Audi Q2 facelift video test: the 35 TFSI S tronic with Edition One

It’s not often you wait close to five years for a model to receive its first update, but that’s exactly what happened with the Audi Q2, the smallest SUV in the four-ring brand’s line-up - and in a segment that keeps expanding and remains one of the most fiercely contested today.

With this facelift, the Q2 gains sharper styling cues, most obvious in the newly designed bumpers and the revised lighting signature. At the same time, Audi has strengthened the tech offering, especially around active safety, with a broader set of driver assistance systems.

In this video test, Diogo Teixeira takes the wheel of an Audi Q2 35 TFSI S tronic S line, although the car shown here also includes the optional Edition One pack (7485 euros). That package gives the compact SUV a more distinctive look inside and out, plus upholstery trimmed in a leather/faux-leather combination. So, how good is the Audi Q2? Find out in the new video:

The Audi Q2 35 TFSI

For anyone still getting to grips with Audi’s naming system, the 35 TFSI uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 150 hp. Alongside the 35 TDI (2.0 Turbo Diesel) with the same output, these are the most powerful Q2s in the range - leaving aside the Audi SQ2 (also updated), the 300 hp, four-wheel-drive “hot SUV”.

Engine, drivetrain and S tronic

In this case, drive goes to just two wheels (the front axle), with the engine’s output channelled through the seven-speed S tronic gearbox - the brand’s dual-clutch transmission. The pairing of the 1.5 TFSI and the S tronic deserves praise, delivering the kind of performance that already feels properly strong for this class, as the 8,6s 0-100 km/h time and 218 km/h top speed demonstrate.

Fuel consumption in real use

Efficiency is respectable too - Diogo mentions figures between 7,5 l and 8,5 l per 100 km - but you do need to keep an eye on how heavy your right foot is, because it’s not particularly hard to push past nine litres.

Infotainment age versus cabin quality

The model’s age is most noticeable in certain areas, particularly the infotainment, which sits a generation behind. On the other hand, some features still feel entirely current and remain among the best available, such as the excellent Virtual Cockpit (digital instrument cluster).

What still doesn’t disappoint is the perceived quality on board, from the choice of materials to the solidity of the assembly, which sits above the segment average.

More than 20 thousand euros in options

We should be used to it by now, yet premium manufacturers like Audi can still catch you off guard when you look closely at their equipment lists - especially the long and expensive options catalogue.

Edition One pack and the final price

The Audi Q2 we tested is no exception: it carries more than 20 thousand euros in optional extras - even though list prices for this version start at a more reasonable 37 514 euros. The Edition One pack accounts for the biggest share of that total (almost 7500 euros).

As a result, “our” Q2 ends up with a final price above 58 thousand euros, which is plainly steep. To put that into perspective, it’s more than the 52 thousand euros Audi asks for the Audi SQ2, which doubles both the power output and the number of driven wheels - and still leaves a few thousand euros spare for options.

Is it worth “loading” the Q2 up with so many extras, or not? Leave your opinion.