Compare the2023 Kia EV6VS 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EV6 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kia EV6 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The EV6 offers optional Parking Collision-Avoidance Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The EV6’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the EV6 and the Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 EV6 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV6 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q4 e-tron Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q4 e-tron Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EV6’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

The EV6’s optional electric motors produces 25 more horsepower (320 vs. 295) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (446 vs. 339) than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors. The EV6 GT’s standard electric motors produces 281 more horsepower (576 vs. 295) and 206 lbs.-ft. more torque (545 vs. 339) than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the EV6 gets better mileage than the Q4 e-tron Sportback:

The EV6 can travel longer on a full charge than the Q4 e-tron Sportback on a full charge:

For better stopping power the EV6 GT’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q4 e-tron Sportback:

The Kia EV6 has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Q4 e-tron Sportback. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

For better traction, the EV6 GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q4 e-tron Sportback (255/40R21 vs. 235/50R20).

The EV6 GT’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional 50 series front and 45 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EV6 GT has standard 21-inch wheels. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The EV6 offers an available 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 Q4 e-tron Sportback’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EV6’s wheelbase is 5.5 inches longer than on the Q4 e-tron Sportback (114.2 inches vs. 108.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the EV6 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The Kia EV6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 900 pounds less than the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The front grille of the EV6 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The EV6 has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EV6’s rear seats recline. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s rear seats don’t recline.

The EV6 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Q4 e-tron Sportback uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The EV6’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Both the EV6 and the Q4 e-tron Sportback have standard heated front seats. The EV6 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the EV6 Wind/GT-Line keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia EV6 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The EV6 Wind/GT-Line/GT has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The EV6 (except Light)’s optional Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q4 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

The EV6 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the EV6 first among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Q4 e-tron Sportback isn’t in the top three.