Toyota Prado vs Audi RS Q3

What's the difference?

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado GX showcases a massive improvement to the handling and styling of this popular 4WD. The base grade doesn't pretend it's anything other than entry-level but there is still enough charm and character here to satisfy a family long term. I also like the new technology.

So, has it been worth the wait? Yeah, I reckon it has but I hope we don’t have to wait another 15 years until we see something new!

The Audi RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 years is dynamically brilliant, beautifully finished and surprisingly civilised on day-to-day duty. A polished compact performance package that even in this special 'get-it-while-you-can' guise offers compelling value relative to its direct competitors.

When you compare the new Prado to its predecessor in terms of design it's chalk and cheese.

'Blocky' feels like an appropriate descriptor for its new shape but the retro elements help it avoid looking boxy. The car's LandCruiser roots are proudly showcased in the old-school style grille, triple LED headlights and narrowed body panelling. Gone are its softly curving wheel arches and rear-mounted spare wheel. It's a good looking 4WD.

If the outgoing model was considered the smaller child of the full-size LandCruiser 300 this is more like a teenage offspring.

Heading inside is a reminder that you're in a Toyota base grade as there are a lot of plasticky surfaces, including the steering wheel.

However, everything looks well built and there are no rattles. It helps that all the places you regularly lean on, like the middle console and armrests are soft to touch.

There is a military vibe going on with the design aesthetic and again, the word blocky comes to mind when you look at the almost vertical dashboard and chunky accent panels housing the climate control and air vents.

It looks a smidge basic at times but it's a pleasing cabin to spend any length of time in and that's commendable.

There's a lot going on with the RS Q3's exterior design; a mix of jagged lights, hard character lines, broad haunches and multiple vents surrounding the brand's signature, six-sided grille up front.

The big 21-inch rims fill the arches nicely and the rear features a deep diffuser with fat exhaust finishers poking out either side.

It's a purposeful, macho look and the Sportback edition 10 years is defined by a black package which adds gloss black to the side window trim, front spoiler blade, side blades, rear diffuser and exterior mirrors.

The limited edition is available in two colours, 'Chronos Grey metallic', which is unique to this model and 'Dew Silver matte' which will now be added to the broader RS Q3 colour palette.

Premium performance feels like the dominant theme inside with a typically Audi tech-focused approach including high-quality brushed metal elements, matt carbon inserts and quilted leather trim on the heavily bolstered front seats.

A meticulous attention to detail is obvious and the bottom line is it's all about the driver. A grippy, flat-bottom, leather-trimmed steering wheel looks as good as it feels, sleek screens enhance the racy vibe and the mix of physical and digital controls is sensible.

The cabin of the new Prado delivers simple practicality. As it's a base grade, you don't get luxurious features like heated seats but you do get a functional space which will work for lots of families. Whether it's the all-weather floor mats, ample head- and legroom or easy-to-use technology.

Each row enjoys lots of space and despite it appearing narrow inside, you don't jostle your neighbour's elbow. The tightly woven and speckled fabric upholstery looks more durable than the predecessors velour-like trim.

Seat comfort is excellent in both rows due to the thick padding and side bolsters. The manual front seats are easy to set to a comfy position and while they lack adjustable lumbar support you won't be fatigued on a long journey.

Amenities are decent for a base grade with each row enjoying a couple of cupholders, drink holders, USB-C ports and a single 12-volt socket.

The front gets a third USB-C port for media access and an HDMI port. There's a 220-volt domestic outlet in the boot for larger appliance charging. The front row gets dual-zone climate control.

Individual storage is what you'd expect with a glove box that can hold an owner's manual and some tissues, a large middle console and a dedicated phone cradle.

You miss out on any 'clever' storage, though, like a sunglasses holder, drivers' knee cubby or shelving in the dashboard.

In the rear the storage burden is shouldered by two seatback map pockets and small storage bins.

My eight-year old enjoyed the back seat and the low window sills afford him a great view. Access is easy due to the side steps and multiple grab handles. You might still be helping in young children, though.

The boot is the biggest change as the side-hinged door has been replaced by a top-hinged tailgate. This is far more practical for car parks and small garages but you now notice the lack of powered assistance. The rear lid isn't particularly heavy but can be cumbersome to open when you have your hands full.

The boot offers a large 954L storage capacity behind the second row, expanding to a generous 1895 litres with all seats folded. But the level loading space has been raised to accommodate the 48-volt battery. This just means you'll need more lifting power to get bigger items in and out.

The updated 12.3-inch multimedia display looks great and the touchscreen is super responsive. Worth noting it runs the Lexus operating system which means menus are logically laid out and it's easy to use.

The 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster offers plenty of customisations and the information is easy to read. The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are easy to connect to but you have built-in sat nav should you need it.

Snug but spacious enough, the RS Q3 Sportback's driver and front passenger are provided with plenty of breathing room without upsetting the intimate, performance car feel. Just be prepared for a bit of head-ducking physical origami when folding yourself into either of the heavily bolstered front seats.

Storage includes door bins with room for bottles, two generous cupholders in the centre console, a lidded tray in front of the gearshift (which doubles as the wireless device charging bay), a storage compartment and owners manual holder under the front seats, a modest glove box and an adjustable front centre armrest with storage compartment.

Given this car measures just over 4.5m end-to-end, a close to 2.7m wheelbase is significant  and rear room is generous given the Q3's overall footprint. Plenty of head and legroom (for me at 183cm) with enough width for three adults on short journeys. A trio of up to teenage kids will be fine.

The back seat is able to slide for extra legroom (and slightly less boot space), while backrest angle is also adjustable.

Storage runs to small bins in the doors, a fold-down centre armrest (with two pop-up cupholders) and storage nets on the back of the front seats. Directional and temperature control in the rear for the ventilation system is a big plus.

Power and connectivity options run to a 12V outlet and two USB sockets in the front (Type A and C), another two Type C sockets in the back and a second 12-volt jack in the boot.

Speaking of which, cargo volume with all seats up is a handy 530 litres, enough to swallow CarsGuide's three-piece luggage set or large pram (the latter with room to spare) and 1400 litres with the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat lowered.

The loading lip is low, a stainless steel sill protector helps minimise scuffs and scratches and the hands-free power tailgate is welcome.

If you're keen to hook up the boat or horse float the RS Q3 is able to tow a braked trailer up to 1900kg (750kg unbraked), but don't bother looking for a spare of any description, a repair/inflator kit is your only option. Boo...

The Audi RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 years is priced at $102,900, before on-road costs, which is a $3800 premium over the standard issue version.

For those extra dollars the car is upgraded with specific 21-inch black alloy rims, black badging and brake calipers as well as (three-stage heated) 'RS' Nappa leather-trimmed sports front seats with contrast 'Copper Honeycomb' stitching.

The fancy stitching extends to the Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel and gear lever, the RS floor mats also feature copper highlights and the door downlighting projects a unique rhombus design.

At that money the RS Q3 lines up against BMW's firecracker X3 M40i ($126,800), the ferocious Mercedes-AMG GLA45 S ($121,900) with the Jaguar E-Pace 300 Sport AWD ($84,500) the only other similarly pitched compact performance SUV within $20K of the Audi.

And as well as the performance and safety tech covered later in the review, the RS Q3's standard features list includes, three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start, Nappa leather trim, ambient lighting (with 30 colour choices), an RS sport contour leather-trimmed steering wheel, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.1-inch multimedia display (with text and voice control), (wired) Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, sat nav and wireless device charging.

There's also a Bang & Olufsen '3D Sound System' (15-speaker with 680-watt, 16-channel amp), digital radio, 21-inch alloys, electronically-controlled adaptive dampers, auto Matrix LED headlights (with RS-specific darkened trim) and a hands-free power tailgate. And it's worth noting metallic and pearl effect paint finishes are offered at no extra cost.

Pretty impressive. Especially when you consider even this special edition RS Q3 is $20,000 cheaper than its primary BMW and Merc-AMG rivals.

All new Prado grades share the same four-wheel drive set-up as the previous model but features a more efficient version of its 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The efficiency gain comes courtesy of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that assists with acceleration.

The engine produces up to 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque and that now supports a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity!

The new Prado has high- and low-range gearing, a rear diff lock and three different drive modes to suit most off-road occasions. All in all, it still has all of the capability you love and expect from a Prado.

The RS Q3 Sportback is powered by a 2.5-litre in-line five-cylinder intercooled turbo-petrol engine sending drive to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Audi's quattro permanent all-wheel drive system based on an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch pack.

Featuring a cast iron block, alloy head, direct-injection as well as variable intake and exhaust cam adjustment, the (EA855) engine features a special firing order (1-2-4-5-3), the odd number of cylinders producing a signature engine sound and exhaust note reminiscent of the 1980s 'Ur' Quattro.

Peak power is 294kW from 5850-7000rpm and maximum torque is 480Nm delivered across a broad plateau from 1950-5850rpm.

For such a large SUV, the Prado has a low combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption figure of 7.6L/100km and based on its 110-litre tank, theoretical driving range is around 1450km. Which is great for a family car, especially one you can take off-road and do big trips in.

After doing one longer road trip and lots of urban diving my average popped out at 8.5L/100km. Which is pretty darn good for a big SUV and equates to real-world range of close to 1300km.

Audi's official fuel economy number for the RS Q3 on the combined cycle is 8.9L/100km, the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-cylinder engine emitting 204g/km of CO2 in the process. Stop-start is standard.

We covered city, suburban and some freeway running on test, returning an (indicated) average of 9.6L/100km. And that's pretty good, given we pushed on enthusiastically on a reasonably regular basis.

The fuel tank requires 63 litres of 98 RON premium unleaded to fill it which translates to a theoretical range of just over 700km, shrinking to around 650km based on our real-world number.

I was just in the Prado’s luxury Lexus GX 550 cousin, which takes the crown for the smoothest 4WD I’ve driven lately but the GX is managing to nip at its coat tails because it has lost the truckiness of its predecessor.

The turbo-diesel engine manages to rumble nicely without any shudders to the frame. Power is delivered without fuss and there is a deep well of performance to dip into when you need it.

The steering is far more responsive than the predecessor's but doesn’t feel heavy or stiff, which I like. Coupled with its narrow frame and 12m turning circle, it’s an easy SUV to drive in the city.

The transmission feels more willing and shifts through its gears smoothly. The suspension is not as soft as it used to be but I like road feedback as a driver and you never wince when you go over a bump. So I wouldn't call it too stiff, either.

There is a bit of cabin noise from the engine and road at higher speeds but it’s very quiet around town. Even when seated in the back, you’re not jostled in corners and I’m surprised by how well it corners as there's not much roll.

Visibility is excellent with the wide windows and high seating position. None of the pillars get in the way from my driving position, either.

The Prado is stupidly easy to park with a very clear 360-degree view camera system, as well as front and rear parking sensors. It’s pretty easy to get a sense of where the car starts and ends which is handy in a small car park.

It still seems counterintuitive when a high-riding SUV is tuned to perform and handle like a low-slung sports car but here we are. And Audi executes this mystifying transformation as expertly as any carmaker in the automotive world.

Audi says the RS Q3 Sportback will blast from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Anything under 5.0 seconds is properly fast, and there's nothing quite like the deep-throated bellow of a VW Group in-line five to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

The RS Q3's sport exhaust system is a dual-branch set-up with exhaust flap control, and people of a certain age will instantly imagine themselves matching it with Ari Vatanen, Walter Röhrl and Michèle Mouton on a suburban special stage behind the wheel of a 1980s Group B Sport Quattro rally car (actually, the school drop off at an infinitely more sensible pace).

The car weighs in at a not insubstantial 1775kg, but 480Nm, available all the way from 1950rpm to 5850rpm, means a near instant surge of fierce acceleration is always lurking under your right foot.

And the VW Group is on the pace when it comes to dual-clutch auto transmissions, from Porsche's 'PDK' and VW's 'DSG' to Lambo's 'DCT' and Audi's 'S tronic'.

The RS Q3's seven-speed unit is quick and positive, the wheel-mounted paddles ramping up the engagement factor.

The variable ratio, electrically-assisted steering is capital G Great. Well weighted and precise with reassuring road feel and the Alcantara trimmed wheel is a nice way to access it all.

Suspension is by struts at the front and multi-links (four) at the rear with adaptive dampers on-board.

Despite running on 21-inch rims, shod with high-performance 255/35 Continental PremiumContact 6 rubber, ride comfort is surprisingly good.

Dial in 'Comfort' mode via the 'Drive Select' system and the impact of even substantial bumps is softened off appreciably.

An ideal set-up would be the first 'RS1' short-cut Drive Select button set for Comfort suspension, with throttle, steering and transmission set to maximum attack and the second 'RS2' mode tweaking the suspension to track-day level, too.

Push on through your favourite set of bends and you can feel the electronic wheel-selective torque control system keeping everything under control. This car puts its power down through sweeping sections with fuss-free authority.

The RS-specific menu in the digital instrument cluster provides extra instrumentation in the shape of a power/torque display, G meter and lap timer. Fun!

The brakes are professional grade with big ventilated rotors all around and aluminium fixed calipers at the front.

But beware, the flip side of the RS Q3's quick steering response is a sizeable 11.8m turning circle. Take your time when parking.

Although the Audi Q3 received a maximum five-star ANCAP score in 2019, the RS Q3 was specifically excluded from the assessment, so it's officially untested.

But the car boasts an extensive active (crash-avoidance) safety suite including, auto emergency braking (AEB) (5.0km/h to 85km/h for pedestrians and cyclists and up to 250km/h for vehicles), adaptive cruise control (with stop-go function and active lane assist), lane change warning and lane departure warning (with lane keeping assist).

There's also 'Attention Assist' (warning tone and visual signal if the system determines the driver's attention may be lapsing), front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera with 360-degree view, rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring, 'Hill hold assist' and hill descent control.

If, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable there are six airbags on-board (front and side for the driver and front passenger as well as full-length curtains). The RS Q3's showing its (10-year) age here because additional rear side and front centre bags are close to the norm now.

Nice to see a first aid kit and warning triangle included and there are three top tethers and two ISOFIX anchor points for securing baby capsules and child seats across the second row.

Toyota offers the new Prado with a five-year unlimited km warranty which is pretty basic nowadays but you can extend it up to seven years if you schedule on time and through a Toyota service centre, which is more competitive.

There is a five-year capped price servicing program for $390 a pop which is great but service intervals are annoyingly spaced at every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first. This won't be the best selling point for some.

Audi Australia covers all the models it sells with a five-year/unlimited km warranty with 24-hour roadside assistance included for the duration. Pretty much cost-of-entry in this part of the market.

Paintwork defects are also covered for five years, and the body is warranted against corrosion (to the point of perforation) for no less than 12 years. Nice.

Service intervals are 12 months/15,000km and capped-price servicing is available, a five-year/75,000km plan for the RS Q3 costing $3580, an annual average of $770. Fairly steep.

An 'Audi Advantage' package is also available, adding an extra two years' worth of warranty, scheduled servicing and roadside assistance (to the end of any existing term) for $3800.