Compare the2025 Audi Q3VS 2025 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
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 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.

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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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.

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

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 SE/SEL’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 38 more horsepower (228 vs. 190) and 56 lbs.-ft. more torque (251 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q3 45 TFSI is faster than the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Q3	Kona
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	7.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	19.3 sec	21.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91 MPH	89 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regardless of its engine, the Q3’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Hyundai only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Kona SE.

The Q3 has 3.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona’s standard fuel tank (15.9 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q3 has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard fuel tank (15.9 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Q3 has a tether attaching its gas cap to prevent its loss. The Kona’s gas cap isn’t tethered, so it can be left at a gas station if the driver forgets to screw the cap back in.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q3	Kona SE	Kona AWD/SEL/1.6T
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.2 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	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Kona (235/55R18 vs. 215/60R17). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kona (255/45R19 vs. 235/45R19).

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 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 17-inch wheels are standard on the Kona SE. The Q3’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-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.

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Kona N Line AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Cargo Capacity

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

Towing

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

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Q3, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. 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 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’s optional 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 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 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 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 headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kona’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited.

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.

Both the Audi Q3 and Hyundai Kona 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 Kona’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 is only available on the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited.

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.

Recommendations

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