Compare the2025 Audi Q3VS 2025 Buick Envision

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 Envision doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q3 and Envision 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 Envision’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 Envision doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Envision 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.

Both the Q3 and the Envision 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Buick Envision:

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

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 Envision’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 Envision’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Q3 second among small premium suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Envision isn’t in the top three in its category.

On the EPA test cycle the Q3 40 TFSI gets better fuel mileage than the Envision (22 city/29 hwy vs. 22 city/28 hwy).

The Q3 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Envision. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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

The Q3 stops shorter than the Envision:

For better traction, the Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Envision (255/45R19 vs. 245/45R20).

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 Envision Preferred’s standard 60 series tires. The Q3’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Envision Sport Touring/Avenir’s 45 series tires.

The Q3 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Envision doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Q3 is 6.1 inches shorter than the Envision, 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 Envision’s rear seats don’t recline.

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

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 Envision’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 Envision can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

Both the Audi Q3 and Buick Envision offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Q3 offers optional power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Envision’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Q3 has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Envision.

The Q3 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q3 will retain 56.3% to 56.96% of its original price after five years, while the Envision only retains 52.65% to 53.82%.

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