Compare the2023 Audi Q4 e-tronVS 2022 Porsche Cayenne

The Q4 e-tron’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cayenne doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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

The Q4 e-tron’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Cayenne.

The Q4 e-tron has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Cayenne’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q4 e-tron has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Cayenne.

Both the Q4 e-tron and the Cayenne have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

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 Q4 e-tron its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 101 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cayenne has not been tested, yet.

There are over 56 percent more Audi dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q4 e-tron’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron gets better mileage than the Cayenne running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron gets better mileage than the Cayenne running its gasoline engine:

The Q4 e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the Cayenne on electricity, only, on a full charge:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q4 e-tron higher (10 out of 10) than the Porsche Cayenne (3 to 5). This means the Q4 e-tron produces up to 36.3 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cayenne every 15,000 miles.

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron 40’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Cayenne w/Rear Wheel Steering’s (33.5 feet vs. 35.1 feet). The Q4 e-tron 50’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Cayenne’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

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

The design of the Audi Q4 e-tron amounts to more than styling. The Q4 e-tron offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .28 to .31 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the Cayenne (.3 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q4 e-tron get better fuel mileage.

If the windows are left open on the Q4 e-tron the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Cayenne can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q4 e-tron has standard extendable sun visors. The Cayenne doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Q4 e-tron is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Q4 e-tron owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q4 e-tron will cost $365 to $10685 less than the Cayenne over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q4 e-tron will be $26672 to $90369 less than for the Porsche Cayenne.