Compare the2023 Audi Q3VS 2023 MINI Cooper Clubman

The Q3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q3 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Q3 and Cooper Clubman have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q3 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Cooper Clubman’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q3. But it costs extra on the Cooper Clubman.

The Q3 Premium Plus has a standard Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper Clubman only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Q3’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q3’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Q3 and the Cooper Clubman have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cooper Clubman has not been tested, yet.

There are almost 3 times as many Audi dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q3’s warranty.

The Audi Q3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Cooper Clubman’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (228 vs. 189) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 206) than the Cooper Clubman S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The Q3 has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Clubman (15.9 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q3 higher (7 out of 10) than the MINI Cooper Clubman (3 to 7). This means the Q3 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cooper Clubman every 15,000 miles.

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

The Q3’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cooper Clubman are solid, not vented.

The Q3 stops shorter than the Cooper Clubman:

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Cooper Clubman (235/55R18 vs. 225/45R17). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cooper Clubman (255/45R19 vs. 225/45R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q3 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Cooper Clubman S. The Q3’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the JCW Clubman.

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Cooper Clubman pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q3 has 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Clubman.

The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume than the Cooper Clubman with its rear seat up (23.7 vs. 17.5 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Q3. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q3’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Cooper Clubman’s two swing out doors impair rear visibility, need a lot of clearance, and can block loading in tight quarters.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Q3 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer a power cargo door, so its cargo door has to be closed manually.

The Q3 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Cooper Clubman has no towing capacity.

The Q3’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Clubman’s standard power windows.

The Q3’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Cooper Clubman’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The Q3’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Cooper Clubman’s available power window controls are down in the center of the dashboard, away from the windows and mixed with controls for unrelated features.

The Audi Advanced Key optional on the Q3 allows you to unlock the doors, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The MINI Cooper Clubman’s Comfort Access doesn’t unlock the trunk.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q3 has standard extendable sun visors. The Cooper Clubman doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Q3 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q3 will cost $1555 to $6270 less than the Cooper Clubman over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the Cooper Clubman because typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the Cooper Clubman, including $126 less for a muffler, $16 less for front brake pads, $270 less for a fuel pump, $51 less for a timing belt/chain and $85 less for a power steering pump.

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

The Audi Q3 outsold the MINI Cooper Clubman by over 10 to one during 2022.