The premium compact SUV sector moves at a relentless pace. Can Audi’s majorly updated third-generation Q3 – complete with a fleet-friendly e-Hybrid PHEV powertrain – tick all the boxes for business drivers? Al Suttie spends a week on the road to find out if the reality matches the premium price tag.

Audi Q3 S Line e-Hybrid S Tronic 272PS

List price (BiK): £48,485 (10%)  CO2: 43g/km  Economy: 149.3mpg  Test efficiency: 45.1mpg

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Monday

While being a little late to the Audi Q3 party, a week with this compact and classy SUV should redress the gap in my knowledge. We’re testing the third generation of the Q3 in 1.5-litre e-Hybrid form, which surely holds the most appeal for fleet drivers, even if the price is hovering around £50k for tax calculations. As a plug-in hybrid, it at least promises some EV range.

Tuesday

Fully charged, the battery in the Q3 reckons it’s good for 55 miles according to the dash display. Audi’s official figure for the S Line trim as tested here is 69 miles, so there’s a bit of disparity there. However, a lengthy round trip this afternoon proves the mile counter on the dash to be eerily accurate, with 43 miles knocked off and 12 miles of range still showing.

Wednesday

Using the Q3 in EV mode, it’s predictably quiet and easy to drive, though I’d like more brake regeneration to have that one-pedal driving flexibility in EV mode. Another downside of Audi’s set-up is the 19.7kWh battery pack doesn’t charge noticeably as you brake, so it’s all down to plugging the car in. At least you get a CCS charge socket, and there’s an EV dash button to select electric-only propulsion.

Thursday

As well as the electric motor, the Q3’s 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is there to help. When the battery is spent, the petrol engine is usually quiet when driving gently but it can become surprisingly coarse when full acceleration is required. The Q3 simply doesn’t feel comfortable when pressed in this fashion, so keener drivers will be better served by the BMW X1.

Friday

A varied route to see a client today and the Q3 does a sound job of dealing with some appalling road surfaces. A quick check shows the S Line model does without the sports suspension – thankfully – so the optional 19-inch wheels of this car don’t thud or jar over the tarmac. Handling is neat and tidy, if unremarkable, while motorway speeds fail to generate much by way of wind or tyre noise.

Saturday

It’s taken a few days to sink in, but the Q3 doesn’t feel as premium inside its cabin as it used to in previous generations. Much of this is due to the thickly rubberised feel of the material on the doors. I’m also not convinced by the column stalks of the Q3 – the design feels like change for the sake of it rather than improving functionality, though I did get used to this over time.

Sunday

Whipping out the abacus shows the Audi Q3 in e-Hybrid form makes a lot of sense if you can charge at home or work at a low rate. The realistic 50-plus miles of range make that worthwhile. Fail to charge up and run the Audi on petrol alone and I saw 45.1mpg economy, which is exactly what Audi says it will do on the non-EV assisted combined cycle. So, the numbers stack up. However, the Q3 doesn’t feel quite special enough now for the premium prices being asked.