Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Audi Q3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Seltos 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 Seltos S Turbo/EX/SX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic 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 Seltos’ 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 Seltos 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems 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 Kia Seltos is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Seltos	Q3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	326
Neck Injury Risk	24%	39%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	343 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	35 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	127 lbs.	186 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	144/44 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Seltos	Q3
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	225	504
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	433 lbs.	485 lbs.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Seltos the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

The Seltos 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.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 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.

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

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 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 statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Seltos is faster than the Audi Q3:

	Seltos 4 cyl.	Seltos Nightfall/SX	Q3
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.9 sec	8.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.5 MPH	91.2 MPH	85.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy
Q3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

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

Transmission

The Seltos 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.

The Seltos 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

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Q3:

	Seltos	Q3
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Q3 (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the Q3’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 950 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The Seltos is 4.6 inches shorter than the Q3, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Seltos has 15 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (99 vs. 84).

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more rear headroom and 1.9 inches more rear legroom than the Q3.

Cargo Capacity

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 48 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Seltos S/EX/SX 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 Seltos 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 Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Model Availability

The Seltos 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 Seltos owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Seltos will cost $470 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 Kia Seltos will be $8611 to $10525 less than for the Audi Q3.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Seltos and the Audi Q3, based on reliability, safety and performance.