I Tried Audi’s Controversial New One-Piece Stalk. Here Are My Impressions.

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      When Audi revealed its 2026 Q3, the feedback was mostly positive. It’s contemporary, attractive, and offers solid value. However, there was one aspect that garnered significant criticism: its new one-piece steering wheel stalk.

      Adapting to change can be challenging and often unwelcome. I understand that. Many people expressed their dissatisfaction with comments like, “Wow, that looks terrible,” “That’s horrendous,” and “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.” Several voiced concerns over safety and even more lamented the overengineering. While the latter concern isn’t entirely unfounded, no one truly asked, "Is this really different from what we already have?" The answer, quite simply, is no.

      Although I prefer not to relearn concepts I’ve mastered for years without a valid reason, I try to stay open-minded. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to give you an honest and impartial review of a vehicle or its components. I, too, was puzzled by this new stalk and questioned the reasoning behind its redesign. Thus, when I was invited to the Audi Q3 global media drive, I eagerly anticipated experiencing this contentious feature for myself.

      **Jerry Perez**

      **Jerry Perez**

      **How It Works**

      You can check out the video below for a clear visual of what the new stalk looks like and how it functions. However, if you prefer to read my explanation instead of listening to me, here’s a summary: on the right side of the stalk lies the Q3’s shifter. That’s all. You only use this part to shift into and out of park, similar to a Mercedes-Benz. It’s a pretty straightforward concept.

      On the left side, you’ll find controls for headlights, high beams, turn signals, and both front and rear wiper controls. I know you might think the left side appears quite complicated, but I assure you, it’s really all there is to it.

      For the shifter part, just push the stalk up or down to engage reverse or drive, and perform a half-click up to select neutral. It follows the same concept as in many other vehicles, including the Porsche 911 GTS I'm currently driving; only the shape and position of the shifter are different. When it’s time to park and exit the vehicle, press the button at the tip of the stalk to engage park, and voila!

      Now, regarding the headlight and wiper controls. Want to flash your high beams? Just pull on the stalk, as you would in most cars. If you’d like to keep them on for an extended period, push the stalk away from you, and they’ll stay on until you pull it back. Need to signal? Simply click up for the right signal and down for the left. Simple enough so far.

      The only aspect that needs a bit more focus—much like how most buyers typically need to learn about their new vehicles—is the wiper function on the stalk. Essentially, all you have to do is memorize the buttons, but despite their appearance, most people’s muscle memory will still apply. To activate one wipe of the front wiper, press the button at the tip of the stalk. To spray the windshield, hold that same button down for a couple of seconds. There’s a separate button for the rear wiper, located right next to it, which operates with the same commands.

      Lastly, there’s a small click wheel that activates the automatic wiper function and allows you to choose the frequency at which the wipers operate when in automatic mode. That’s it!

      **Experiencing the Future of the Stalk in Real Life**

      If you read my review of the 2026 Audi Q3, you’d know it took place in Scotland, where rain is a frequent occurrence. While that was inconvenient in some ways, it provided an excellent opportunity to test The Stalk.

      After adjusting my seat and mirrors, I reached for the left side of the stalk and set the click wheel to Auto. I then adjusted it to a medium speed, wanting to avoid it wiping too quickly while ensuring visibility on the unfamiliar roads ahead. I did the same for the rear wiper, but in this case, a single click sufficed for continuous wiping.

      And I hate to say it, but that’s really all there was to it. I did have to adjust the speed of the automatic setting occasionally, especially while following traffic, but that was the extent of it. As far as the shifter side goes, there was truly nothing new to grasp.

      **Jerry Perez**

      **What’s the Big Deal?**

      The primary change that Audi is implementing here is purely the design of the stalk. We’ve grown accustomed to traditional, separate stalks in most vehicles, from Honda Civics to Rolls-Royces; they all tend