Compare the2023 Honda HR-VVS 2023 Audi Q3

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 HR-V 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 HR-V EX-L has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q3 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The HR-V’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 HR-V and the Q3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda HR-V is safer than the Q3:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the HR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the HR-V 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.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the HR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda 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 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the HR-V’s warranty.

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 HR-V’s reliability 17 points higher than the Q3.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 56 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 1 place higher in reliability than Audi.

On the EPA test cycle the HR-V gets better mileage than the Q3:

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

The HR-V 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.

The HR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Q3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Q3.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Q3’s (35.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The HR-V Sport’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Q3’s (37 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 750 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The HR-V 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.

The HR-V has 14.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (98.7 vs. 84).

The HR-V has 1.9 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

The HR-V has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The HR-V has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (55.1 vs. 48 cubic feet).

The HR-V Sport/EX-L 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the HR-V 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 HR-V’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

Insurance will cost less for the HR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the HR-V will cost $95 to $1250 less than the Q3 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $11665 to $12632 less than for the Audi Q3.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the Audi Q3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda HR-V outsold the Audi Q3 by almost five to one during 2022.