Audi Q3 vs Subaru Crosstrek

The 2021 Audi Q3 embraced the shift towards “postmodern automotive styling.” Amidst an era where some trucks have towering hoods surpassing their engines and electric cars sport grilles without engines behind them, the Q3’s massive Audi corporate grille blended well with its chunky, stout styling. This blend effectively projected an "idea" of utility and dynamic handling, despite primarily delivering on only the latter feature. Inside, the modern aesthetic was evident, with a dash design that framed the center touchscreen, making one of Q3’s standout features focal. This design, which debuted in 2019, once felt unique. However, Audi’s corporate sibling Volkswagen began to catch up with similar, albeit less upscale, designs, making the Q3 interiors still modern and refined, but less special.

The 2021 Q3 was available in Premium and Premium Plus trims. The Premium trim included leather upholstery, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Also standard were a power liftgate, four USB ports, and a suite of high-tech driver assistance features. Additional features could be availed through an optional Convenience Package. The Premium Plus trim added features like remote start, pushbutton start, remote keyless entry, wireless device charging, and a hands-free power liftgate. Although the Prestige trim was discontinued, its features remained available through options and packages, including a $2,700 Technology Package that added a larger touchscreen, a premium stereo, and a digital instrument panel.

Conversely, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek epitomized the approach of converting an existing car model—in this case, the Impreza hatchback—into a crossover by infusing it with rugged looks, available all-wheel drive (AWD), and a high driving position. This strategy allowed the Crosstrek to attract the same customer base that favored the Outback over other station wagons. Visually, the Crosstrek differentiated itself from the Impreza with black body cladding, model-specific 17-inch wheels, and an increased ride height providing 8.7 inches of ground clearance. This transformation gave the Crosstrek more character and off-road capability than the Impreza.

The Crosstrek rode on the Subaru Global Platform, shared with other models like the Legacy/Outback, Ascent, and Forester. This platform demonstrated a higher level of polish and refinement than its predecessors. Interiors, almost identical to the Impreza hatchback, were functional if not particularly exciting. Nevertheless, the Sport trim’s attempted enhancements, such as the clashing Plasma Yellow Pearl accents and simulated cheap-looking carbon fiber trim, didn’t impress. Its water-repellent StarTex upholstery proved practical for outings to the beach.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro AWD. Opting for the S-Line trim, increased the output to 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. This more powerful variant, which previously was the standard engine, became a $2,000 option, justified by a $2,000 lower base MSRP.

This enhanced powertrain matched the vehicle well, offering brisk acceleration and adequate power for high-speed overtaking, accentuated further by the Sport mode of Audi’s Drive Select. However, the base engine’s turbo lag was apparent during hard acceleration or highway passing moves. Despite this, the Q3 stood out for its nimble handling and comfortable ride, balancing both attributes well—a blend that many automakers struggle to achieve.

For 2021, the Subaru Crosstrek introduced a second gasoline powertrain. The new 2.5-liter boxer-four engine, standard on the Sport and Limited trims, delivered 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. The base and Premium trims continued with the older 2.0-liter boxer-four engine, generating 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid option, unchanged since its 2019 debut, remained unannounced for the 2021 model.

The boxer engine configuration, a Subaru hallmark, ensured a lower center of gravity, potentially enhancing handling except that the elevated ride height somewhat negated this benefit. The Crosstrek offered a six-speed manual transmission on Base and Premium trims but mainly relied on the CVT for the larger engine models.

AWD came standard across all trims, bolstered by torque vectoring and X-Mode with hill descent control. The new Sport trim featured Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes. While not designed for extensive off-roading, these features could help during adverse weather conditions. On paved roads, the Crosstrek’s higher center of gravity led to increased body roll, balanced by a comfortable ride and low wind noise.

Our Sport test car with the 2.5-liter engine showed minimal performance enhancement over the 2.0-liter. Although it added 30 hp and 31 lb-ft of torque, the larger engine didn’t feel substantially different, with acceleration still beset by the CVT’s characteristic droning.

The 2021 Audi Q3’s cargo capacity was somewhat limited for its class, offering just 48 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 23.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Although behind-seat space matched up well for a subcompact luxury SUV, folding the seats highlighted its shortcomings. However, the Q3 compensated with impressive passenger space, providing comfortable front seats with multiple storage pockets. Rear seat passengers enjoyed ample headroom and legroom, making it a decent option for four passengers traveling comfortably on a road trip—as long as they packed light.

The Subaru Crosstrek, by contrast, mirrored the Impreza hatchback in terms of front and rear legroom and front headroom, offering slightly more rear headroom. It featured 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with seats up, expanding to 55.3 cubic feet with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats down. This placed the Crosstrek competitive on passenger space compared to other small crossovers, though lacking in cargo capacity behind others like the Honda HR-V and Nissan Rogue Sport.

Despite CVT models having a feature to alert drivers to check the back seat when exiting, the effectiveness of such safety measures remains debatable. The front storage provision in the Crosstrek included a handy cubby hole ahead of the shifter but lacked sufficient USB ports for rear seat passengers. Despite decent-sized bottle holders in the doors, overall storage space felt minimal, reinforcing its closer kinship to compact cars rather than full-fledged crossovers. The Crosstrek’s elevated driving position, while higher than an Impreza’s, didn’t afford a commanding view over other vehicles like traditional SUVs.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came equipped with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Audi’s MMI software. This system boasted logical, ergonomic navigation and standard Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. The upgraded system featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with navigation. Other optional features included wireless device charging, satellite radio, and a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker premium audio system. Additionally, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit was available, replacing the conventional instrument cluster with a customizable digital display capable of showing navigation maps on the entire screen.

In comparison, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek used Subaru’s Starlink infotainment system, starting with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility and Bluetooth. Higher trims like Premium and Sport got a Multimedia Plus upgrade adding WiFi, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an arguably dated single-disc CD player. An 8-inch touchscreen with navigation was standard on the Limited trim and optional on lower trims.

Subaru’s unusual decision to include additional information on a secondary screen above the main touchscreen seemed redundant. Our test car’s 8-inch touchscreen was easy to navigate, responsive, and complemented by large analog knobs and buttons for essential functions, promoting user-friendly interaction. Chunky steering wheel buttons simplified controlling EyeSight driver-assistance features, aiding the driver in avoiding mistakes.

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured Audi Pre Sense and Pre Sense Front as standard. These included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection, alongside lane-departure warning. Optional safety features extended to blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Buyers could also opt for a 360-degree camera system, front-and-rear parking sensors, and self-parking assist for parallel and perpendicular parking.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek earned a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though only achieved four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) previously awarded the 2020 model—the same structurally—with a “Top Safety Pick” rating, contingent on the inclusion of specific optional features.

For 2021, CVT-equipped models boasted standard EyeSight driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control with lane centering and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims included additional features like automatic high beams and reverse automatic braking.

Subaru’s EyeSight system, relying on cameras behind the windshield, offered good functionality but was prone to obstruction by windshield wipers or direct sunlight. However, the cameras’ protected placement could avoid damage and costly repairs compared to grille-mounted sensors. Overall, while adaptive cruise control was competent, it struggled on highway curves. Contrastingly, the blind-spot monitoring system stood out with conspicuous warning lights, enhancing its effectiveness.