Compare the2025 Audi Q3VS 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q3 and Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek’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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek 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.

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 Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

The Q3 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q3 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist and Automatic Brake Activation automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Q3 and the Crosstrek 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 and rearview cameras.

The Audi Q3 weighs 533 to 636 pounds more than the Subaru Crosstrek. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Crosstrek:

	Q3	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	1.06 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	290 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.22 in	1.3 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	6 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	2.01 in	2.17 in
Shoulder Force	379 lbs.	714 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.73 in	1.97 in
Torso Deflection Rate	11 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1049 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

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 Crosstrek’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

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

Reliability

The Audi Q3’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Crosstrek’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 Crosstrek isn’t in the top three in its category.

Engine

The Q3 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (184 vs. 152) and 76 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Q3 40 TFSI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (184 vs. 182) and 43 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Q3 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (228 vs. 182) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (251 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q3 45 TFSI is faster than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Q3	Crosstrek
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	8.1 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	19.3 sec	21.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.3 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91 MPH	88 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q3	Crosstrek
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	11.2 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	12.2 inches

The Q3 stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

	Q3	Crosstrek
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	140 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Crosstrek (235/55R18 vs. 225/60R17). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek (255/45R19 vs. 225/60R17).

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 Crosstrek’s standard 60 series tires. The Q3’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q3 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Crosstrek. The Q3’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Crosstrek Sport/Limited.

Suspension and Handling

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Q3 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

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

Cargo Capacity

The Q3 has a much larger cargo volume than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (23.7 vs. 19.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q3 easier. The Q3’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

	Q3	Crosstrek
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34”/65”	32.1”/63.9”
Max Width	54”	53”
Min Width	39”	43”
Height	28”	30”

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The Q3 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek 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.

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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or 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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek’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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Q3’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Crosstrek and aren’t offered on the Crosstrek Base.

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