Handling-wise this is the most fun-to-drive Q3 ever, at least for me. In a normal Q3 you get the same brakes, same suspension, and the same steering, yet it is not as fun to drive as the S Edition. The manual gearbox gives you a sense of being in control. Changing gears while tackling corners is much more adrenaline-boosting than letting a computer do it for you. I thoroughly enjoyed driving the Q3 S Edition around bends at close to triple-digit speeds without praying for everything to be all right. I was surprised how well the car behaved even without the famous quattro system at work. Things like understeer, low grip and other such terms never occurred to me while enjoying the splendid corners of the Khambatki Ghat on NH 4. The Q3 S Edition hugged all the corners like a passionate lover who believes there is no tomorrow. The Q3 S Edition stayed calm, composed and well-behaved at all times and what that did for me was that it gave me the confidence to push it harder still under varying circumstances. That is the reason why the Q3 S Edition is one of the most amazing little SUVs out there.
It is a product that is reserved for the people who know their car, and who care about being in control. The manual gearbox, less features, two less driven wheels and subtle interior have actually made the Q3 S Edition a better value-for-money proposition. And, as I have observed several times earlier, it is a lot more fun to drive than it ever was. Besides, it returns 20 km to a litre on the highway. Beat that, you little luxury hatches.
To sum up then, the Q3 S Edition is a compact luxury SUV that is more practical and fun to drive than a luxury hot hatch and costs just as much. So if I were you and if I had Rs 30 lakh, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the Q3 S Edition.
