The idea of a small premium crossover like the new 2012 Audi Q3, while certainly not lost on North Americans, does seem to face both corporate and public resistance Stateside. The frequent customer logic goes something like, "It's small and expensive, so why wouldn't I just buy the bigger Q5 or maybe an A4?" Hence most of the reason why Audi North America hesitates on bringing the Q3 over to us.
This sporty, tall sort-of-A3 is considered an "A-SUV" in Europe, belonging to the smallest A-segment of the market there. Built at the underutilized yet state-of-the-art Seat factory in Martorell, Spain, on a spanking new production line, Audi projects annual sales in a full year of 100,000 units. Chief stated competition for the Q3 includes the BMW X1, Land Rover Evoque and the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz BLK currently in prototype testing.
