Hyundai Palisade vs Audi Q3
What's the difference?

Hyundai Palisade

$66,800 - $93,400

2026 price

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Audi Q3

$58,700 - $84,327

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Jeep Grand Cherokee L

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Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

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Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

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Summary

2026 Hyundai Palisade

2026 Audi Q3

By Emily Agar

By Stephen Ottley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Turbo 4, 1.5L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

6.8L/100km (combined)

5.8L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Refined ride and handling
Timeless design
Easy to manoeuvre

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

Dislikes

Rear bench-style seats are firm
Safety systems sometimes clunky
More expensive than rivals

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

2026 Hyundai Palisade Summary

If you’re in the market for an eight-seat family SUV, the Hyundai Palisade has probably already crossed your radar. But now there’s a twist. Hyundai has taken this well-established large SUV and given it a hybrid powertrain.

That puts it up against familiar rivals like the Toyota Kluger GXL Hybrid and Kia Sorento Sport+ Hybrid which are both strong players in the family-friendly space. The version we’re looking at for this review is the mid-spec Elite and we're family-testing it to see if the new hybrid powertrain makes for a winning combo.

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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.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Hyundai Palisade 2026 Audi Q3

Verdict

The new hybrid powertrain for the Hyundai Palisade is a welcome addition for families looking for an efficient three-row SUV that doesn’t drive like a brick and looks good at the school pick up or client lunch. Overall, the Palisade remains a solid, all-round package that deserves praise and the eighth seat is an added bonus.

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.

Hyundai Palisade vs Audi Q3 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Hyundai Palisade vs Audi Q3
What's the difference?