Audi Q3 vs. Subaru Forester
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Audi Q3 and Subaru Forester contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Audi Q3 and the Subaru Forester.
When we compare the Audi Q3's and the Subaru Forester's specifications and ratings, the Audi Q3 has the advantage in the area of base engine power. The Subaru Forester has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, reliability, resale value, interior volume and overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Audi Q3's and the Subaru Forester's specifications and ratings, the Subaru Forester is a better car than the Audi Q3.
Pricing: For a new model, the Audi Q3's price is between $41,536 and $50,024, with the Subaru Forester priced between $31,497 and $38,867.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Audi Q3 loses 47.6 percent of its value and the Subaru Forester loses 34.5 percent of its value. This means the Subaru Forester retains 13.1 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Audi Q3.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Audi Q3 is 8.1 out of 10 while the Subaru Forester's quality rating is 8.6 out of 10. This results in the Audi Q3 being ranked 2 out of 13 Best Luxury Subcompact SUVs and the Subaru Forester being ranked 6 out of 19 Best Small SUVs.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Audi Q3 is 6.8 out of 10. For the Subaru Forester the reliability rating is 8.3 out of 10. This gives the Subaru Forester an advantage in reliability compared to the Audi Q3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Audi Q3’s base engine makes 184 horsepower, and the Subaru Forester base engine makes 180 horsepower.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Subaru Forester, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Audi Q3 and the Subaru Forester have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$41,536 - $50,024
Starting MSRP:
$37,400
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
$40,572
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
$25,600 - $49,900
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$31,497 - $38,867
Starting MSRP:
$29,695
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)
$29,563
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)
$28,895 - $30,100
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$41,880
Price Range:
$37,981 - $47,178
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
$45,794
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
$28,730 - $58,418
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
2,668
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
932
# Good or Great Deals:
136
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
Price Range:
-
Category Avg Price:
N/A
Category Avg Price Range:
N/A
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
$18,036
Depreciation %:
48.2%
Resale Value $:
$19,364
Residual Value %:
51.8%
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
46.1%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
43% - 50.6%
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
$10,410
Depreciation %:
35.1%
Resale Value $:
$19,285
Residual Value %:
64.9%
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact SUVs)
34.7%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact SUVs)
31.9% - 40.2%
Audi Q3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.1 / 10
Reliability:
6.8 / 10
Retained Value:
7.5 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
Subaru Forester Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.6 / 10
Reliability:
8.3 / 10
Retained Value:
8.4 / 10
Safety:
9.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Audi Q3
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
12.3
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
11.8
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
11.1 - 12.3
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
9.1%
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Subaru Forester
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
11.1
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)
11.1
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)
10.9 - 13.4
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
10.1%
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
3.7
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
3.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Subcompact SUVs)
1.3 - 6.2
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Audi Q3 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 13Ranking
1 out of / 13Ranking
1 out of / 4Ranking
1 out of / 1Ranking
2 out of / 13Ranking
2 out of / 9Ranking
4 out of / 59Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
7 out of / 13Ranking
8 out of / 13Ranking
9 out of / 13Ranking
9 out of / 13Ranking
10 out of / 13Ranking
11 out of / 68Ranking
11 out of / 68Ranking
21 out of / 68Ranking
24 out of / 68Ranking
26 out of / 68Ranking
31 out of / 68Ranking
43 out of / 68Ranking
44 out of / 68Ranking
53 out of / 68Ranking
58 out of / 68Ranking
61 out of / 68Subaru Forester Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 19Ranking
2 out of / 19Ranking
2 out of / 19Ranking
2 out of / 7Ranking
2 out of / 6Ranking
3 out of / 67Ranking
4 out of / 19Ranking
4 out of / 19Ranking
5 out of / 20Ranking
5 out of / 19Ranking
5 out of / 14Ranking
6 out of / 67Ranking
6 out of / 19Ranking
6 out of / 19Ranking
7 out of / 19Ranking
7 out of / 19Ranking
8 out of / 13Ranking
10 out of / 67Ranking
10 out of / 30Ranking
11 out of / 19Ranking
12 out of / 67Ranking
12 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 19Ranking
15 out of / 19Ranking
17 out of / 67Ranking
17 out of / 67Ranking
19 out of / 67Ranking
24 out of / 67Ranking
26 out of / 67Ranking
28 out of / 59Ranking
32 out of / 67Ranking
33 out of / 67Ranking
49 out of / 67Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Audi Q3 Trim Levels
quattro Premium 40 TFSI, quattro Premium Plus 40 TFSI, quattro S line Prem Plus 45 TFSI, quattro S line Premium 45 TFSI
Subaru Forester Trim Levels
Base, Limited, Premium, Sport, Touring
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
184 hp @ 4800 rpm
Torque:
221 foot-lbs @ 3500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.047 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
180 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque:
178 foot-lbs @ 3700 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.051 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
22 / 29 / 25
Range (city/hwy):
350 / 461 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Flat/Horizontally Opposed
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Available
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Standard
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Available
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Available
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Available
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.6 inches
Front Leg Room:
40 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.7 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
36.1 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Cargo Space:
23.7 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
48 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
107.7 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
41.2 inches
Front Leg Room:
43.3 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57.7 inches
Rear Head Room:
39.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
39.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56.7 inches
Cargo Space:
29.6 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
74.4 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
140.4 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3902 lbs
Width:
79.7 inches
Height:
62.9 inches
Length:
176.6 inches
Wheelbase:
105.5 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.7 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3510 lbs
Width:
81.2 inches
Height:
68.1 inches
Length:
183.3 inches
Wheelbase:
105.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
8.7 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
235/55R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/60R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Mythos Black Metallic
Blue
Navarra Blue Metallic
Gray
Chronos Gray Metallic / Nano Gray Metallic
Orange
Pulse Orange
Red
Progressive Red Metallic
Silver
Florett Silver Metallic
White
Arkona White / Glacier White Metallic
Exterior Colors
Black
Not available
Blue
Horizon Blue Pearl
Gray
Magnetite Gray Metallic
Orange
Not available
Red
Crimson Red Pearl
Silver
Not available
White
Crystal White Pearl
Interior Colors
Beige
Pearl Beige
Black
Black
Brown
Okapi Brown
Gray
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Not available
Brown
Not available
Gray
Gray
