Compare the2023 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 Audi Q3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
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 Crosstrek CVT 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.

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crosstrek Limited has standard Reverse Automatic Braking 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 Crosstrek CVT’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 Crosstrek and the Q3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Crosstrek	Q3
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	121	326
Neck Injury Risk	36%	39%
Neck Stress	304 lbs.	343 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	122	346
Neck Compression	52 lbs.	83 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 Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Crosstrek	Q3
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	428 lbs.	632 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	201	504

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, with its optional 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 Crosstrek the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Crosstrek 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 over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Crosstrek’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Crosstrek’s reliability 50 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 Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 48 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru 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 Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 6 places higher in reliability than Audi.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Crosstrek Sport/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Audi Q3 (automatics tested):

	Crosstrek	Q3
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.7 MPH	85.4 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Q3 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Crosstrek
AWD	Manual	2.0 DOHC flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
	Auto	2.0 DOHC flat-4	28 city/33 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
Q3
AWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

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

Transmission

The Crosstrek offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Q3 doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Crosstrek offers an optional 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.

Brakes and Stopping

The Crosstrek stops shorter than the Q3:

	Crosstrek	Q3
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Crosstrek Premium handles at .81 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Crosstrek Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Q3 (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Q3’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The Subaru Crosstrek may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 800 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has 16.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (100.9 vs. 84).

The Crosstrek has .2 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

Cargo Capacity

The Crosstrek has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (55.3 vs. 48 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Q3. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Crosstrek 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Crosstrek Base). 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.

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

The Q3 Premium Plus’ cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Crosstrek Limited’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Crosstrek owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Crosstrek will cost $355 to $1605 less than the Q3 over a five-year period.

The Crosstrek will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Crosstrek will retain 57.4% to 60.77% of its original price after five years, while the Q3 only retains 50.79% to 50.87%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Crosstrek is less expensive to operate than the Q3 because typical repairs cost much less on the Crosstrek than the Q3, including $285 less for a water pump, $25 less for front brake pads, $177 less for a starter, $175 less for fuel injection, $290 less for front struts, $196 less for a timing belt/chain and $815 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Crosstrek will be $11902 to $14072 less than for the Audi Q3.

Recommendations

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

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Audi Q3 by over five to one during the 2022 model year.

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