Bitauto Original In the Chinese market, SUV models with strong passability and excellent visibility have been popular for many years. Various brands at various price points have a variety of SUV products. Whether you need large space or prefer a stronger sense of design, There are a complete range of products for you to choose from. The two models we bring today are more suitable for young consumers who have requirements for brand, design quality and driving quality. They are the Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3.
The two models we got this time are the Volvo XC40 B4 four-wheel drive Zhiya sports version (guide price: 354,800 yuan) and the Audi Q3 quattro fashionable and dynamic version (guide price: 326,200 yuan). They are all top-of-the-line models in their respective car series, and there is not much difference in terminal prices.
Part One: Nordic Taste VS German Design
One of the hallmarks of a luxury brand is a unique and highly recognizable design, and the visual perception conveyed by the appearance is actually very important to luxury brand consumers.
In terms of appearance, Volvo brand models have always been more in line with my preferences. They have tough lines and simple designs. They look more capable and have no shortage of details. Although Volvo brand cars are not as radically designed as other brands, they are classic and durable and will not go out of style over time.
Nordic design takes simplicity as its beauty, and its sophisticated styling techniques bring an unparalleled sense of luxury. Volvo XC40, which originates from Nordic Sweden, naturally understands this. The vehicle adopts a straight waterfall-style chrome-plated front grille, which exudes a stylish atmosphere at all times.
The Thor's Hammer LED daytime running lights inspired by Norse mythology not only bring high recognition to Volvo XC40, but also give it an unparalleled sense of mystery.
In contrast, Audi, which is known as the "light factory" in the market, does not seem to have come up with anything real on this Q3. Matrix functions are even optional at a high price. The relatively mediocre shape has an anthropomorphic design, but the sense of technology does not meet my expectations.
The design of the Audi Q3 is very family-like. Whether it is the proportional lines of the body or the shape of the front face, we are very familiar with it. After all, for a brand like Audi that has experienced success in China, following the rules may be the safest way to do things, and the result is a lack of freshness.
From the perspective of body size, except for the body length, the Audi Q3 has certain advantages, and the other size parameters are smaller than those of the Audi Q3.Volvo XC40, and visually the Audi Q3 will be lower, while the Volvo XC40 has a more traditional SUV feel.
In terms of rims, the Audi Q3 uses 19-inch gun gray five-spoke rims. The size and shape are compared to the Volvo XC40's 20-inch Tomahawk rims. Also somewhat inferior.
Coming to the rear design, the style difference between the two cars is more obvious. The Audi Q3 has many rear design elements, whether it is the more exaggerated rear surround or the raised sheet metal lines, conveying a strong sense of sportiness; while the Volvo XC40 is obviously more refined and agile. Although the taillight group still has the characteristics of the family, it can It can be seen that the entire line will be softer and the integrity of the rear of the car will be better.
Part 2: Simple texture VS sporty temperament
In the interior, both cars also adopt family-style designs, but there are still many differences in overall style characteristics.
What impressed me most about the Volvo XC40’s interior was its restraint. First of all, it was the restraint of lines. Except for the slightly tilted vertical central control screen, other lines inside the vehicle were very regular, with horizontal and vertical interior lines. Using different materials to separate them gives a sense of regularity and neatness.
The division of each functional area in the interior is also relatively clear, and the exquisite chrome decoration is used as an embellishment, making the overall look simple and high-quality.
The same can be seen in the materials of the interior. You can see a variety of materials, but they all have unified attributes: environmental protection and health.
The interior of the Audi Q3 continues the design features of the exterior, with straight and angular lines. The center console is tilted toward the driver, and the tilt angle is more obvious than that of the Volvo XC40, highlighting its driver-centered interior style.
Because it is the top-of-the-line version, the interior quality of this Audi Q3 will be much better than that of the regular version. It is mainly made of brown suede material, and there are also exquisite white on the door panels and seats. Stitching, combined with suede and imitation carbon fiber trim, can provide a good sense of luxury and sportiness.
The Audi Q3 is also equipped with a full LCD instrument panel, but the UI design is indeed a bit old, the legibility is very good, and the sense of technology is somewhat lacking.
The Audi Q3 is equipped with a 10.1-inch central control screen. The entire screen is tilted towards the driver. At present, the functions that can be achieved by the car system are relatively traditional, such as maps, media playback, phone calls, etc., which can be downloaded There are not many apps. The vehicle is equipped with 4G network and is mainly used for online navigation. The overall experience is best when connected directly to CarPlay.
In fact, both cars support CarPlay connection, but the Audi Q3 has been upgraded to wireless CarPlay, which will be more convenient, but the connection will be unstable during use.situation, it is recommended to use a wired connection.
In terms of space performance, both vehicles are positioned as compact SUVs. The wheelbase of the Volvo XC40 is 2702mm, which is slightly longer than the 2680mm of the Audi Q3, but it depends on the actual performance. We asked an experiencer with a height of 175cm to actually experience the front and rear seating spaces of the two cars.
It can be seen that the Volvo XC40 has certain advantages in headroom and legroom in the rear row. The longer wheelbase and more regular roof lines give the XC40 better space performance.
In addition, the two cars shot today are both four-wheel drive models, so the center floor of the rear row has a certain bulge.
In terms of trunk space, the officially announced volumes of the two cars are similar. The XC40 is 452L, while the Audi Q3 is 450L. However, since the roof line of the XC40 has not declined, the overall trunk will be more organized.
2.0T has more style choices and active safety XC40
In terms of power, Volvo XC40 provides two 2.0T four-cylinder engines with different power adjustments, and both also incorporate a 48V hybrid system. What we got is the B4 model. Its 2.0T engine has a maximum power of 145kW and a peak torque of 300N·m; the official acceleration time from 100 kilometers is 7.6 seconds, and the WLTC comprehensive fuel consumption data is 7.05L/100km.
After experiencing the overall driving experience, the Volvo XC40 will be more stable to drive. It is neither urgent nor slow. The power reserve is sufficient when rapid acceleration is needed, and the gearbox also has a certain explosive power. However, daily driving still feels more leisurely.
Audi Q3 still provides consumers with three powertrains, namely four-cylinder 1.5T engineThe engine and high/low power adjustment are 2.0T engines, and the transmission system is matched with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox. The 2.0T high-power model obtained this time has a maximum power of 162kW, a peak torque of 350N·m, an official acceleration time of 100 kilometers per hour, 7.3 seconds, and a WLTC comprehensive fuel consumption data of 8L/100km. Acceleration will be slightly faster, but fuel consumption will increase by 0.95L/100km.
The overall driving experience of the Audi Q3 will be more violent than that of the Volvo XC40. The lighter weight of the car and the dual-clutch gearbox with sonorous and powerful shifts make the subjective feeling more sporty, but the steering feedback is insufficient, even in sports mode. The feedback from the mode steering is also relatively limited, and the feel is light.
In addition, we cannot ignore the advantages of Volvo XC40 in driving assistance functions. All XC40 series are equipped with a city safety system as standard, which can provide early warning of danger and assist or even actively intervene. While driving, the City Safety System can perform auxiliary braking, collision warning, and even system emergency braking.
When overtaking or deviating from lane markings, the vehicle will automatically activate the steering assist function or actively intervene in the steering, suddenly deviating from the road, and the road departure protection system will trigger the protection device. The equipped Pilot Assist navigation assistance system is also ahead of other models in the same class in terms of functions.
The performance of the Audi Q3 in terms of active and passive safety configuration is somewhat unsatisfactory. What we got is the Audi Q3It is the top model, but in terms of passive safety, it lacks knee airbags compared to the Volvo XC40, and in terms of active safety driving assistance functions, it lacks functions such as merging assist, lane centering, and rear collision warning, especially lane centering with ACC. Adaptive cruise can save a lot of energy in better road conditions.
Volvo's adaptive cruise function is also one of the easier to use among traditional luxury brands I have used. It is very convenient to turn on with one button and has excellent lane keeping capabilities.
Full text summary: Both are compact SUVs. We can see that the product ideas of Volvo and Audi are obviously different. The Audi Q3 is to a large extent a scaled-down version of the Q5, while the Volvo XC40 is compared to its bigger brother. He is more independent and has a more distinctive personality.
The Volvo XC40 from Northern Europe brings the simple beauty unique to Northern Europe, and this seemingly niche aesthetic is actually in line with the preferences of most people. At the same time, in emphasizing the relationship between people and the environment and the definition and understanding of comfortable and intelligent life, the performance of Volvo XC40 is also very commendable. Combined with the flexible driving experience and the 10,000 yuan car purchase subsidy, I think Volvo XC40 will More worth buying than the Audi Q3.
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