Compare the2023 Audi Q3VS 2023 Volvo XC60

The Audi Q3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XC60 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q3. But it costs extra on the XC60.

Both the Q3 and the XC60 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Volvo XC60:

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 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 XC60 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

The Audi Q3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the XC60’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

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 Q3’s reliability 17 points higher than the XC60.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Audi vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 17 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 8 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Audi Q3 is faster than the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Q3 45 TFSI gets better fuel mileage than the XC60 B6 running its gasoline engine (21 city/28 hwy vs. 21 city/27 hwy).

Both the Q3 and the XC60 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Q3s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The XC60 T8 doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q3 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The XC60 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Volvo XC60 (5 to 7). This means the Q3 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC60 every 15,000 miles.

The Q3 stops much shorter than the XC60:

The Q3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XC60’s standard 60 series tires.

The front and rear suspension of the Q3 uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC60, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the XC60 Recharge Polestar Engineered pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q3 is 8.8 inches shorter than the XC60, making the Q3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Q3’s rear seats recline. The XC60’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Q3 is 1.5 inches lower than the XC60 (17.5” vs. 19”). The Q3’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the XC60’s (18” vs. 19.5”).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Volvo. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Volvo is ranked 12th.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q3’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XC60’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 XC60 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the XC60 because typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the XC60, including $121 less for a muffler, $101 less for front brake pads, $58 less for fuel injection and $559 less for a fuel pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q3, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volvo XC60 isn't recommended.