Compare the2026 Audi Q3VS 2026 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Towing
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 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 Q3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Kona doesn’t offer front seat center 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.

The Audi Q3 offers an optional Top View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Hyundai Kona doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q3 weighs 430 to 930 pounds more than the Hyundai Kona. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

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

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Q3 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Hyundai doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Kona.

Reliability

The Audi Q3’s engine uses 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.

Engine

The Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 108 more horsepower (255 vs. 147) and 141 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 132) than the Kona SE/SEL Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (255 vs. 190) and 78 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 195) than the Kona SEL Premium/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Q3 has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona’s standard fuel tank (16.4 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q3 has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona 1.6T’s standard fuel tank (16.4 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.

Transmission

The Q3 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Kona doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q3	Kona 2.0	Kona AWD/1.6T
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 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.

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 SEL Premium/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 SEL Premium/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 has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Kona’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) 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 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 standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Kona doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Q3 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Kona doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 SEL/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Q3 the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or 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 standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Proximity Key standard on the Kona doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q3 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Kona doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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/Limited.

When the Q3 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Kona’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Q3’s standard 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 features standard 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/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.

The Audi Q3 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Hyundai charges extra for Homelink® on the Kona.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi Q3 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Kona SEL/Limited offers wireless charging.

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