3, a dated crossover that finished dead last in our most recent five-car comparison test.
The 2017 Q3’s new $32,750 starting price is $1875 cheaper than the just-refreshed 2016 model. Before, only Premium Plus and Prestige trims were offered. Now, the base Premium carries all of the Premium Plus standard equipment?xenon headlamps, 12-way power front seats, leather, dual-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, a backup camera?but deletes seat heaters and push-button start. Those latter two features are part of two separate option packages that together total $1350. The same 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and six-speed automatic come for the ride. Front-wheel drive is standard; Quattro all-wheel drive is $2100 extra for all models. The $35,450 Premium Plus rises by $825 but adds power-folding heated mirrors with driver’s-side auto-dimming and a power tailgate. The Sport package ($550) has been renamed Sport Interior package and includes the same equipment (sport seats; Audi Drive Select for varied steering effort and throttle and shift mapping; and a three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters). A black headliner, formerly a separate no-cost option, is also included in the package. Navigation, blind-spot monitoring, ...