Compare the2022 Audi e-tronVS 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi e-tron are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 xDrive30e doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the e-tron and X3 xDrive30e have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The e-tron 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 X3 xDrive30e’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.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The X3 xDrive30e doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the e-tron and the X3 xDrive30e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Audi e-tron weighs 1179 to 1488 pounds more than the BMW X3 xDrive30e. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi e-tron is safer than the BMW X3 xDrive30e:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the e-tron its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X3 xDrive30e has not been fully tested, yet.

The e-tron’s standard electric motors produce 114 more horsepower (402 vs. 288) and 180 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 310) than the X3 xDrive30e’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The e-tron S’ standard electric motors produce 208 more horsepower (496 vs. 288) and 407 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 310) than the X3 xDrive30e’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the X3 xDrive30e running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the X3 xDrive30e running its gasoline engine:

The e-tron’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 181 to 222 miles on a full charge. The X3 xDrive30e can only travel about 22 miles before it has to start its internal combustion engine.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi e-tron higher (10 out of 10) than the BMW X3 xDrive30e (7). This means the e-tron produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X3 xDrive30e every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X3 xDrive30e:

For better traction, the e-tron has larger standard tires than the X3 xDrive30e (255/50R20 vs. 225/60R18). The e-tron’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X3 xDrive30e (265/45R21 vs. 245/45R20).

The e-tron’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X3 xDrive30e’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the X3 xDrive30e. The e-tron’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the X3 xDrive30e.

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the X3 xDrive30e, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The e-tron’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X3 xDrive30e doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the e-tron’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the X3 xDrive30e (115.1 inches vs. 112.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the e-tron is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the X3 xDrive30e.

The e-tron has .5 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3 xDrive30e.

The e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the X3 xDrive30e with its rear seat up (28.5 vs. 27.2 cubic feet).

The e-tron has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The X3 xDrive30e doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X3 xDrive30e, the e-tron Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The e-tron’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 xDrive30e doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The e-tron has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the X3 xDrive30e.

The e-tron Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X3 xDrive30e.