Q3 Transmission Shift Quirks
 

I just drove my 2019 Q3 about 800 miles over the holiday weekend. I've always felt the 8 speed that Audi is using in the new generation Q3 in the US & Canada was a little clunky. I've heard it's an ASIN sourced transmission. My daily commute is mostly city driving that tops out at 40mph. I noticed on the highway when transitioning from 6th to 7th and from 7th to 8th it often bangs into gear with moderate acceleration. This shift pattern was quite consistent during my trip. I noticed around town it can be a jerky from 1st to 2nd. I had my local Audi dealer reset the transmission software which didn't help. I've owned/driven other Audi products and this transmission seems to lack the refinement that other models have. MotorTrend and Car and Driver have commented about the transmission in the current generation. I have 3,000 miles on my car and wanted to get experiences from everyone with a 2019 and 2020 Q3.

My 2019 Q3 only has 1300 miles so far. It's definitely lazy in the shifting points. I drove awhile in normal mode and found it too sluggish. Dynamic mode helps a little with acceleration. Hopefully, APR will have a tune available soon to fix the sluggish engine and trans.

As for clunky shifts, I haven't noticed any harshness in the shifts in any mode.

I've heard the Japanese made Aisin trans is one of the better made ones. Hopefully, that's true??

The transmission issues have been discussed before on other threads and owners like me on this forum are hoping for a software remap at some point. I think it is set up for maximum fuel economy.
The transmission is in fact an Asin transmission and used in many other brand vehicles like Audi, Volvo, and BMW. It's a typical trans with a torque converter. I think the prior versions used a DSG and many people complained about them being jerky and feeling the shifts. Correct me if I am wrong.
Try going into Drive mode and pick individual and set up the transmission as sport and steering. This helped the lazy shifting somewhat. Not perfect, but the best I can get in the way I drive.
I did not notice any harsh shifting though. Jerky in 1st and 2nd might be contributed to the throttle. I noticed many times, when coming off a stop and or turning, the car is deciding what to do and seems to fall flat on it's face at some points, annoying, but still getting used to how it drives.
HTH's

2020 Q3 here with about 1100 miles and I agree with the first post - I have the same experience with the trans. I felt like I was reading my own transmission review. Definitely does not feel refined and I have the same thunk between the gears at certain times - especially at highway speeds on the upshifts. I also find the trans seemingly hunting for a gear hear and there. It’s not awful, but it’s definitely noticeable to me.

Also a 2020 Q3 with about 800 miles, chiming in to agree with the first post as well. The most noticeable for me is the jerkiness/lurching between gear 1 and 2 which seems a bit random--it either happens and is present while I'm driving around town, or it's completely missing--it's almost like the car starts up and sets it up to be this way during that trip (best way I can describe it). It was more frequent when I first got the car, but the more miles I put on it the less it seems to occur.

I experience this as well, Joseph. Odd but tolerable once you learn to expect it. Seems to be an overall characteristic of this transmission rather than a defect, which is good, I suppose.

Thanks for following up John1. I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing this. The transmission is not a deal breaker, but does lessen the overall driving experience. I'm hoping for a future transmission re-map. It seems like the transmission was rushed for our market.

Joseph, I agree with you as well. It's either all or nothing with the jerkiness/lurching. It's better in Dynamic, but I shouldn't have to keep in it's sportiest setting when my my commute is strictly city. Dynamic also affects fuel economy which already isn't stellar. I'm surprised Audi gave the US and Canada markets this transmission to lessen complaints about jerkiness of the 7 speed S-Tronic/DSG that all other markets have. Overall I love my car! I'm disappointed that engine/transmission refinement wasn't #1 when developing the Q3 for our market.

Be careful when adding an APR tune. Most Audi dealers are known for blaming issues on aftermarket tunes even though that's not the source of the problem.

LX302, is there any difference when selecting individual and setting the steering and engine to sport vs selecting dynamic.