Compare the2023 Audi e-tron SportbackVS 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Audi e-tron Sportback 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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron Sportback 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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the e-tron Sportback and the XC40 Recharge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Audi e-tron Sportback weighs 1013 pounds more than the Volvo XC40 Recharge. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Reliability

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.

Engine

The e-tron Sportback S’ standard electric motors produces 94 more horsepower (496 vs. 402) and 230 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 487) than the XC40 Recharge’s electric motors.

Fuel Economy and Range

The e-tron Sportback with its standard motors can travel longer on a full charge than the XC40 Recharge (225 miles vs. 223 miles).

Transmission

The e-tron Sportback’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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the e-tron Sportback’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XC40 Recharge:

	e-tron Sportback	XC40 Recharge
Front Rotors	15.7 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.4 inches

The e-tron Sportback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the XC40 Recharge are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the e-tron Sportback has larger standard tires than the XC40 Recharge (255/50R20 vs. 235/50R19). The e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XC40 Recharge (265/45R21 vs. 245/45R20).

The e-tron Sportback’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XC40 Recharge’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the XC40 Recharge. The e-tron Sportback’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XC40 Recharge.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron Sportback uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the XC40 Recharge, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron Sportback has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The XC40 Recharge’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The e-tron Sportback 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 Sportback’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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the e-tron Sportback’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the XC40 Recharge (115 inches vs. 106.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the e-tron Sportback is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the XC40 Recharge.

Chassis

The front grille of the e-tron Sportback uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The e-tron Sportback has 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 3 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the XC40 Recharge.

Cargo Capacity

The e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 20.1 cubic feet). The e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat folded (54.5 vs. 46.6 cubic feet).

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Volvo XC40 Recharge is limited to 2000 pounds. The e-tron Sportback offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

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.

Ergonomics

The e-tron Sportback 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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the XC40 Recharge, the e-tron Sportback 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 Sportback’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The e-tron Sportback Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the e-tron Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the e-tron Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the e-tron Sportback’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The e-tron Sportback 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 XC40 Recharge.

The e-tron Sportback offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the XC40 Recharge.

The e-tron Sportback has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the XC40 Recharge.