Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Audi Q3

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

Safety

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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 Equinox 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.

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

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

	Equinox	Q3
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	159	326
Neck Injury Risk	17%	39%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	343 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	35 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	26%	35%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	186 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	83 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	264/236 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 Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Equinox	Q3
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	630 lbs.	632 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
HIC	377	504
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	47 G’s

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

Warranty

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Equinox 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 10 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Equinox has a standard 700-amp battery. The Q3’s 680-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Equinox’s reliability 23 points higher than the Q3.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Q3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 92 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox gets better mileage than the Q3:

			MPG
Equinox
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
Q3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

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

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q3 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Equinox stops shorter than the Q3:

	Equinox	Q3
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q3 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Q3 (107.3 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

The Equinox Premier handles at .83 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Q3 (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

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

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a 2.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q3 (7.9 vs. 5.5 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 650 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The front grille of the Equinox offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q3 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q3 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Equinox has 19.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (103.2 vs. 84).

The Equinox has .4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

Cargo Capacity

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 48 cubic feet).

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

	Equinox	Q3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34.9”/67.4”	34”/65”
Max Width	53.7”	54”
Min Width	40.7”	39”
Height	31”	28”

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Q3 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox uses the StabiliTrak® 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 Equinox offers a 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 Equinox Premier’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 Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q3 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Q3 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost Audi Connect CARE can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Equinox’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 Equinox 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 Equinox’s headlight performance “Good” to “Very Good” (depending on model and options), a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

When the Equinox Premier 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 Equinox and the Q3 offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q3.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier 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 Equinox’s optional (except LS) 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 Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 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 Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Q3 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Equinox will cost $465 less than the Q3 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Q3 because typical repairs cost much less on the Equinox than the Q3, including $190 less for a water pump, $279 less for a starter, $504 less for front struts and $466 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Equinox will be $6516 to $6900 less than for the Audi Q3.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Audi Q3 isn't recommended.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Audi Q3 by over six to one during the 2021 model year.