Engine is the key in upgraded Audi

To find the new bits on the 2015 Q3, you'll need to look beneath the skin. There are some cosmetic updates, notably the upgraded headlights, but the new engines are where it's at.

The range of power units looks familiar but has had a barrel-full of tweaks, with 2.0-litre TDI diesels leading the charge.

There are a couple of petrol options, too, including a clever 1.4-litre new to the Q3, with cylinder deactivation technology to save fuel.

The new grille, which has a thick silver rim that also extends to meet the inside corners of the headlight clusters, is a bit less neat and classy than the old one, but entry-level SE models benefit from xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights instead of the old halogen combination.

Standard full body-colour exterior trim means that the SE is only really marked by its 17-inch wheels. They don't look racy, but they do help provide a surprisingly plush ride.

The Q3 has been a popular second family car, and its image is spot-on for parents looking for a small – but tall– premium motor to ferry the kids around with.

The cabin actually feels quite compact, despite massive reserves of headroom and enough legroom to fit four adults of around six feet tall – just.

The rear centre back rest folds down to leave an arm rest.

There's excellent news from the boot, though, where an assortment of hooks make it easy to put three or four supermarket carrier bags in without having to worry about finding your dairy purchases plastered all over the upholstery by the time you get home.

The driving position is good, but it heavily favours people who want to sit as high as possible, at which point, the front of the roof starts to significantly cut off the upwards visibility at traffic lights.

Although the biggest seller is likely to be the 181bhp diesel, the cheaper 148bhp one is worth a look. It's strong enough for most people, economical and comes with a manual gearbox, for those that prefer them.

It's also the cheapest for fuel and road tax, and it's pleasantly refined in terms of noise and vibration. It absorbs bumps really well, with a plushness that a few years ago would have been alien to most Audi drivers, but there's a layer of vibration over the top that might annoy the pickiest of punters.

At more than £25,000, the Q3 isn't cheap and faces loads of alternatives from hugely well-equipped diesel Volkswagen Golfs or even Passats, super-spacious Skoda Octavia and Honda Civic estates, and even the impressive electric Kia Soul EV and Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive.

It's very solid and has a desirable badge, but there's more space and lower running costs on offer for the same price.

Audi reckons that most Q3s will go to families as second cars, where the first is a large premium executive model like an A6 or A7 Sportback.

It's an excellent downsized, upscaled premium car that delivers the high driving position in tandem with solidity, good class and an options list as long as the River Nile.

If this car was a . . . scoop of ice cream it would probably be some sort of low-volume, high-quality farm-produced vanilla.