Audi SQ2 #87

Audi built the SQ2 for people who wanted an S3 but needed the boot to sit higher. What they got instead was the fastest thing in the compact crossover class by a margin nobody talks about. This 2020 example came from the Japanese market in Glacier White Metallic and is available now in Cyprus.

The 2.0-litre TFSI produces 300 hp and 400 Nm, routed through a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive. That combination puts 100 km/h behind you in 4.8 seconds — quicker than a Cayman of the same year, in a car that fits into a Limassol parking space without a three-point turn. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h. The dual-clutch shifts in the time it takes to think about shifting, and the quattro system means the traction never becomes the argument. Combined consumption sits around 7.7 litres per 100 km with CO2 emissions of 176 g/km, placing the annual Cyprus road tax at €280.

The chassis is where the S badge earns itself. S sports suspension sits 20 mm lower than a standard Q2 and stiffens the whole car into something that changes direction with genuine urgency. Audi drive select lets you soften it for the coast road or sharpen everything for the climb up towards Troodos. Progressive steering tightens its ratio as you add lock, which makes the car feel smaller the harder you drive it. Red brake callipers with S lettering sit behind 19-inch five-double-spoke wheels in contrast grey.

Inside is where this particular car separates itself from most SQ2s on the road. Fine Nappa leather in Magma Red with embossed S logos covers the sports seats front and rear — a specification that transforms a cabin most owners leave in black. Diamond stitching runs through the seat faces. Red rings circle the air vents. Multi-colour ambient lighting picks up the theme after dark. Illuminated scuff plates carry the S rhombus, and the pedals and footrest are finished in stainless steel.

The flat-bottomed sports steering wheel is wrapped in leather with shift paddles behind it and multifunction Plus controls on the spokes. Ahead of it sits the Audi virtual cockpit — a fully digital instrument display that shifts between conventional dials, a navigation-dominant layout or a performance view depending on what the drive requires. MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch handles the centre stack, with the Audi smartphone interface for phone integration.

The panoramic glass sunroof runs the length of the cabin and lifts what would otherwise be a compact, driver-focused interior into somewhere genuinely airy. Heated front seats. Comfort automatic climate control. A powered tailgate that opens and closes on a button. Rear-view camera with Parking aid Plus covering front and rear.

The assistance package here is more comprehensive than most cars this size receive. Adaptive cruise control with follow-to-stop handles motorway distance down to a standstill. Traffic jam assist takes over steering and throttle in slow-moving traffic — the single most useful feature you can have on the Nicosia ring road at 8am. Side assist watches the blind spots. Forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection sit underneath it all. LED headlamps with separate daytime running lights, high-beam assist and LED rear lamps with dynamic turn signals.

Boot capacity sits at approximately 355 litres, expanding to 1,000 litres with the rear backrest folded. Enough for the weekly run, a set of golf clubs or a weekend away without thinking about it.

This car is for sale in Cyprus, available for private viewing by appointment.