Compare the2025 Audi Q3VS 2025 Infiniti QX50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Towing
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 QX50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q3 and QX50 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 QX50’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 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 QX50 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q3’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Q3 and QX50 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Q3 has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The QX50’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Q3 and the QX50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Q3	QX50
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Compression	35 lbs.	42 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	261/249 lbs.	504/622 lbs.

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 flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Q3	QX50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	98
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	95 lbs.	151 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	17 inches

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

Warranty

The Q3’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the QX50’s (12 vs. 7 years).

There are over 51 percent more Audi dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q3’s warranty.

Reliability

The Audi Q3’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the QX50’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Q3 has a standard 140-amp alternator. The QX50’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Q3 second among small premium suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The QX50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q3 40 TFSI gets better fuel mileage than the QX50 (22 city/29 hwy vs. 22 city/28 hwy).

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Q3’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q3 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The QX50 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q3’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

	Q3	QX50
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	13 inches

The Q3 stops shorter than the QX50:

	Q3	QX50
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	129 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Q3’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the QX50 Sport’s 45 series tires.

The Q3 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Q3 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The QX50’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

Chassis

The Q3 is 8.1 inches shorter than the QX50, making the Q3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Towing

The Q3 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The QX50 has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Q3 and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Q3 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 QX50’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 QX50 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 QX50 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 QX50 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Q3 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q3 will cost $865 to $4850 less than the QX50 over a five-year period.

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 QX50 only retains 46.64% to 48.58%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the QX50 because typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the QX50, including $110 less for a water pump, $320 less for a muffler, $188 less for a fuel pump, $42 less for a timing belt/chain and $241 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q3, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti QX50 isn't recommended.

The Audi Q3 outsold the Infiniti QX50 by over two to one during 2023.