2016 Audi RS Q3

‘GU16 OTR’ came to the UK via the car-friendly nation of Japan, a country that pampers its cars like no other. Of course, the lack of road salt helps, but there’s no getting away from the fact that cars from Japan are invariably in a better condition that their UK counterparts.

And this Turbo Blue Audi RS Q3 from 2016 is no exception. Still showing just 41,000 miles on the odometer, if we were to tell you this is a three-year-old example, we think you’d believe us.

Which might make for a shorter-than-average advert, but then that’s exactly what you want to read when you’re thinking of buying one of the fastest SUVs of its generation.
 

The Turbo Blue coachwork is pretty much unmarked. Peer closely enough and you might find the odd stonechip on that bluff front, but you’ll search in vain for dents, scratches, or ripples.

The panels are also so closely and evenly aligned that the shutlines look like they’ve been drawn in with a Sharpie.

The paintwork still has an unholy shine to it too, and the lamp lenses and badges are every bit as good as you could hope for.

The tinted windows add a touch of gangsta, a presence the 20-inch black-and-silver alloy wheels don’t harm. The tyres are all are 255/35ZR20 Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2, which might be a bit of a mouthful, but they do offer plenty of tread depth by way of compensation.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The sliding panoramic roof offers nigh-on convertible levels of fresh air, while requiring no more effort to open than pressing a button. It slides fore and aft smoothly too, and seals very well.

Helping keep the cabin calm and dry are a set of rain and wind deflectors on all four side windows. The sunroof’s got a pop-up deflector too, making it five for five on the glass openings.

The silver mirror casings mark this out as one of Audi’s RS models, but the over-sized exhaust tailpipe is the only view most drivers will see – and by then it’ll be too late.

As for flaws, the rims show a few light nibbles to their perimeter, but they aren’t at all bad and refurbishing them could be put on the backburner for a while yet.

There is also a small chip on the trailing edge of the driver’s door where it’s clipped something, and another, even smaller, chip on the rear bumper near the boot opening. 
 

The black quilted leather interior with its contrasting white stitching is a masterclass of design and, being an Audi, it eschews materials like chrome and walnut veneer in favour of carbon fibre and brushed alloy.

There’s a small but fat-rimmed and leather-covered steering wheel too, plus alloy pedals and one of the nicest gear shifters in the business – and that’s in addition to a pair of flappy paddles and some of the most comprehensive instrumentation in its class.

The result is a cabin that’s as comfortable as it is easy on the eye.

Easy to live with too, and very hardwearing; there really aren’t many cars that’ll shrug off family life as easily as this while still offering up F1-style fun when the driver’s is on their lonesome and in the mood for fun.

And fun there is to be had, that’s for sure because the RS Q3 offers a variety of engine and chassis settings, which means you can amble about in Comfort when you’re doing the school run and yet go full-bore hooligan in Dynamic when you’re on a dawn run.

Or you could just leave it in Auto and let the car do the thinking for you. (And this is a very clever car; the RS Q3 raised the average IQ in our office a full 20 points, even with the ignition off.)

The rev counter’s redline starts at almost 7,000rp and the speedo runs out of numbers at 190mph; the car might ‘only’ have a top speed of 155mph but that’s artificially limited and we’re sure there are folk out there who could help with that…

There’s a full suite of Bose speakers too, which’ll come in handy in the unlikely event that you prefer to listen to music rather than the five-cylinder turbocharged engine’s offbeat rumble.

Labour-saving goodies include automatic LED headlights, cruise control, automatic handbrake release, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, motorised tailgate closing, keyless entry, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, and dual-zone climate control.

The front seats are heated and electrically adjustable, and you can even adjust the under-thigh support they provide.

The rear seats not only slide and tilt, they also offer split-folding too, allowing you to balance the competing demands of passenger and luggage space depending on your needs that day.

Speaking of which, the luggage compartment is both vast and impressively presented. Large enough to swallow a weekly shop or a fortnight’s luggage with the seats up, fold them down and it could probably accommodate a coffin.

We said it has a touch of the gangsta about it…

As for its condition, the elasticated pockets on the back of the front seats are still taut, the seats are free of creasing, the carpets are plush, the headlining is clean, and the tool kit doesn’t look like it’s ever been used.

No flaws per se but there are some apparently unused electronics in the windscreen. We don’t know what they are, but it could be wiring for a dashcam and/or an electronic toll pass or the like.

That’s it though. That’s the extent of your worries.
 

The Audi’s service history booklet records the following work as having been undertaken in Japan:

•    9,961 kms – service by Audi Shibaura
•    22,626 kms – service by Audi Shinagawa
•    34,154 kms – service by Audi Shinagawa
•    40,209 kms – service by Audi Shibaura

In the UK, it received a service on the 2nd of June 2025 at 41,836 miles by Worthing Audi.

As you’d expect of such a well-engineered and recent car, the five-cylinder engine fires into life without issue, idles solidly, and revs with that distinctive warble from the large-bore exhaust we first heard back in the Group B era.

The seller tells us that it is “very rapid and drives like a dream!” We doubt he’s exaggerating.

The engine bay is decently clean, and the underside sports nothing more than the odd rusty fastener courtesy of its salt-free lifestyle.
 

The Audi’s MoT certificate is valid until March 2026, and having read this far, the fact it passed with no advisories probably won’t come as too much of a surprise.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for being an imported car.

It also comes with two key fobs, the Audi wallet and book pack, the export certificate, and the service history booklet and associated paperwork from its time in Japan.

The latter is a real bonus as any paperwork that comes with the car is generally destroyed when it’s exported; the Japanese take their GDPR obligations as seriously as they do their cars’ maintenance. 
 

No, it’s not a classic yet – and the jury’s still out as to whether it ever will be.

But, if you’re in the market for a stonkingly quick uber-SUV that’ll devour country lanes, city traffic, and autobahns with equal aplomb, then we’ve got you covered.

Our estimate is that it’ll sell for between £17,000 and £22,000, and we doubt it’s possible to buy this much speed, safety, and reliability for any less.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.