[darkpython9]

Just picked up a Q3 sportback, will give a detailed review and observation soon.

[darkpython9]

So, what started off as the hunt for a severely discounted Hilux ended up with me getting a Q3 SB. This is going to be a short story because most of the pros and cons have already been discussed on here already.

Why the Hilux was rejected:

My family was not at all happy with the idea of getting another off roader in the house ( we already own the 3 door Thar). And we're completely against the idea of having a pickup truck. So My dreams of owning a Hilux got pushed into the future.

Finalizing the Q3 SB:

My family was okay with pushing the budget from the Hilux to entry level premium cars. Given the few options we have i.e GLA, X1, Q3.
I came across a demo Q3 SB, this one is a CBU. Given how less driven and the very new condition the car was in, I was okay with a demo car. Keep in mind the extremely good discount I was getting.

Now, I've already done more than 2000kms in the Q3 SB and I have used multiple premium vehicles prior to this, butthis is the first Audi in the house. And boy do I love this car, It obviously does not have the driving dynamics of the X4 30d nor does it have the road presence or interior space or mighty pull as the Gle 400d. But what the Q3 SB does really well is balancing everything perfectly.

The new Q3 is essentially a fatter beefed up GTI, everything used in the car is very well put together. And personally I love the tactical feedback of all the buttons over the Merc/BMW.

The 2.0 TFSI engine should have come with 230bhp or 245bhp, but unfortunately it got only 190bhp in India. While 190bhp is quite sufficient for our roads, knowing the fact that there is a stock tune with more power is what pesters me a little. I am looking into getting the stock tune for 230 or 245 bhp.

I know this was a very abrupt and somewhat poorly written story, but sorry guys I don't have much free time nowadays. Feel free to reach out if you have any queries.

Adding some clicks of the Qtie(I named the Q3 cutie) SB:

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by darkpython9

The 2.0 TFSI engine should have come with 230bhp or 245bhp, but unfortunately it got only 190bhp in India. While 190bhp is quite sufficient for our roads, knowing the fact that there is a stock tune with more power is what pesters me a little. I am looking into getting the stock tune for 230 or 245 bhp.

Congratulations on the purchase, the deal must be mouthwatering. Lovely colour and the silver RS'que accents complement the look further. Just wish it came with better looking 19" rims and fatter rubber.

So coming to the engine tune, this 190 hp tune on the 2.0 TSI code named EA888 Gen 3B, is a different engine than perhaps the 2.0 TSI found in the Q5 / A6 / Octavia RS and the likes. Although the same block, there are mechanical changes at the crank level and different turbo chargers yielding higher power outputs. You can any how tune it to Stage 1 with any nice brand such as Revo, APR, Code6, etc and power will be bumped to 220 HP and 370 NM. If you feel the car is lethargic, then you should look for a gearbox tune from TVS Engineering. They have unique tunes for DQ381 boxes and it will transform the drive right from the get go in comfort mode as well. The engine is mounted transversely and hence you know this is the same identical powertrain which is being plonked in the current Tiguan and Kodiaq on sale in India. Even the engine covers are identical with no branding. If you notice in the A4, the engine is mounted longitudinally and makes a slight bit of more power and comes coupled with 48v mild hybrid tech.

[Qodiak524]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

So coming to the engine tune, this 190 hp tune on the 2.0 TSI code named EA888 Gen 3B, is a different engine than perhaps the 2.0 TSI found in the Q5 / A6 / Octavia RS and the likes. Although the same block, there are mechanical changes at the crank level and different turbo chargers yielding higher power outputs. You can any how tune it to Stage 1 with any nice brand such as Revo, APR, Code6, etc and power will be bumped to 220 HP and 370 NM. If you feel the car is lethargic, then you should look for a gearbox tune from TVS Engineering. They have unique tunes for DQ381 boxes and it will transform the drive right from the get go in comfort mode as well. The engine is mounted transversely and hence you know this is the same identical powertrain which is being plonked in the current Tiguan and Kodiaq on sale in India. Even the engine covers are identical with no branding. If you notice in the A4, the engine is mounted longitudinally and makes a slight bit of more power and comes coupled with 48v mild hybrid tech.

This is probably the Gen4 engine with the engine code DNNA. Can be confirmed if this doesn't have the MAF sensor on the intake. The Gen3B has MAF. This has much higher compression ratio than the 245ps version. I do not think there is a tune for this engine yet. At least not from the big names internationally.

[sh3lby]

First of all absolutely sexy choice of color (turbo blue) and brilliant pics. Love how the car looks in this setting. I'm also planning to get our car tuned in the near future.

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

So coming to the engine tune, this 190 hp tune on the 2.0 TSI code named EA888 Gen 3B, is a different engine than perhaps the 2.0 TSI found in the Q5 / A6 / Octavia RS and the likes. Although the same block, there are mechanical changes at the crank level and different turbo chargers yielding higher power outputs.

This is true but the fact is that the international variants of the Q3 are mechanically identical to that sold in India. Thr Q5 has a longitudinal arangement + it's different. But the Q3 has the same setup. Just a matter of tune.

Originally Posted by Qodiak524

I do not think there is a tune for this engine yet. At least not from the big names internationally.

There are tunes from APR and RacingLine available for this EA888 Gen3B engine afaik, are you sure? I went on their website and tunes were available.

[Qodiak524]

Originally Posted by sh3lby

This is true but the fact is that the international variants of the Q3 are mechanically identical to that sold in India. Thr Q5 has a longitudinal arangement + it's different. But the Q3 has the same setup. Just a matter of tune.
There are tunes from APR and RacingLine available for this EA888 Gen3B engine afaik, are you sure? I went on their website and tunes were available.

It is not just the tune that is different in the 190ps version of the EA888 engine and the 245 PS version. The 245 PS version runs a lower compression where as the 190PS one is a higher compression engine. The 245PS one is more tuner friendly.

The Gen 3B engines does have tunes as you mentioned. I mentioned no tunes because this looks more like a Gen4 engine to me. I checked the picture of the engine bay of your car on your thread and in all probability, that looks like a Gen4 engine. The Gen 3B has a MAF sensor on the intake, where as your engine bay picture does not show a MAF sensor. You may further verify this by checking the engine code. If it is DNNA, this is the latest Gen4 engine and no tunes available yet. Only the 190PS version of Gen4 has this problem. The higher power output Gen4 versons already has tunes available. You may do a scan using obdeleven and verify whether its DNNA or not.

[sh3lby]

Originally Posted by Qodiak524

It is not just the tune that is different in the 190ps version of the EA888 engine and the 245 PS version. The 245 PS version runs a lower compression where as the 190PS one is a higher compression engine. The 245PS one is more tuner friendly.

The Gen 3B engines does have tunes as you mentioned. I mentioned no tunes because this looks more like a Gen4 engine to me. The Gen 3B has a MAF sensor on the intake, where as your engine bay picture does not show a MAF sensor. You may further verify this by checking the engine code. If it is DNNA, this is the latest Gen4 engine and no tunes available yet. Only the 190PS version of Gen4 has this problem. You may do a scan using obdeleven and verify whether its DNNA or not.

Alright thanks. Couple of questions:

There's a 230 PS version of the Q3 as well, is it in the same basket as the 245 PS one?

And YT says these are the ways I can check my engine code (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywMeFGLEyk8

), this is what you're referring to, right?

I don't have the OBDeleven tool so I guess I should check it in the way I described above and get back to you.

Also, what does 'DNNA' and 'DMSA' mean? Could you explain the gist of it?

Thanks again.

[Qodiak524]

Originally Posted by sh3lby

Alright thanks. Couple of questions:
There's a 230 PS version of the Q3 as well, is it in the same basket as the 245 PS one?
And YT says these are the ways I can check my engine code
I don't have the OBDeleven tool so I guess I should check it in the way I described above and get back to you.
Also, what does 'DNNA' and 'DMSA' mean? Could you explain the gist of it?
Thanks again.

Yes. You should be able to identify your engine code using those steps. A VIN lookup from available websites may also give you the same result. Websites would charge you for the same.

The 230 PS version seems to have the engine code DKTA. So, there seems to be something different in that as well, considering yours is DNNA. I am not an expert in this. So, please do not take my word for it. I have been doing some reading about this as I am also in the same boat. (Kodiaq DNNA)

My understanding is that that the engine code is just a nomenclature for identifying their engines. DMSA is a 2 litre 203PS engine.
From the service manual,
“The first 3 digits denote the mechanical design of the engine and are stamped on the engine. The fourth digit shows the engine output and torque and varies according to engine control unit. The four-digit engine code can be found on the identification plate. It can also be read from the engine control unit.”

Further, there seems to be an EA888 190PS engine with the engine code DKTC. The 230PS engine you mentioned seems to have the engine code DKTA. Since, both have the initial 3 same, in this case, it could just be a difference in tuning. I am not able to find any clear documentation in this case as there is not much information out there. So, just speculation at this point.

But all this does not apply if yours is DNNA. We have to wait for a tune. Once a tune is out, stage 1 would take it to around the same figures as the Gen3B.

Engine details from the VW manual.

[dinu2506]

Couple of queries. I took delivery of the Audi Q3 Premium few weeks back. Came with a full tank of petrol and now will be going for my first fill. The fuel lid sticker inside says 95 RON minimum. My query is,

1) Whether this is needed, or can we go ahead with the normal 91 RON. Don't want to run around searching for XP95 and similar each time. Feedback from users would be really helpful.
2) Other query is regarding fuel efficiency. Being a long term A4 diesel user, I'm used to pretty high fuel efficiency but this (at least in the readout) barely manages 7 or max 8 in normal city drives. Is this what I can expect or would it improve over time?

[acedriver_9000]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Couple of queries. I took delivery of the Audi Q3 Premium few weeks back. Came with a full tank of petrol and now will be going for my first fill. The fuel lid sticker inside says 95 RON minimum. My query is,

1) Whether this is needed, or can we go ahead with the normal 91 RON. Don't want to run around searching for XP95 and similar each time. Feedback from users would be really helpful.
2) Other query is regarding fuel efficiency. Being a long term A4 diesel user, I'm used to pretty high fuel efficiency but this (at least in the readout) barely manages 7 or max 8 in normal city drives. Is this what I can expect or would it improve over time?

1)You should be fine with regular petrol. But using 95RON may give slightly better fuel efficiency and better performance. You can use as per the availability. Modern cars are equipped with anti-knock sensors, which reduce the engine performance slightly so as to not cause any problems when using regular petrol.

Actually these cars have high compression engines, and they require high octane petrol, but anti-knock sensors make it a non-issue even if you don't use it.

2)Main reason for lower fuel efficiency is ethanol blending in normal petrol. Thats happening across all petrol cars in India.

[sh3lby]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

1) Whether this is needed, or can we go ahead with the normal 91 RON. Don't want to run around searching for XP95 and similar each time. Feedback from users would be really helpful.
2) Other query is regarding fuel efficiency. Being a long term A4 diesel user, I'm used to pretty high fuel efficiency but this (at least in the readout) barely manages 7 or max 8 in normal city drives. Is this what I can expect or would it improve over time?

1. 91 RON should be fine although there IS a noticeable difference in power and refinement with XP95. It's not drastic but still noticeable.

2. Yes we've noticed this too. Although I think you can expect 10-11 for the city and 13-15 for cruising. Haven't gone much above 15 yet though.

[vishy76]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Couple of queries. I took delivery of the Audi Q3 Premium few weeks back. Came with a full tank of petrol and now will be going for my first fill. The fuel lid sticker inside says 95 RON minimum. My query is,

1) Whether this is needed, or can we go ahead with the normal 91 RON. Don't want to run around searching for XP95 and similar each time. Feedback from users would be really helpful.
2) Other query is regarding fuel efficiency. Being a long term A4 diesel user, I'm used to pretty high fuel efficiency but this (at least in the readout) barely manages 7 or max 8 in normal city drives. Is this what I can expect or would it improve over time?

1) Conflicting opinion, but please stick to 95 RON or above. Simple reason for this being the fact that VW AG ASCs have now started checking petrol quality in case of any engine or fuel system related warranty claims. This has been widely reported on Tiguan owner groups and knowing VW, I am sure it's true as well. Unless there is written evidence saying the ASC folks were fine with 91 RON, please try and fill in 95 RON or higher as far as possible.

2) The 2.0 TDI was in a different league when it came to fuel efficiency, even when compared to its diesel competition. The TFSI despite being a high compression ratio engine won't be able to keep up or come anywhere near that. Although I have been told that the Gen 4 EA888 (Found in Tiguans/Kodiaqs/Q3s from September, 2023 or thereabouts) is a lot better in this regard. 8-9 km/L in city traffic should be doable and it should go upto 14-15 km/L max on highways. Anything more is a bonus IMO

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by sh3lby

2. Yes we've noticed this too. Although I think you can expect 10-11 for the city and 13-15 for cruising. Haven't gone much above 15 yet though.

10-11 for what kind of daily running in your case? My daily drive is 10 km both ways (5+5) and I have max gotten 7kmpl that too after getting fuel from a COCO pump. Do too short daily runs spoil the car somewhat? In my initial days, when I drove for slightly longer runs on highways in the city (WE highway in Mumbai) for say about 30-40 km, I would see shockingly high figures of 17-18 kmpl. But that stopped after the first 4-5 months. Not sure what caused that, did the quality of fuel took toll on the nice German (or Hungary) built CBU I have? On inter city runs which I did around 1 year of ownership, the max I have seen is 13ish.

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Couple of queries. I took delivery of the Audi Q3 Premium few weeks back. Came with a full tank of petrol and now will be going for my first fill. The fuel lid sticker inside says 95 RON minimum. My query is,

1) Whether this is needed, or can we go ahead with the normal 91 RON. Don't want to run around searching for XP95 and similar each time. Feedback from users would be really helpful.
2) Other query is regarding fuel efficiency. Being a long term A4 diesel user, I'm used to pretty high fuel efficiency but this (at least in the readout) barely manages 7 or max 8 in normal city drives. Is this what I can expect or would it improve over time?

I was told by SA at the time of delivery that normal petrol is absolutely fine. I insisted on speaking with the service folks and they reiterated the same. After early days, I switched to RON95 as it is not that expensive and there is a slight improvement in pickup for hard pedal presses (though which are mostly rare in my daily drive given Mumbai traffic!).

Separately, curious to hear from new owners if their cars are E20 compliant or what have they been told by Audi on the same topic, if someone asked about it?

[sh3lby]

Originally Posted by Lux_Noob

10-11 for what kind of daily running in your case? My daily drive is 10 km both ways (5+5) and I have max gotten 7kmpl that too after getting fuel from a COCO pump. Do too short daily runs spoil the car somewhat? In my initial days, when I drove for slightly longer runs on highways in the city (WE highway in Mumbai) for say about 30-40 km, I would see shockingly high figures of 17-18 kmpl. But that stopped after the first 4-5 months. Not sure what caused that, did the quality of fuel took toll on the nice German (or Hungary) built CBU I have? On inter city runs which I did around 1 year of ownership, the max I have seen is 13ish.

10-11 for 30 km both ways (15+15) so longer runs could be a reason for better figures.
Short daily runs do degrade longevity but not to such an extent so early into the life of the car that FE will start getting affected (I think.)
17-18 is impressive, I don't recall getting such high kmpl values personally.
Not an expert but I doubt it's anything to do with your car being a CBU since the engine of the CKD cars are also built in Germany/Hungary only.

Originally Posted by Lux_Noob

I was told by SA at the time of delivery that normal petrol is absolutely fine. I insisted on speaking with the service folks and they reiterated the same. After early days, I switched to RON95 as it is not that expensive and there is a slight improvement in pickup for hard pedal presses (though which are mostly rare in my daily drive given Mumbai traffic!).

I was told the same by my SA. But now we use RON95 for the same reason.

Separately, curious to hear from new owners if their cars are E20 compliant or what have they been told by Audi on the same topic, if someone asked about it?

Same doubt. I don't think it is E20 compliant. However different sources say diff. things. Would like to know myself.