The question why an undoubtedly quite attractively styled car has to have so much ground clearance, I know, cannot be asked here. Even the options on up to 20 inch wheels could remain. In Manhattan Grey, the substructure completely surrounding the vehicle would probably be interrupted at the wheels, because these would then have to be arranged further into the fenders.

But it can't be that bad, because this substructure is also available with the S-Line in car color and/or the chrome parts in black. The enormous effort, which were made with the differences to the normal Q3, would be still more worthwhile. Because actually only the front end remained. Even the windshield, sides and rear are differently designed, roof and the interior of the front grille anyway.

It now has a honeycomb pattern, as S-Line even with chrome details. So they had to think up a lower bead at the doors compared to the Q3 to lower the car at least optically. All not necessary or an even more useful accessory if the car was lowered generally. Also the sports suspension supplied as standard with the Sportback would make even more sense.

In other more sporty cars you can accept a certain narrowness, but here it is really limited compared to the Q3. At the front the roof is still high enough, you might only notice the flatter windscreen. In the back, the headroom for large passengers can be a bit smaller than in the Q3, but not the knee room. And if you don't load over the lower edge of the window, you have almost no restrictions on your luggage.

From behind, the car makes a completely different impression with its large rear spoiler on the roof, its small one on the tailgate and the suggested diffuser. You can make it even more valuable with the S- Line, so that you don't even notice the missing exhaust. And the loading edge would also be easier to overcome with a lower situated car. And as long as you can install a roof rack if necessary, you probably won't miss the missing roof railing of the Sportback.

The 1.5l petrol engine with a double clutch gearbox can be ordered with a belt-starter-generator, which can drive and recuperate the engine via a belt drive. This allows an earlier start-stop phase, sailing for a limited time and even boosting. However, only 12V instead of 48V systems with significantly less effect are installed in the four-cylinder models. Perhaps the savings effect on a lowered car would be greater after all. 09/19