Compare the2023 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 Audi Q3

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Q3’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Taos offers optional Maneuver 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.

Both the Taos 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen 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 over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taos’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 15 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

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

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

The Taos offers a standard 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.

The Taos stops shorter than the Q3:

The Taos SEL 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 Taos’ turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Q3’s (37.6 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 750 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The design of the Volkswagen Taos amounts to more than styling. The Taos has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .31 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Q3 (.37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

The Taos has 15.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (99.5 vs. 84).

The Taos has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

The front step up height for the Taos is 1 inches lower than the Q3 (16.5” vs. 17.5”). The Taos’ rear step up height is 1.3 inches lower than the Q3’s (16.7” vs. 18”).

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 48 cubic feet).

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

The Taos SE/SEL 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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Taos to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Q3 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Taos’ 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 Taos SEL’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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL 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 Taos’ optional 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 Taos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q3 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen Taos outsold the Audi Q3 by over two to one during the 2022 model year.