Models · Audi
Audi RS Q3 8U buying guide
The first RS Q3, sold from 2013 to 2018 with the 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder turbo, quattro and a 7-speed S tronic. Power rose with the 2015 facelift and again with the RS Q3 performance.
The versions
- 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder turbo petrol, 310PS at launch
- 340PS from the 2015 facelift
- RS Q3 performance from 2016, 367PS
- 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic only
- quattro four-wheel drive using a Haldex coupling at the rear axle
What to check on a 8U RS Q3
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
S tronic behaviour and its oil service
What to look for: Do plenty of slow manoeuvring: gentle pull-aways, creeping, reversing and a hill start. Take-up should be smooth and changes between the low gears unnoticeable. Look for an invoice naming the gearbox oil and filter, around every 40,000 miles.
Why it matters: The S tronic runs its clutches in oil, and erratic or delayed shifts, failure to engage a gear or limp mode point at the mechatronic unit or worn clutches. Missed oil changes speed up clutch wear, so the service record matters on a car with this much torque.
Haldex service
What to look for: Look for an invoice naming the Haldex oil and filter, roughly every three years or 38,000 miles. In a car park, turn on full lock slowly and feel for binding or a shunt.
Why it matters: quattro on the Q3 8U range, the RS Q3 included, uses a Haldex clutch pack with its own oil and filter. The service is commonly missed, and a neglected unit can fail. A record of it is a sign of a car that's been looked after.
Rough idle or misfires
What to look for: With the engine warm, let it idle and feel for roughness or a regular stumble. On the drive, note any hesitation at low revs or an engine warning light. Ask whether the inlet valves have ever been cleaned.
Why it matters: This version of the 2.5 TFSI injects fuel directly into the cylinders, so nothing washes the inlet valves and carbon builds up on them. That shows as a rough idle, misfires and lost power, and is cleaned off by walnut blasting. The later evo engine in the next RS Q3 added port injection as well.
Also in the full guide
- Knocks from the front suspension
- The parking brake and brake lights
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 8U RS Q3
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Audi.