Compare the2024 Kia SeltosVS 2024 Audi Q3

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Seltos are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Seltos’ 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 Seltos and the Q3 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Audi Q3:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Audi Q3:

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 vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Seltos the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 165 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

The Seltos comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Seltos has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Q3’s 140-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (195 vs. 184) than the Q3 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Seltos is faster than the Q3 45 TFSI:

On the EPA test cycle the Seltos gets better mileage than the Q3:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Seltos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q3 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Seltos has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Q3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Q3:

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Q3 (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Q3’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Seltos has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q3 (7.3 vs. 5.5 inches), allowing the Seltos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 950 pounds less than the Audi Q3.

The Seltos is 4 inches shorter than the Q3, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has 15 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (99 vs. 84).

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more rear headroom and 1.9 inches more rear legroom than the Q3.

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 48 cubic feet).

The Seltos S/EX/SX 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Seltos 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.

Consumer Reports rated the Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Seltos SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Seltos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q3 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Seltos owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Seltos will cost $340 to $1450 less than the Q3 over a five-year period.

The Seltos will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Seltos will retain 57.1% to 64.07% of its original price after five years, while the Q3 only retains 56.3% to 56.96%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $10285 to $13042 less than for the Audi Q3.

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

The Kia Seltos outsold the Audi Q3 by almost three to one during 2023.