Compare the2024 Audi Q3VS 2023 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
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 Kona doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q3 and Kona 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 Kona’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.

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 Kona 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 Kona 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.

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

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 Kona 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.

Both the Q3 and the Kona 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi Q3 weighs 575 to 1014 pounds more than the Hyundai Kona. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

	Q3	Kona
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	109
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	95 lbs.	246 lbs.
Hip Force	333 lbs.	611 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	159	326
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	66 G’s
Hip Force	632 lbs.	638 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Hip Force	485 lbs.	744 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Q3’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Kona’s (12 vs. 7 years).

Reliability

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

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Q3 has a standard 680-amp battery. The Kona’s 640-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 15 points higher than the Kona.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Q3 first among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Kona 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 Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 7 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Q3 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 37 more horsepower (184 vs. 147) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Q3 40 TFSI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder. The Q3 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (228 vs. 195) and 56 lbs.-ft. more torque (251 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q3 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Kona (5 to 7). This means the Q3 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Kona every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q3	Kona	Kona AWD/1.6T
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 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 Kona are solid, not vented.

The Q3 stops much shorter than the Kona:

	Q3	Kona
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Kona (235/55R18 vs. 205/60R16). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kona (255/45R19 vs. 235/45R18).

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 Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires. The Q3’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Kona N Line/Limited’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q3 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE. The Q3’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Kona N Line/Limited.

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 Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Q3 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Q3 flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q3’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the Kona (105.5 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Kona N Line AWD pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Q3 has 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (23.7 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (48 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

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

	Q3	Kona
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34”/65”	28.6”/61”
Max Width	54”	48”
Min Width	39”	40”
Height	28”	30”

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

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 Kona doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

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

Servicing Ease

The Q3 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Kona uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 34% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

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 Kona doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Q3’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kona has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Q3’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Q3 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q3’s power window, power lock and power mirror switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kona’s passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Kona’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 Kona doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Q3’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kona’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Q3 Premium Plus has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Kona doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q3’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Kona offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 Kona doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Q3’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Kona SE doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Q3 and the Kona 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 Kona doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the Kona because typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the Kona, including $257 less for a muffler.

Recommendations

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

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