by "Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
Published 04/12/2017 at 13:16
by "Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
Published 04/12/2017 at 13:16
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STARS: 0
The posts about the Toyota FT-4X got me looking at its platform-mate, the Toyota C-HR. This
WHATCAR? review of the C-HR
mentions the
Audi Q2
. I was like, “wait, what, there’s an Audi Q2?” So I looked at the Q2, and I kind of hate it. Or rather, there’s one specific part of it that drives me bonkers.
As the name suggests, the Q2 is a mini crossover that’s smaller than the already-small Q3. At 165” long, 70.6” wide and 59.4” tall it’s a few inches smaller than a Buick Encore, Chevy Trax, Fiat 500X, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Mazda CX-3, Mini Countryman, Subaru Crosstrek, and Toyota C-HR.
It is a few inches bigger than the Nissan Juke and old Mini Countryman. Its closest competitors are the Renault Captur and DS 4 Crossback .
Anyway, whatever, it’s yet another mini crossover and on the small end of the size spectrum for the segment. That’s fine. Generally I don’t mind mini crossovers, as long as you can fit normal adults in the back seat (here’s looking at you, Mazda CX-3, and your entirely worthless back seat). Why do I hate the Q2 then? Let me explain.
This is what the side/rear of the Q2 looks like:
You might notice that those aren’t quarter windows, they’re big, thick, blacked-out C-pillars. That’s a little odd, but I understand the choice to black them out, and it flows with the overall lines of the car.
But that’s not the only way these panels can be spec’d out. Oh no, on most trims, they come in brushed aluminum that may or may not actually be brushed aluminum. In the ideally-lit and processed press photos, this looks garish to me, if not completely terrible.
But in real-world photos, oh my sweet lord do I hate these panels so, so much.
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This shit drives my OCD completely up the wall! I feel itchy just looking at them. They are complete and utter garbage. Especially that second, presumably lower-spec picture with all the black plastic cladding, which is another abomination upon automotive styling.
Sorry Audi, but you’re officially on my shit list for this nonsense. I know this is something about which you care immensely.
UPDATE: I did some further investigating. According to the Audi UK site, there are five different C-pillar blade finishes. Remember when I mentioned my OCD? Yes, I scoured the internet for real-world photos of all the different finishes.
Ice Silver Metallic
Manhattan Grey Metallic (this is the same color as the lower cladding)
Titanium Grey Matte
Brilliant Black with Audi rings logo - specific to the “Edition #1" trim
There’s also Ibis White Solid but I can’t find pictures of that.
Anyway, it’s really just the silver ones that piss me off. They’re horrible.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
04/12/2017 at 13:24, STARS: 0
Terrible and this car should not exist. But the pillars are no worse than the R8 with those side blades. COME AT ME, BROS!
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
04/12/2017 at 13:25, STARS: 0
It’s the perfect car for my (non enthusiast) parents: compact, high seating position and okay to look at.
Why not?
"Tripper" (tripe46)
04/12/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 1
Things I wish I could forget today:
Audi Q2
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 0
Generally I am totally fine with cars in this segment. In fact, I shopped it a year ago with my wife. The only ones I dislike are the ones that can’t fit normal adults in the back seat, like for example the CX-3. These are supposed to be practical cars, and many of them have totally fine back seats. The HR-V is even noticeably roomy back there.
We ended up with a Subaru Impreza hatch because my wife preferred its lower ride height and cleaner appearance (free of the Crosstrek’s stupid black plastic cladding).
I just want to kill the Q2's aluminum side panels with fire.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 13:30, STARS: 3
I realize this post is basically the equivalent of,
“Gahhh, this food tastes really bad! Here, you try it!”
"Tripper" (tripe46)
04/12/2017 at 13:31, STARS: 0
It’s a fair post though, you’re educating us here. Would much rather see a picture before my senses are assaulted in real life.
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
04/12/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 0
Agreed, the c-pillar is fucking huge irl. Personally, I just don’t see the point in CUVs with no space either. Though I have the feeling that empty nesters don’t really care that much about back seat space.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 13:50, STARS: 0
Empty nesters and other no-kid households (we have no kids...yet) need the back seat room for the all-important “two couples going to dinner” scenario.
Back in the day, my grandparents insisted on driving cars with front bench seats so they could fit *three* couples going to dinner.
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
04/12/2017 at 13:51, STARS: 0
That stupid “feel good factor” for the 3% chance of ever having to use the space.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
04/12/2017 at 13:53, STARS: 1
So that’s where the R8 blades got to.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 14:01, STARS: 0
Personally we needed the space because my mother-in-law uses a walker and we often go visit her and take her to church and dinner. My wife doesn’t like big cars but we need to be able to fit her mom’s walker in the trunk and me in the back seat with the two of them up front. I’m 5'11".
Our Impreza does the job beautifully. It’s by no means a big car. But the CX-3, I could barely get in and out of the back, my legs were squashed on either side of the front seat, and the trunk is so tiny that the walker, which is collapsible but still kinda bulky, would maaaaybe fit but it’d be tight if at all.
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
04/12/2017 at 14:07, STARS: 0
I saw one the other day and had to do a double take, having forgotten its existence.
"AndyG_UK" (ajg1974)
04/12/2017 at 14:22, STARS: 0
I saw one the other day in black, I kinda liked it, thought it was very different looking for an Audi!
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 15:03, STARS: 0
Since I don’t think it’s coming to the US anytime soon you don’t have much to worry about.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 15:04, STARS: 0
All the darker finishes for the pillars give me a mini-mini-Range Rover vibe, since the Evoque is already the mini-Range Rover. I don’t mind it. Just those awful silver pillars are horrible.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
04/12/2017 at 15:15, STARS: 0
I’ll be in Europe in the semi-near future, so you might have saved a life.
"Svart Smart, traded in his Smart" (svartsmart)
04/12/2017 at 15:38, STARS: 0
Aside from the C-pillar, I rather like the Q2 and wouldn’t mind seeing it here in the States, as it looks better than the Q3. That being said, I wish there were at least a small window dividing the pillar into C- and D-pillars. Glass > Metal.
"IAN_Z" (theonline)
04/12/2017 at 17:20, STARS: 0
I knew it was a thing! I hated it when it was first revealed but it’s really grown on me. It actually has some modicum of character compared to the rest of Audi’s soap bar suv offerings.
"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
04/12/2017 at 17:26, STARS: 0
I saw a few of those when I drove past Ingolstadt on Saturday. My initial reaction was like “WTF Audi”. They are like the answer to a question nobody asked.
And yet, they will probably sell like hotcakes. People be stupid!
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
04/12/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 1
I don’t mind it with the pillar finishes that more closely resemble windows. With those it’s like a mini previous-gen GMC Acadia Denali in the front and a mini-Range Rover on the sides.
It’s just those damn silver C-pillars are giant eyesores.
"IAN_Z" (theonline)
04/12/2017 at 17:32, STARS: 0
Those are actually apt comparisons. And I agree 100% that those faux aluminum panels are ugly.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
04/13/2017 at 08:31, STARS: 0
we’ve had them for a month or two here in Oz, yet to see one on the road.