Audi RS Q3

Audi RS Q3: which version to buy — specs, horsepower, mpg, and generation comparison

The Audi RS Q3 is a five-cylinder performance SUV 5-doors. If you are choosing a used or current example, the decision is between four catalogued versions of the same 2.5-litre turbo gasoline recipe: first-generation 2.5 S-tronic at 310 hp, restyled first-generation 2.5 S-tronic at 340 hp and 367 hp, and second-generation 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic at 400 hp.

The Audi RS Q3 is a five-cylinder performance SUV 5-doors. If you are choosing a used or current example, the decision is between four catalogued versions of the same 2.5-litre turbo gasoline recipe: first-generation 2.5 S-tronic at 310 hp, restyled first-generation 2.5 S-tronic at 340 hp and 367 hp, and second-generation 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic at 400 hp. All use a 2480 cm³ inline 5, Turbo, Direct injection (direct), a 7-speed Robotic gearbox, and AWD. What changes is output, mass, ground clearance, tank size, fuel grade, 0–100 time, and top speed — not the engine layout. This catalogue lists SUV 5-doors only; a Sportback body is not a measured variant here, so a “Sportback vs SUV” size comparison cannot be scored from these figures.

Audi RS Q3 generations: what actually changed

1 generation (2013-09-01 to 2019-08-31), including restyling. Body: SUV 5-doors. Three versions sit in this generation.

The pre-restyle 2.5 S-tronic (2013-09-01 to 2015-01-31) is the weakest and heaviest first-gen car: 310 hp (228 kW) at 5200 – 6700 rpm, 420 Nm at 1500 – 5200 rpm, 1730 kg kerb, 190 mm clearance, 64 L tank, Euro 5, 95 gasoline. It is the only Euro 5 RS Q3 in the set.

Restyling (2015-02-01 to 2019-08-31) keeps the same 2.5 S-tronic name on two outputs. The 340 hp (250 kW) car adds 30 hp and 30 Nm versus 310 hp, cuts 0–100 from 5.5 s to 4.8 s, drops kerb mass by 75 kg to 1655 kg, and moves to Euro 6. The 367 hp (270 kW) 2.5 S-tronic adds a further 27 hp and 15 Nm, reaches 4.4 s to 100 km/h, and is the only version with a 270 km/h top speed. Both restyle cars share 11.8 / 6.8 / 8.6 L/100 km (city / highway / combined), 203 g/km CO2, 64 L, 190 mm, and tyre sizes 235/50 R18, 255/40 R19, 255/35 R20. If a 2015, 2016, or 2017 listing is a first-gen restyle, it is one of these two 2.5 S-tronic cars — distinguish them by 340 versus 367 horsepower.

2 generation (from 2019-09-01, still listed with no end date). Body: SUV 5-doors. One version: 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic, 400 hp (294 kW) at 5850 – 7000 rpm, 489 Nm at 1950 – 5850 rpm. Versus the 367 hp restyle it gains 33 hp and 24 Nm, but kerb weight rises 135 kg to 1790 kg, clearance falls 30 mm to 160 mm, the tank shrinks 4 L to 60 L, fuel becomes 98, and 0–100 is 4.5 s — 0.1 s slower than the 367 hp car. Tyre size is not measured. A 2022 or 2024 RS Q3 in this catalogue is this single 400 hp version.

Audi RS Q3 engine specs — every version

Displacement is identical: 2480 cm³, Inline 5, 4 valves per cylinder, compression 10, bore × stroke 82.5 × 92.8, Front, transverse, Turbo, Gasoline. Specific output (hp per litre of 2.480 L):

Peak power band moves up the rev range as output rises: 5200 – 6700 (310 hp), 5300 – 6700 (340 hp), 5550 – 6800 (367 hp), 5850 – 7000 (400 hp). Torque plateau starts later too: 1500 rpm (310 hp) versus 1950 rpm (400 hp). Engine oil specification is not measured. Engine sound is not measured. “Does it have turbo?” — every listed RS Q3 is Turbo. There are no other Q3 engine options in this RS Q3 dataset.

Audi RS Q3 performance, mpg, and 0–100

The 367 hp 2.5 S-tronic is the sprint champion: 4.4 s, 1.1 s quicker than 310 hp and 0.1 s quicker than the 400 hp second generation. The 400 hp car is 1.0 s quicker than 310 hp but not quicker than 367 hp. Only 367 hp is allowed 270 km/h; the other three are 250 km/h (20 km/h less).

On mpg, restyle 2.5 S-tronic cars are the cheapest to run on the combined cycle at 8.6 L/100 km. The 310 hp car uses 0.2 L/100 km more combined (8.8). The 400 hp 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic is thirstiest combined at 8.9 (0.3 more than restyle) despite the best city figure (11.4 versus 11.8 / 12.2). Highway is where the second generation loses: 7.4 versus 6.8 on the restyle (0.6 L/100 km more) and 6.9 on 310 hp. Combined CO2 is 203 g/km for every Euro 6 car and 206 for Euro 5. US mpg conversion is not measured.

Audi RS Q3 dimensions, weight, tyres, and ground clearance

Length, width, height, and a size comparison versus other models are not measured. What is measured is mass, clearance, tank, and (on restyle only) tyres.

The restyle is the lightest RS Q3: 1655 kg, 75 kg under the 310 hp car. The second generation is the heaviest at 1790 kg — 135 kg above the restyle and 60 kg above the original. Gross mass is 2215 kg on all first-generation cars and 2250 kg on generation 2 (+35 kg). Weight per horsepower still slightly favours the 400 hp car (4.48 kg/hp) over 367 hp (4.51) because 400 hp offsets the extra 135 kg. Ground clearance is 190 mm for the whole first generation and 160 mm for generation 2 — a 30 mm drop that matters if you want SUV height rather than a lower stance. Tank range potential is higher on first-gen 64 L than on 60 L. Chassis hardware is the same story on every car: independent spring suspension front and rear, ventilated disc brakes front and rear.

Which Audi RS Q3 version to choose

Buy the 367 hp 2.5 S-tronic (1 generation restyling) if the numbers that matter are 0–100 and top speed. It is the lightest (1655 kg), the quickest (4.4 s), the only 270 km/h car, runs 95 gasoline, Euro 6, 8.6 L/100 km combined, 190 mm clearance, and documented 18–20 inch tyres. Versus the 340 hp twin with the same name, you get +27 hp, +15 Nm, −0.4 s to 100, and +20 km/h — same mass, same mpg, same tank. That is the entire extra you are paying for inside the restyle pair.

Buy the 340 hp 2.5 S-tronic if you want the restyle’s 75 kg diet and Euro 6 without the 367 hp car’s extra output. It already cuts 0.7 s off the 310 hp 0–100 time (4.8 vs 5.5) and 30 hp / 30 Nm versus the pre-facelift car, with identical 1655 kg, 190 mm, 64 L, and 8.6 combined. Top speed stays 250 km/h. Distinguish listings: both restyle cars are labelled 2.5 S-tronic; use 340 hp versus 367 hp.

Buy the 310 hp 2.5 S-tronic only as the 2013–early 2015 entry. You give up 30–90 hp versus later cars, 75 kg extra kerb versus restyle, Euro 5 instead of Euro 6, 5.5 s to 100, and 8.8 L/100 km combined. You keep 190 mm, 64 L, 95 fuel, and 250 km/h. Tyres: not measured. It is the same 2480 cm³ recipe at 125.0 hp/L instead of 137.1–161.3.

Buy the 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic 400 hp if you want the current generation and peak output, not the sprint record. You get 400 hp, 489 Nm, 161.3 hp/L, best city consumption (11.4), and the lowest kg/hp (4.48). You accept 1790 kg, 160 mm clearance (30 mm less), 60 L tank, 98 fuel, combined 8.9 L/100 km, highway 7.4, 4.5 s to 100 (0.1 s behind 367 hp), and 250 km/h. Tyres: not measured. Versus 367 hp, +33 hp and +24 Nm do not buy a faster 0–100 or a higher listed top speed; they buy later-generation hardware at higher mass and a smaller, higher-octane tank.

Reliability and problems are not measured in this dataset. Choice here is arithmetic on power, mass, clearance, mpg, and speed — not workshop history.

Short rule: same engine family throughout. For the fastest and tallest Euro 6 used car, take restyle 2.5 S-tronic 367 hp. For restyle without the 367 peak, 2.5 S-tronic 340 hp. For 2013–2015 only, 2.5 S-tronic 310 hp. For 2019-on (including 2022/2024) and maximum horsepower, 2.5 TFSI quattro S-Tronic 400 hp.