Compare the2023 Audi Q4 e-tron SportbackVS 2023 Volvo XC60

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 XC60.

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and the XC60 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.

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 Q4 e-tron Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XC60 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

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.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 48 more horsepower (295 vs. 247) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 258) than the XC60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 29 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 310) than the XC60 B6’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron Sportback gets better mileage than the XC60 running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron Sportback gets better mileage than the XC60 running its gasoline engine:

The Q4 e-tron Sportback can travel longer on a full charge than the XC60 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 Sportback higher (10 out of 10) than the Volvo XC60 (5 to 7). This means the Q4 e-tron Sportback produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC60 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the XC60:

For better traction and acceleration, the Q4 e-tron Sportback has larger rear tires than the XC60 (255/45R20 vs. 235/60R18).

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 XC60’s standard 60 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 XC60.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The XC60 Ultimate suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The front and rear suspension of the Q4 e-tron Sportback uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC60, 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 Q4 e-tron Sportback is 4.7 inches shorter than the XC60, making the Q4 e-tron Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback amounts to more than styling. The Q4 e-tron Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .3 Cd. That is lower than the XC60 (.32) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q4 e-tron Sportback get better fuel mileage.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the XC60 with its rear seat up (26.1 vs. 24.4 cubic feet).

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.

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 Q4 e-tron Sportback’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the XC60’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 Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The XC60 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 costs extra on the XC60.

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 XC60 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.