Audi Q3 vs Honda HR-V
What's the difference?

Audi Q3

$58,700 - $84,327

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Honda HR-V

$27,940 - $38,888

2024 price

View pricing & specs

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Renault Megane E-Tech

Renault Scenic E-Tech

Summary

2026 Audi Q3

2024 Honda HR-V

By Stephen Ottley

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.5L

Inline 4, 1.5L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

4.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Stylish, premium looks
Well-integrated technology
Good active safety calibration

Seriously good-looking inside and out
Affordable price tag for grade level
Easy to drive in the city

Dislikes

No PHEV option (yet)
A few rattles in our test car
Small back seat

Missing features you'd expect for top model
Safety could and should be better
Engine gets whiny on open roads

2026 Audi Q3 Summary

Replacing a popular model is fraught with danger. Existing customers will tell you they love it, while focus groups of non-customers will tell you why they hate it and sometimes carmakers get caught trying to appease both groups.

Sometimes they’ll make it too big or change too much in the search for more sales and ultimately end up removing the elements that made it popular in the first place.

Which is why Audi has been extra careful with some subtle evolution for this new-generation Q3 SUV and Sportback. This isn’t just a popular model for Audi Australia, it has been the best-selling model for the German brand for more than five years, so getting it wrong would be a disaster.

View full pricing & specs

2024 Honda HR-V Summary

Like many car brands, Honda is storming the hybrid field. The new HR-V brings with it a hybrid powertrain and external facelift but is it enough to keep it competitive in the small SUV segment?

As with any cosmetic surgery you may wonder whether the facelift has been successful.

No tricks – I’ll tell you straight up the new external design might be what you’re looking for if you’re on the hunt for a small SUV that doesn’t look like it moonlights as an Uber for Mr Big Ears (a Noddy reference for any youngsters out there).

We're testing out the top hybrid model, the L, to see what else this urban dweller gets right and what it sometimes gets wrong.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Audi Q3 2024 Honda HR-V

Verdict

So is this new Q3 good enough to remain Audi’s number one choice? In a word, yes.

Audi has resisted the temptation that some brands fall into by making too many changes to a proven sales performer. This new Q3 isn’t radically different from the old Q3, but it has improved in almost every way.

It isn’t different enough to widely expand its appeal to a new wave of customers, but there’s no reason it won’t remain Audi’s most popular choice for the foreseeable future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

The Honda HR-V e:HEV L offers a respectable driving experience in the city but compared to its rivals, it’s features list and safety don’t always stack up. It sort of straddles the fence between basic and lux at times, which is an odd place for a top-model to be but its sharper styling will win hearts and the cabin is still practical.

Audi Q3 vs Honda HR-V What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi Q3 vs Honda HR-V
What's the difference?