BMW X1 vs Mercedes GLA vs Audi Q3 2017 SUV review _ Mat Watson Reviews
The BMW X1 is a car that feels very much like a BMW to drive, with sharp steering and good handling. It communicates with its driver, making it feel more fun to drive and comfortable as well. However, without the Adaptive dampers, it can feel a bit bumpy, but with them, it offers a comfort mode that glides over bumps, providing a smooth ride. The 2.0L diesel XDrive 25d High Performance Engine produces 231 horsepower and 60.6 kgm of torque, which is more than enough power for this car.
One of the notable features of the BMW X1 is its gearbox. It comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission that is very slick and efficient. The reviewer recommends it over the manual gearbox, as it provides a smoother and more convenient driving experience. However, the reviewer notes that some people may complain about the lack of rear-wheel drive in this car, but they argue that almost no one who buys one will even notice.
In contrast, the Audi Q3 drives like an Audi should, providing a comfortable and refined driving experience. It is reasonably well-equipped, with good views out and a smooth automatic gearbox. The reviewer notes that it may not be the most exciting car to look at, but it is still a good all-rounder. They also mention that some people may prefer the front-wheel drive version of this car, as it saves them money.
The Mercedes GLA is another contender in this test, with its sporty looks and comfortable ride. However, the reviewer notes that it can feel a bit odd to drive, with something missing from its steering and handling. The engine is also quite noisy at speed, which may deter some potential buyers. Additionally, the GLA's fuel efficiency is not impressive, with only 43mpg according to the manufacturer's estimates.
The Mercedes GLC is also considered in this test, with its all-wheel-drive system and automatic gearbox making it a practical choice. However, the reviewer notes that it feels compromised compared to the other cars, with less sportiness and handling. The GLA's engine is also not economical, with only 30mpg according to the manufacturer's estimates.
The Mercedes GLB and Audi Q5 are also considered in this test, but they do not make it into the top three. The reviewer notes that the GLB is a bit noisy at speed, while the Q5 has a mediocre driving experience.
Overall, the BMW X1 emerges as the winner of this test, due to its practicality, good handling, and high-quality interior. It provides a smooth and comfortable driving experience, making it an excellent choice for those who value these qualities most.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ensmall premium SUVs they need to combine the style typical of a posh car brand with a sort of toughness and practicality that you just can't get from a regular hatchback but we should to choose between the Mercedes GLA the Audi Q3 or the BMW X1 it's a case of a star versus some rings against a blue propeller I am of course talking brand logos to help you decide which of these three is best for you I'm going to critique their designs it's definitely got the X Factor it's just that I'm more of a Britain's Got Talent kind of G inspect their cabins it does lag behind that of the other two cars see how practical they are premium as well as practical hell yeah and test what they like to drive it would be a bit like performing surgery in oven gloves so let's start off with some numbers the X1 range starts at just over £27,000 the Audi Q3 range kicks off about a grand cheaper whereas the Mercedes is a grand cheaper still with its range starting from just over £25,000 but really what matters is the price you pay now if you click up there to go to car w.co.com boot is absolutely massive I also like the fact that there is no load lip so I can use it as a seat you also get some well loads actually of underfloor storage but my favorite part is this look I don't have to lean in to load the seats I can just press a button and down they go yeah I'm so nonchalant the way that the BMW shrugs away suitcases and boxes is pretty casual too it's got the biggest boot of the three and plenty of space when you fold the rear seats down so can the Audi run it close so the q3's boot is smaller than that on the other two cars but it's still going to be big enough for most people and I'm going to forgive it because under here there is room for a space saver spare wheeel I also like the fact that it's got a retractable Low cover like a proper SUV premium as well as practical hell yeah sorry I got a bit over excited there anyway with all the seats in place the Q3 has the smallest boot here and it doesn't have a 12volt socket like the other two now that I've calmed down a bit let's move onto the GLA this car's boots actually a pretty decent size so there's lots of useful features in there as well so you've got various places to store stuff tethering points 12 volt socket I like the fact you got ski atch as well there we go essential for those Alpine holidays and under here you got some storage as well including Mercedes like to give you these occasionally it's the special Mercedes collapsible basket you can keep your kittens in there I guess the gla's boot opening is slightly bigger than the q3s and features a 12volt socket Curry Hooks and storage Nets and that makes it more useful however but it has the smallest load space with all of the seats folded but which is the best at keeping passengers in the back first up it's the BMW this car is really comfy here in the back seat I mean there's absolutely loads of room and you can get it with seats that slide and also if I can find the leave up there it is recline do you know what I have no idea why people need something like an X3 or an X5 this is this is big enough what more it's really impressive with three people in the back the bench seat is nice and wide and the foot Wells are massive and thanks to back doors which open almost to a right angle fitting a child seat is a breeze too the door bins can swallow several Bak bottles and there are loads of little Cubbies dotted around elsewhere next then is the turn of the Audi Q3 the back seats of this Audi are easily up to family life I mean I've got enough knee and head room and people over six foot will be fine as well and kids will like it because the windows are quite large so you do get a good view out load the Q3 up with three and the narrower body means that shoulder room is a little tighter than in the X1 it would have been nice if it offered a center armrest as standard to and installing a child seat is a little more Awkward because the rear doors are quite narrow on the plus side though the Q3 is great for storage especially the enormous front door bins the GLA does pretty well for storage too and benefits from a pair of huge cup holders in the front but what's it like for passengers there's definitely enough room for adults here in the back of the GLA the problem is more the fact that it seems a little bit dark back here so you got small Windows these big headrests which are integrated in the seat they all kind of block the light so so we're using an internal light to help with this shot and look what happens when we turn his off yeah you can't really see me now can you those seats bring other problems too they're so bulky that there's hardly any space for fees if you're sat in the back the small doors mean that it's trickier to fit a child seat than in the BMW but at least the isopix points are dead easy to locate overall then the Mercedes is the worst here for carrying back seat passengers with a BMW the clear winner but does the X1 keep up the good work in the front I really like the interior of this car it looks good it feels good and I reckon the quality is A Cut Above the other two and then there's infotainment system I mean if I said it once I've said it a million times BMW does the best infotainment system the iDrive is brilliant the x1's eye Drive comes with a 6.5 in screen as standard but the navigation Plus Package comes with a higher resolution 8.8 in display whichever you go for the menus are clearly laid out and it's just a dole to work out so how does the howy compare build quality here inside the Q3 is pretty good it's just the interior design is stting to feel a little bit on the old side and then there's this look the infotainment screen it's a popup version which I had to do with my own hand and the infotainment system itself well it's got A's older MMI system and if you try the new system in the new A4 you'll find that a little bit slow and basically not as good and that's the thing about the Q3 it was a great cabin when it came out in 2012 but these days it's not a patch on Audi's best efforts or its Rivals like the BMW the Mercedes gets one over on the Q3 the interior of this GL does feel the most sporty I like the fact You' got this leatherette on the dash this red stitching and these big circular air vents as well the only problem is that the quality it does lag behind that of the other two cars and then there's the enertainment system so this is the midlevel one with a gin satnav and when you compare that to the Google Earth you can get with the Audi and BMW's beautiful system just seems a little bit on the cheap side and I don't think the entertainment system here on the Mercedes is quite as easy to use as those in the BMW or the Audi anyway it's all right though but all right isn't good enough against the best that BMW and Audi has to offer at least the sporty look continues on the outside I really like the look of the G especially the back end I think it just looks smart and sharp even the fake exhaust tail pipes at least I have exhaust actually coming out with them unlike those on some other cars if there's one criticism of the GL is that it isn't much taller than the regular a class that it's based on so some people might not think it's a proper SUV that isn't a problem though for the X1 I like being to these other X Vehicles the old x one didn't look anything like an SUV but this new one it really does it's definitely got the X Factor it's just that I'm more of a Britain's Got Talent kind of guy the BMW might not be to everyone's taste but at least it has presence the q3's design is a little older and Audi has already given it a nip and Tuck to try to help it keep up as part of a midlife facelift Audi gave the Q3 a new grill and some snazzy pulsating indicators other than that they didn't change much and so overall the design is a bit so that's all the sensible stuff dealt with now let's see how these cars compare on the road now when you drive the BMW X1 it does feel very much like a BMW so the steering sharp it handles well and you feel what's going on so with the other two cars it would be a bit like performing surgery in oven gloves cuz you have no idea what's going on whereas with this more like you wearing those thin latex gloves like the surgeons actually use because yeah it communicates to you it talks with you this car and as a result it is a bit more fun to drive and it is still comfy as well now you're going to need the Adaptive dampers because without them it can feel a bit bumpy but if you fit them you get a comfort mode which just really Glides over BMS it's really nice this particular car is the 2 L diesel X Drive 25d High Performance Engine with 6.6 60 time and 231 horsepower it's just overkilling a car like this if you me it is fast but I'm only getting 39 M per gallon so I wouldn't bother that I go for one of the lower power diesels I'd go for the automatic gearbox though it's lovely 8-speed Auto very slick I think it's probably the best overall out of the cars and yeah it's a comfy car to travel in the only problem is you do get quite a lot of tire raar but other than that yeah visibility is good so it's dead easy to drive around town and quite a nice relaxing car to be in as well some people may complain about the x1's lack of rear wheel drive but let's be honest almost no one who buys one will even notice and let's face it it's not something that Audi has ever had anyway this Q3 drives like you expect an Audi 2o so you know it's reasonably comfortable does everything pretty well nothing particularly exciting about it but it's a very easy car to drive around T you get a good view out it's quite at speed the automatic gearbox is great so is the manual and the engine choices are brilliant I will go for the 1.4 L turbo petrol engine you can get it with front-wheel drive save yourself some money on the whole really good car this is the 2 L diesel it's pretty fast supposed to be able to do over 50 MP gallon but I'm only getting 40 you know I'm not overly excited by this car you know handles well enough but who cares it's very easy and relaxing to drive and for most people that's what matters most now we've already worked out that the Mercedes looks the sportiest but is it the small SUV of choice for the Keen driver once you hit the road so the gl8 it's not a bad thing to drive it's better than the a class you've got that jacked up suspension so it makes it more comfortable I don't think it's as good as the BMW or Audi though in terms of comfort not quite and it doesn't feel quite as well sporty to drive either I mean it looks sporty but there's something about the steering it just feels a bit odd and Woolly and weird which really doesn't encourage you to throw this car around one thing I'm also noticing is that you do get quite a lot of tiroid it's a bit noisy in here at speed this engine is actually the 2 L petrol and it's pretty nippy now most people won't go for this car they'll go for one of the dies and they can be quite noisy unfortunately but this one yeah the reason people won't have it is because it's not that economical Mercedes says 43 m per gallon trip computer says less than 30 oh dear now this car is all-wheel drive but you don't really need you can get front-wheel drive version save yourself some cash I would recommend the automatic gearbox though cuz it's pretty good at shifting gears and the manuals in the GL aren't all that good though most cars actually come with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox as standard but that pushes up the price so then where does all that leave us in third place is the Mercedes GLA I mean for me it is the most stylish but it's also the most compromised in second place is the Audi Q3 I find it the least exciting to look at but it's still a good allrounder and that means that in first place is the BMW X1 it's the most practical it's the best to drive and it has the highest quality interior and that's why it wins this test please like share and comment on this video and click on our logo to subscribe for more and click on the video Windows to watch the detailed reviews of each car in this testsmall premium SUVs they need to combine the style typical of a posh car brand with a sort of toughness and practicality that you just can't get from a regular hatchback but we should to choose between the Mercedes GLA the Audi Q3 or the BMW X1 it's a case of a star versus some rings against a blue propeller I am of course talking brand logos to help you decide which of these three is best for you I'm going to critique their designs it's definitely got the X Factor it's just that I'm more of a Britain's Got Talent kind of G inspect their cabins it does lag behind that of the other two cars see how practical they are premium as well as practical hell yeah and test what they like to drive it would be a bit like performing surgery in oven gloves so let's start off with some numbers the X1 range starts at just over £27,000 the Audi Q3 range kicks off about a grand cheaper whereas the Mercedes is a grand cheaper still with its range starting from just over £25,000 but really what matters is the price you pay now if you click up there to go to car w.co.com boot is absolutely massive I also like the fact that there is no load lip so I can use it as a seat you also get some well loads actually of underfloor storage but my favorite part is this look I don't have to lean in to load the seats I can just press a button and down they go yeah I'm so nonchalant the way that the BMW shrugs away suitcases and boxes is pretty casual too it's got the biggest boot of the three and plenty of space when you fold the rear seats down so can the Audi run it close so the q3's boot is smaller than that on the other two cars but it's still going to be big enough for most people and I'm going to forgive it because under here there is room for a space saver spare wheeel I also like the fact that it's got a retractable Low cover like a proper SUV premium as well as practical hell yeah sorry I got a bit over excited there anyway with all the seats in place the Q3 has the smallest boot here and it doesn't have a 12volt socket like the other two now that I've calmed down a bit let's move onto the GLA this car's boots actually a pretty decent size so there's lots of useful features in there as well so you've got various places to store stuff tethering points 12 volt socket I like the fact you got ski atch as well there we go essential for those Alpine holidays and under here you got some storage as well including Mercedes like to give you these occasionally it's the special Mercedes collapsible basket you can keep your kittens in there I guess the gla's boot opening is slightly bigger than the q3s and features a 12volt socket Curry Hooks and storage Nets and that makes it more useful however but it has the smallest load space with all of the seats folded but which is the best at keeping passengers in the back first up it's the BMW this car is really comfy here in the back seat I mean there's absolutely loads of room and you can get it with seats that slide and also if I can find the leave up there it is recline do you know what I have no idea why people need something like an X3 or an X5 this is this is big enough what more it's really impressive with three people in the back the bench seat is nice and wide and the foot Wells are massive and thanks to back doors which open almost to a right angle fitting a child seat is a breeze too the door bins can swallow several Bak bottles and there are loads of little Cubbies dotted around elsewhere next then is the turn of the Audi Q3 the back seats of this Audi are easily up to family life I mean I've got enough knee and head room and people over six foot will be fine as well and kids will like it because the windows are quite large so you do get a good view out load the Q3 up with three and the narrower body means that shoulder room is a little tighter than in the X1 it would have been nice if it offered a center armrest as standard to and installing a child seat is a little more Awkward because the rear doors are quite narrow on the plus side though the Q3 is great for storage especially the enormous front door bins the GLA does pretty well for storage too and benefits from a pair of huge cup holders in the front but what's it like for passengers there's definitely enough room for adults here in the back of the GLA the problem is more the fact that it seems a little bit dark back here so you got small Windows these big headrests which are integrated in the seat they all kind of block the light so so we're using an internal light to help with this shot and look what happens when we turn his off yeah you can't really see me now can you those seats bring other problems too they're so bulky that there's hardly any space for fees if you're sat in the back the small doors mean that it's trickier to fit a child seat than in the BMW but at least the isopix points are dead easy to locate overall then the Mercedes is the worst here for carrying back seat passengers with a BMW the clear winner but does the X1 keep up the good work in the front I really like the interior of this car it looks good it feels good and I reckon the quality is A Cut Above the other two and then there's infotainment system I mean if I said it once I've said it a million times BMW does the best infotainment system the iDrive is brilliant the x1's eye Drive comes with a 6.5 in screen as standard but the navigation Plus Package comes with a higher resolution 8.8 in display whichever you go for the menus are clearly laid out and it's just a dole to work out so how does the howy compare build quality here inside the Q3 is pretty good it's just the interior design is stting to feel a little bit on the old side and then there's this look the infotainment screen it's a popup version which I had to do with my own hand and the infotainment system itself well it's got A's older MMI system and if you try the new system in the new A4 you'll find that a little bit slow and basically not as good and that's the thing about the Q3 it was a great cabin when it came out in 2012 but these days it's not a patch on Audi's best efforts or its Rivals like the BMW the Mercedes gets one over on the Q3 the interior of this GL does feel the most sporty I like the fact You' got this leatherette on the dash this red stitching and these big circular air vents as well the only problem is that the quality it does lag behind that of the other two cars and then there's the enertainment system so this is the midlevel one with a gin satnav and when you compare that to the Google Earth you can get with the Audi and BMW's beautiful system just seems a little bit on the cheap side and I don't think the entertainment system here on the Mercedes is quite as easy to use as those in the BMW or the Audi anyway it's all right though but all right isn't good enough against the best that BMW and Audi has to offer at least the sporty look continues on the outside I really like the look of the G especially the back end I think it just looks smart and sharp even the fake exhaust tail pipes at least I have exhaust actually coming out with them unlike those on some other cars if there's one criticism of the GL is that it isn't much taller than the regular a class that it's based on so some people might not think it's a proper SUV that isn't a problem though for the X1 I like being to these other X Vehicles the old x one didn't look anything like an SUV but this new one it really does it's definitely got the X Factor it's just that I'm more of a Britain's Got Talent kind of guy the BMW might not be to everyone's taste but at least it has presence the q3's design is a little older and Audi has already given it a nip and Tuck to try to help it keep up as part of a midlife facelift Audi gave the Q3 a new grill and some snazzy pulsating indicators other than that they didn't change much and so overall the design is a bit so that's all the sensible stuff dealt with now let's see how these cars compare on the road now when you drive the BMW X1 it does feel very much like a BMW so the steering sharp it handles well and you feel what's going on so with the other two cars it would be a bit like performing surgery in oven gloves cuz you have no idea what's going on whereas with this more like you wearing those thin latex gloves like the surgeons actually use because yeah it communicates to you it talks with you this car and as a result it is a bit more fun to drive and it is still comfy as well now you're going to need the Adaptive dampers because without them it can feel a bit bumpy but if you fit them you get a comfort mode which just really Glides over BMS it's really nice this particular car is the 2 L diesel X Drive 25d High Performance Engine with 6.6 60 time and 231 horsepower it's just overkilling a car like this if you me it is fast but I'm only getting 39 M per gallon so I wouldn't bother that I go for one of the lower power diesels I'd go for the automatic gearbox though it's lovely 8-speed Auto very slick I think it's probably the best overall out of the cars and yeah it's a comfy car to travel in the only problem is you do get quite a lot of tire raar but other than that yeah visibility is good so it's dead easy to drive around town and quite a nice relaxing car to be in as well some people may complain about the x1's lack of rear wheel drive but let's be honest almost no one who buys one will even notice and let's face it it's not something that Audi has ever had anyway this Q3 drives like you expect an Audi 2o so you know it's reasonably comfortable does everything pretty well nothing particularly exciting about it but it's a very easy car to drive around T you get a good view out it's quite at speed the automatic gearbox is great so is the manual and the engine choices are brilliant I will go for the 1.4 L turbo petrol engine you can get it with front-wheel drive save yourself some money on the whole really good car this is the 2 L diesel it's pretty fast supposed to be able to do over 50 MP gallon but I'm only getting 40 you know I'm not overly excited by this car you know handles well enough but who cares it's very easy and relaxing to drive and for most people that's what matters most now we've already worked out that the Mercedes looks the sportiest but is it the small SUV of choice for the Keen driver once you hit the road so the gl8 it's not a bad thing to drive it's better than the a class you've got that jacked up suspension so it makes it more comfortable I don't think it's as good as the BMW or Audi though in terms of comfort not quite and it doesn't feel quite as well sporty to drive either I mean it looks sporty but there's something about the steering it just feels a bit odd and Woolly and weird which really doesn't encourage you to throw this car around one thing I'm also noticing is that you do get quite a lot of tiroid it's a bit noisy in here at speed this engine is actually the 2 L petrol and it's pretty nippy now most people won't go for this car they'll go for one of the dies and they can be quite noisy unfortunately but this one yeah the reason people won't have it is because it's not that economical Mercedes says 43 m per gallon trip computer says less than 30 oh dear now this car is all-wheel drive but you don't really need you can get front-wheel drive version save yourself some cash I would recommend the automatic gearbox though cuz it's pretty good at shifting gears and the manuals in the GL aren't all that good though most cars actually come with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox as standard but that pushes up the price so then where does all that leave us in third place is the Mercedes GLA I mean for me it is the most stylish but it's also the most compromised in second place is the Audi Q3 I find it the least exciting to look at but it's still a good allrounder and that means that in first place is the BMW X1 it's the most practical it's the best to drive and it has the highest quality interior and that's why it wins this test please like share and comment on this video and click on our logo to subscribe for more and click on the video Windows to watch the detailed reviews of each car in this test\n"