Audi introduces 2020 Q3 Sportback

It's not coming to the United States.

Audi embraced form-over-function design to develop a swoopier evolution of the Q3 that wears the Sportback nameplate. The Q3 Sportback is aimed right at the BMW X4, but a company representative confirmed it won't be sold in the United States.

The Q3 Sportback stands out from the second-generation Q3 it's based on with a smooth, fastback-like roof line. It's Audi's first take on this increasingly popular design trend, though it certainly won't be its last. The company is also planning a similarly-shaped evolution of the battery-electric e-tron.g

The sheet metal hides an interior mostly shared with the standard Q3, though the Sportback evidently offers less headroom and less trunk space than its conventional crossover sibling. Every Sportback comes standard with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.1-inch touch screen for the infotainment system. Buyers can upgrade the digital instrument cluster to a 12.3-inch unit at an extra cost. Amazon Alexa connectivity and navigation with Google Earth are both available.

At launch, buyers will have two engines to choose from. The first is a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 230 horsepower on tap. The second is a 2.0-liter turbodiesel rated at 150 horsepower. Transmission options will include a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch, and buyers will be asked to choose between front-wheel drive or Quattro all-wheel drive. Audi pledged to add additional engines (including an entry-level gasoline-powered unit and a more powerful turbodiesel) to the line-up a little bit later in the production run.

The 2020 Audi Q3 Sportback will begin arriving in European showrooms this fall. Pricing starts at 40,200 euros, a sum that represents nearly $45,000.