Compare the2023 Audi A4 AllroadVS 2022 Volvo V90 Cross Country

The Audi A4 Allroad has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The V90 Cross Country doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the A4 Allroad and the V90 Cross Country have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A4 Allroad its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 122 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The V90 Cross Country is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

The Audi A4 Allroad’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the V90 Cross Country’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Audi vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 17 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 4 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

On the EPA test cycle the A4 Allroad gets better fuel mileage than the V90 Cross Country B6 (23 city/30 hwy vs. 22 city/29 hwy).

Both the A4 Allroad and the V90 Cross Country have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All A4 Allroads have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch costs extra on the V90 Cross Country.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A4 Allroad uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The V90 Cross Country requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The A4 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The V90 Cross Country doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A4 Allroad’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The V90 Cross Country doesn’t offer launch control.

The A4 Allroad stops much shorter than the V90 Cross Country:

For better traction, the A4 Allroad has larger tires than the V90 Cross Country (245/45R18 vs. 235/50R19).

The A4 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the V90 Cross Country’s standard 50 series tires.

The A4 Allroad has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The V90 Cross Country’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The front and rear suspension of the A4 Allroad uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the V90 Cross Country, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Audi A4 Allroad may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the Volvo V90 Cross Country.

The A4 Allroad is 7.7 inches shorter than the V90 Cross Country, making the A4 Allroad easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The A4 Allroad has a larger trunk with its rear seat folded than the V90 Cross Country with its rear seat folded (58.5 vs. 53.9 cubic feet).

The A4 Allroad’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the V90 Cross Country’s (3968 vs. 2000 pounds).

The engine in the A4 Allroad is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the V90 Cross Country. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Volvo. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Volvo is ranked 12th.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A4 Allroad to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the V90 Cross Country.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The A4 Allroad’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the V90 Cross Country’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the A4 Allroad has standard extendable sun visors. The V90 Cross Country doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A4 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi A4/S4 outsold the Volvo 90 Series by almost 11 to one during the 2021 model year.