Compare the2023 Land Rover Discovery SportVS 2023 Audi Q3

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Land Rover vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 46 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Land Rover higher than Audi.

The Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (246 vs. 228) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (269 vs. 258) than the Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Regenerative brakes improve the Discovery Sport’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Q3 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Discovery Sport has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q3 (17.7 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Land Rover Discovery Sport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Q3.

For better stopping power the Discovery Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q3:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Discovery Sport offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Q3’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Discovery Sport has a standard full size spare (not available on 7-Passenger) so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Q3; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Discovery Sport offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Q3’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Discovery Sport’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Q3 (107.9 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Discovery Sport is 2 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q3.

The Discovery Sport S handles at .82 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Discovery Sport S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Q3 (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Discovery Sport has a 2.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q3 (8.3 vs. 5.5 inches), allowing the Discovery Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The design of the Land Rover Discovery Sport amounts to more than styling. The Discovery Sport has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is lower than the Q3 (.37). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Discovery Sport get better fuel mileage.

The Discovery Sport offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Q3 can only carry 5.

The Discovery Sport has .6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

The Discovery Sport’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q3.

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

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Discovery Sport with 5+2 Seating’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Discovery Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q3’s (4409 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the Discovery Sport uses the Dynamic Stability Control 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.

The Discovery Sport 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.

The Discovery Sport SE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Discovery Sport 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Discovery Sport offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Q3 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Discovery Sport has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Q3 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

When the Discovery Sport with available tilt-down mirrors 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 Discovery Sport and the Q3 have standard heated front seats. The Discovery Sport also offers optional heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q3.

On extremely cold winter days, the Discovery Sport’s 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Land Rover Discovery Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Q3 Premium Plus offers wireless charging.