In my hands, the new Q3 was much more Porsche-like than I expected (Porsche is an Audi stablemate in the VW Group). I don't know if that was intentional, but the sort of afterthought old Q3 now seems to have a new identity.
The performance isn't mind-boggling, but the 228 ponies under the hood get along quite well with the eight-speed transmission, and the Quattro-lite AWD system makes the Q3 feel planted to stable despite its size.
The electric steering is vague at times, and the brakes aren't really racetrack ready, but for splitting your attention between grocery store runs and weaving in and out of traffic on suburban beltways, the Q3 is an appealing package.
The previous-generation struck me as being rather Euro in personality — more hatchback than SUV — and I thought it made sense mainly for urbanites in need of a nice, premium ride from a suitably premium brand.
The new Q3, by contrast, seems as though it could make a go of it outside the metropolis, perhaps as a second car for a family that already has a Q5 or a Q7 — an alternative to the familiar Audi sedan-Audi SUV tandem in many driveways. But the Q3 also functions as a new entry point to the brand, and as such, its refreshed identity means that it provides an improved alternative to an A3 or A4.
The bottom line is that, like the last Q3 I drove, I enjoyed this vehicle. But this time around, I wasn't confused at all.