Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa FeVS 2022 Audi Q3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/05/02

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Santa Fe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Santa Fe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Santa Fe and the Q3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Santa Fe is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Santa Fe	Q3
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	296	326
Neck Injury Risk	16%	39%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	343 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	35 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	235/363 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	244	346
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	35%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	186 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	222/167 lbs.	261/249 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Santa Fe is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Santa Fe	Q3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	88
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	159
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	376	504
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	47 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Santa Fe its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 87 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

The Santa Fe comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Santa Fe 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q3.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Santa Fe’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Santa Fe has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Q3’s 140-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Santa Fe has a standard 760-amp battery. The Q3’s 680-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 54 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 84 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 8 places higher in reliability than Audi.

Engine

The Santa Fe’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (191 vs. 184) than the Q3 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 53 more horsepower (281 vs. 228) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 258) than the Q3 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Q3 45 TFSI:

	Santa Fe	Q3
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.4 MPH	85.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Fe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q3 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Fe has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q3 (18.8 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Santa Fe offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Q3 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Santa Fe 2.5T’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q3:

	Santa Fe 2.5T	Q3
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.4 inches

The Santa Fe stops shorter than the Q3:

	Santa Fe	Q3
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Santa Fe’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Q3 (108.9 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Santa Fe is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q3.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Q3 40 TFSI Premium Plus pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Q3 40 TFSI Premium Plus (26.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Santa Fe’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Q3’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q3 (8.2 vs. 5.5 inches), allowing the Santa Fe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Hyundai Santa Fe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The design of the Hyundai Santa Fe amounts to more than styling. The Santa Fe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Q3 (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Santa Fe get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Santa Fe has 27.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (111.5 vs. 84).

The Santa Fe has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 4.1 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 5.6 inches more rear legroom and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

Cargo Capacity

The Santa Fe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Santa Fe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (72.1 vs. 48 cubic feet).

The Santa Fe’s cargo area is larger than the Q3’s in almost every dimension:

	Santa Fe	Q3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42.4”/77.4”	34”/65”
Max Width	54”	54”
Min Width	43.4”	39”
Height	31”	28”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Santa Fe’s (except SE) optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Santa Fe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q3’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Audi Q3 is only 1500 pounds. The Santa Fe offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Assist on the Santa Fe uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Santa Fe SEL/XRT/Limited/Calligraphy has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Q3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Q3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Santa Fe Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Santa Fe’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q3’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Santa Fe has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Santa Fe’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Santa Fe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q3 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Q3’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Santa Fe and the Q3 offer available heated front seats. The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q3.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Q3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Santa Fe Limited/Calligraphy’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q3’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Model Availability

The Santa Fe is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q3 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

The Santa Fe will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Santa Fe will retain 51.18% to 51.49% of its original price after five years, while the Q3 only retains 50.79% to 50.87%.

Recommendations

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Audi Q3 by over three to one during the 2021 model year.