Used Audi Q2 review and buying guide (2016 to present): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Audi Q2 should you buy?

There's no year or engine to steer clear of on a Q2, because there are no known faults on record for it and the handful of owners' reports each describe a single car. That's a short record rather than a spotless one, so let the individual car decide it: how it drives, its service book and whether the gearbox and four-wheel-drive oils have been changed when they should.

Every owner's report that gives a year comes from a 2017 or 2018 car, covering the 1.0 TFSI manual, the 1.4 TFSI and the 1.5 TFSI S tronic. Later Q2s have even less written about them, and that doesn't make them faultless, it just means there's nothing to judge them on. Treat a newer car exactly as you'd treat an early one and go by its paperwork.

The simplest Q2 to own is a front-wheel-drive manual, since it has no S tronic fluid or Haldex coupling oil to keep on top of. An automatic or four-wheel-drive car is fine to buy, but only when the invoices show those services were done on time; without them, the overdue servicing becomes your job the day you buy it.

Which Q2 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

None of the Q2's engines or gearboxes has a known fault on record, so there isn't one to rule out on the evidence. The petrols owners have written about are the 1.0 TFSI, 1.4 TFSI and 1.5 TFSI, and each report is one car: a 1.0 TFSI manual whose clutch gave up at 16 months, a 1.4 TFSI that kept misting its screens and a 1.5 TFSI S tronic with a brake squeal.

That 1.0 TFSI clutch is worth a proper test drive, but it's one owner's car, not a pattern. The dealer put it down to the way the car had been driven and quoted for a replacement flywheel and full clutch kit, and there's no record of what the owner finally paid. On any manual Q2, make sure the clutch bites cleanly and doesn't slip.

The S tronic's fluid interval depends on which gearbox the car actually has, so find out from the invoices. If it's the six-speed wet-clutch DQ250, it wants fresh fluid and a new filter every 40,000 miles or 48 months; if it's the seven-speed wet-clutch DQ381, it takes fluid only, at 80,000 miles. If the Q2 has four-wheel drive, its Haldex coupling needs new oil every 30,000 miles or 36 months, and specialists advise 20,000 miles with the pump strainer cleaned each time.

If the car you're looking at has the 1.6 TDI diesel, its cambelt is due at 60,000 miles or 60 months. That interval only applies to that engine, not to the petrols. If a 1.6 TDI is past either mark, ask to see the invoice for the belt, and if there isn't one, assume the job still needs doing before you drive it much further.

What should you check when viewing a used Q2?

Brake firmly on the test drive, both going forwards and in reverse. One owner's Q2 developed a severe judder at 10 months and 2,300 miles that only stopped once it had new discs at both ends and all four sets of pads, and another owner's 1.5 TFSI S tronic let out a loud squeal now and then when stopping in reverse. Treat any shudder through the pedal or wheel as a brake job to sort before you pay.

On a manual, check the clutch takes up smoothly and doesn't slip when you accelerate hard in a high gear. On an S tronic, ask for the invoice showing the last fluid change, and on a four-wheel-drive car ask for the Haldex oil receipts too, because a short drive won't tell you whether either job's been skipped.

Run the washers front and rear. One owner's washers both stopped working after generic screenwash turned to sludge and blocked the pump, so ask what's been going in the reservoir. On a cold, damp day, see whether the windscreen and rear screen mist up and clear; one owner's 1.4 TFSI kept fogging, with water getting in past a door seal, blocked scuttle drains or a split pollen filter cover the suspects.

Feel the carpets for damp while you're checking the misting, and look over both rear light lenses. One owner's cracked after a knock from a pothole or a flying stone, and it's an easy thing to miss on a quick walk round, so check it before you agree a price rather than finding it at home.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Audi Q2 cost to run?

What do Q2 owners like about them?

The cabin's comfortable and feels solidly put together, and it's a quiet, refined thing to travel in. It handles neatly and securely through bends as well, so it doesn't feel clumsy on a twisting road, and that composure goes a long way to making it pleasant to sit in.

You sit higher than you would in a hatchback, so the view out is a step up. The boot's a decent size for a car this compact too, with room for a pushchair, so it doesn't rule itself out for a young family that needs to carry more than shopping.

• The Audi Q2 features a comfortable and well-constructed cabin, offering a pleasant environment for occupants.
• The Audi Q2 offers a high seating position, which is a desirable feature for many drivers.
• The car provides neat and safe handling characteristics, combined with excellent refinement for a smooth driving experience.
• The Audi Q2 has a spacious boot, providing ample room for items such as a pushchair.
• An electric tailgate is included as standard equipment on the Audi Q2, enhancing convenience.