The news about the Q Junior has already broken, but now a new report suggests that the tiniest of the Audi->ke14 SUVs->ke145 will debut as early as 2019.
This report comes from Car Magazine who had a sit-down with a senior official within the company. In this interview, the magazine somehow came to the conclusion that the A1-based->ke1729 crossover->ke288 will hit the market by 2019, but it didn’t point to a direct quote from the official regarding this.
It did, however, learn that Audi->ke14 isn’t necessarily sold on the out-of-the-norm name. In true Audi fashion, this small SUV should carry the Q1->ke2718 name, but Audi has to name its next small SUV -- due in 2016 -- the Q1 because Fiat->ke30 owns the Q2 name. This leaves Audi no real choice but to go out of the normal pattern for this lifted, all-wheel-drive hatchback,->ke304 and the Q Junior seems the best route for now.
With all of these SUVs, how will Audi ever differentiate them? The report claims that the Q Junior will have a sportier, two-door-coupe ->ke141crossover design, making it more desirable to younger buyers. Also up the alley of the younger buyer is a base price that could start as low as €20,000 ($22,584 as of 2015).
Look for this new model to take on the likes of the GLA-Class->ke4658 and the BMW X1->ke2474 once it hits the market. Its U.S. availability remains unknown, but keep in mind that we do not have the A1 here in the States, which could mean the platform just won’t work here.
Continue reading for the full story.
Why it matters
The small and cheap luxury crossover realm is the next big thing in the world of new cars. There are hordes of buyers are craving premium brands, but they don’t want to buy tiny cars like the A1 or the BMW 1 Series.->ke313 This is where these crossovers thrive. They give buyers the roominess and brand image they crave, while delivering profits to the automaker because they are cheap to build. It’s a win-win, and Audi needs to hop on this train before it leaves the station.
2016 Audi Q1
Read our full review here.