Compare the2024 Audi Q3VS 2024 Buick Envista

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Envista 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 Buick Envista doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Envista doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Q3 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Envista doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Q3 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Envista doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Envista only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q3 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist and Automatic Brake Activation automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Buick charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Envista and the Envista’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

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

The Audi Q3 weighs 787 to 883 pounds more than the Buick Envista. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Envista has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Q3 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Envista’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Q3’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Envista’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Reliability

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

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Q3’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Envista’s camshafts. If the Envista’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Q3 has a standard 140-amp alternator. The Envista’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Q3 first among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Envista isn’t in the top three in its category.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 5 places higher in reliability than Buick.

Engine

The Q3 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (184 vs. 137) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 162) than the Envista’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Q3 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (228 vs. 137) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (251 vs. 162) than the Envista’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Q3 45 TFSI is faster than the Buick Envista:

	Q3	Envista
Zero to 60 MPH	8.5 sec	9.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.4 MPH	80.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

Transmission

For more complete vehicle control the Q3 has a manually controlled automatic, with the available convenience of an automatic transmission and the complete gear control of a manual transmission without the inconvenience of a clutch. A manually controlled automatic allows the driver to eliminate unwanted shifts and maximize engine braking by down shifting while cornering. The Envista doesn’t offer a transmission that allows complete gear control.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Audi Q3, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Envista.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q3	Envista
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.3 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	12.2 inches

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 Envista are solid, not vented.

The Q3 stops shorter than the Envista:

	Q3	Envista
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Envista (235/55R18 vs. 225/60R17). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Envista (255/45R19 vs. 245/45R19).

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 Envista’s standard 60 series tires. The Q3’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Envista’s optional 45 series tires.

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

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Audi Q3 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Buick Envista has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

Chassis

The Q3 is 6 inches shorter than the Envista, making the Q3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Q3 has .2 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Envista.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Envista with its rear seat up (23.7 vs. 20.7 cubic feet). The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Envista with its rear seat folded (48 vs. 42 cubic feet).

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q3’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Envista doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Q3 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Envista has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the Q3, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Envista doesn’t offer a memory system.

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 Envista’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 Buick Envista’s Pushbutton Start doesn’t unlock the doors or the cargo door.

The Q3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Envista’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q3 has a standard rear wiper. The Envista doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Q3’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Envista doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Q3 and the Envista offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Q3 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Envista doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Q3 45 TFSI’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Envista’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

Recommendations

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