Compare the2022 Audi Q4 e-tron SportbackVS 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and Highlander Hybrid have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 Highlander Hybrid’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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback. But it costs extra on the Highlander Hybrid.

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Highlander Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Highlander Hybrid’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The Q4 50 e-tron Sportback’s standard electric motors produces 52 more horsepower (295 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron Sportback gets better mileage than the Highlander Hybrid:

The Q4 50 e-tron Sportback can travel with zero emissions for 241 miles. The Highlander Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback higher (10 out of 10) than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (7). This means the Q4 e-tron Sportback produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Highlander Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

For better traction and acceleration, the Q4 e-tron Sportback has larger rear tires than the Highlander Hybrid (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s 235/50R20 front and 255/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE/Bronze’s standard 65 series tires. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s tires are lower profile than the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE/Bronze.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback is 1 foot, 2.2 inches shorter than the Highlander Hybrid, making the Q4 e-tron Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander Hybrid with its rear seat up (26.1 vs. 16 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Highlander Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q4 e-tron Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Highlander Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Q4 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 is only available on the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.