Designed by Julian Hoenig in 2006, it was a concept vehicle with Liquid Silver body colour, 20-inch wheels, fabric folding roof, electrically controlled hood, 4-cylinder 2.0 TDI engine rated at 204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp) and 400 N⋅m (295.02 lbf⋅ft), diesel particulate filter and Bluetec emission control system, quattro permanent four-wheel drive system with Haldex clutch, Audi S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, MacPherson strut front axle and a four-link rear axle, Audi drive select system with 3 modes (dynamic, sport, efficiency), MMI control panel with touch pad and dual-view technology, sound system with the prominent extending tweeters.

[6] The Q3 shares components, transmissions and engines with amongst other vehicles utilising the PQ35 platform, the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and Škoda Yeti.

[13][14] 2.0 TDI quattro with 103 kW (138 hp) was introduced in 2012 for Germany market as part of 2012 Paris Motor Show premiere.

[16] It is a concept vehicle based on Audi Q3 with 2.5 TFSI (2,480 cc (2.48 L; 151 cu in) I5 turbo) engine rated at 314 PS (231 kW; 310 hp) and 400 N⋅m (295.02 lbf⋅ft), 7-speed S tronic transmission, Energy Red body colour, add-on body parts are in matt gray quartz-based paint, flared wheel arches and running boards, five-arm 8.5Jx20 wheels in matt quartz, 255/45 off-road tires, 40 mm wider front and rear track widths and 30 mm higher body ride height over production model.

It is a version of Audi Q3 with blue body colour, 2.5 TFSI (2,480 cc (2.48 L; 151 cu in) I5 turbo) engine rated at 360 PS (265 kW; 355 hp), 25 mm (0.98 in) lowered body, brushed and polished aluminum trim frames, single-frame radiator grille, Dark blue Alcantara on contrasting element on the seat covers, black CFRP door mirror housings, while matt aluminum trim at side windows, Ordos Blue body color, blue clearcoat and black CFRP at diffuser insert, clear glass rear lights and auxiliary lights in the bumper tinted in anthracite, black Fine Nappa leather interior upholstery on roofliner, floor carpet, floor mats, leather-upholstered instrument panel and on large areas of the seat upholstery; steering wheel upholstered in black Velvet leather, door trim panels in blue Alcantara, Chinese characters numerals in tachometer, 7-speed S tronic transmission, quattro permanent all-wheel drive, 8.5 J x 20 wheels with 255/30 tires.

[19] Q3 Jinlong Yufeng (金龍馭風) is a version of Audi Q3 with 2.5 TFSI (2,480 cc (2.48 L; 151 cu in) I5 turbo) engine rated at 310 PS (228 kW; 306 hp), 7-speed S tronic transmission, two kiteboards made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, Liuli Yellow body colour, body add-on parts in matt quartz, Vertical aluminum struts in the single-frame radiator grille, xenon plus headlights in anthracite, aluminum panels cover the upper sections of the air intakes, aluminum underbody guard, flared wheel arches, brushed stainless steel running boards, roofliner in titanium gray Alcantara, black interior surfaces, instrument panel upholstered in black Fine Nappa leather and decorated with yellow contrasting seams, fine aluminum accents at instrument cluster, leather-trimmed steering wheel with contrasting yellow seams and two large shift paddles, foot rests and pedal made of stainless steel with rubber caps, seats upholstered in woven leather (narrow strips of leather interwoven with yarn, yellow piping and contrasting seams), side panels of the seat cushions and seatbacks in yellow Velvet leather, Velvet leather in parts of the door trim panels, stainless steel mesh decorative inlays, five-arm 8.5Jx20 wheels in matt quartz, 255/45 off-road tires, 40 mm wider front and rear track widths and 30 mm higher body ride height over production model.

[19] It is a version of Audi Q3 with 2.5 TFSI (2,480 cc (2.48 L; 151 cu in) I5 turbo) engine rated 340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp) and 450 N⋅m (331.90 lbf⋅ft), 7-speed S tronic transmission, Energy Red body colour, five-arm 8.5Jx20 wheels in matt quartz, 255/45 off-road tires, 40mm wider front and rear track widths and 30mm higher body ride height over production model, headlining in titanium gray Alcantara, black interior, floor mats in black with narrow strips of red Velvet leather.

It features a 2.5 TFSI (2.5 L; 151 cu in) I5 turbo engine rated at 310 PS (228 kW; 306 hp) at 5200-6700 rpm and 420 N⋅m (309.78 lbf⋅ft) at 1500-5200 rpm, 7-speed S-tronic transmission with D and S modes, battery located in the luggage compartment, 4-link independent rear wheel suspensions, electro-mechanical rack and pinion steering, electro-mechanical parking brake and hill hold assist, 365 mm (14.37 in) ventilated and perforated front brake discs with wave-shaped outer contours, black eight-piston calipers with RS logos, electronic stabilization control (ESC) with sport mode, 19-inch alloy wheels in German market (optional 20-inch wheels, with exclusive 5 dual-spoke V design from Audi RS Q3 concept), body accents and roof rails in matt aluminum, special door sill plates and door trim strips, a high-gloss black honeycomb front grille, RS front bumper and quattro emblem in the front air intake, roof spoiler, rear bumper with diffuser insert, elliptical tailpipe, a rear RS Q3 logo, choice of 8 body colors (including the exclusive Sepang Blue pearl effect), instrument cluster with gray gauges and white scales and red pointers, contrasting stitching in rock gray trim at flat bottom three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and gear selector lever, Multi Media Interface and driver information system with RS logo, RS menu with boost pressure, oil temperature and a lap timer; pedals and foot support in aluminum look, inlays in piano finish black (optional aluminum race or carbon), black (optional lunar silver) headlining, sport seats with embossed RS Q3 logos upholstered in black Alcantara/leather (optional Fine Nappa leather in black or lunar silver with contrasting stitching in rock gray or the design package with diamond stitching), reversible loadliner, optional towing bracket, RS-specific driver information system (park assist plus), Audi sound system with ten loudspeakers, xenon plus headlights, LED tail lights.

Optional styling packages (in matt aluminum or black) include flaps in the side air intakes, the trim on the diffuser, and the fins on the roof spoiler.

[36] The Audi Q3 is built in a FAW-Volkswagen plant in Changchun, China in a joint venture with its partner FAW;[37] production began in 2013.

[42][43] As part of Audi A3 launch in Taiwan, more than 11 famous independent bands were invited to present Q3 Urban Music Festival.

The lower air vents have been enlarged slightly, and the lights themselves have re-profiled LEDs to give the car a more recognisable look in the dark.

The wheel arch surrounds and door sills are body coloured on the base model (they used to be black plastic), as is the rear bumper design, which sits below subtly reshaped lower tail light clusters.

The 1.4-litre turbo petrol now features cylinder-on-demand technology, which saves fuel by shutting down a couple of cylinders when less power is needed.

The more performance-oriented RS Q3 gains a sizeable 30 PS (22 kW; 30 hp) over the old model, and torque now sits at 332 lb⋅ft (450 N⋅m), marginally up from the old version.

[47] Changes include redesign of front lights, grille, and exterior fascia; Alu-optic interior MMI controls and interior upgrades, front and rear parking sensors with rearview camera join wide array of standard equipment, full LED headlights and dynamic rear turn signals on Prestige models.

[53][54] It is a version of RS Q3 with increased engine power to 367 PS (270 kW; 362 hp) and 465 N⋅m (342.97 lbf⋅ft), seven-speed S tronic transmission, matt titanium-look finish parts (frame of the air inlet duct and the quattro logo, singleframe, lateral flaps in the air inlets, trim strips at the side windows, exterior mirror housings, roof rails, upper edge of the diffuser, fins of the roof edge spoiler), Ascari blue metallic body colour, 20-inch wheels in a five twin-spoke V design in matt titanium, red brake calipers bearing the RS logo (optional black calipers), dial instruments in gray faces, white dials and red needles; seats in the color combination black and blue with optional RS performance design package, blue contrast stitching at RS sport leather steering wheel, selector lever gaiter, center armrest and the floor mats; inlays in carbon twill blue with blue thread is woven into the carbon material.