Compare the2023 Chevrolet BoltVS 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron

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 Bolt are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Chevrolet Bolt 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 Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Bolt 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q4 e-tron. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q4 e-tron ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 10 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bolt’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 92 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

The Bolt’s electric motor produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 229) than the Q4 40 e-tron’s standard electric motor.

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

The Chevrolet Bolt 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. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Bolt’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q4 e-tron’s standard 55 series front tires.

The Bolt has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Bolt can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Chevrolet Bolt may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1250 pounds less than the Audi Q4 e-tron.

The Bolt is 1 foot, 5.5 inches shorter than the Q4 e-tron, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt has 1.6 inches more front headroom and 3.1 inches more front legroom than the Q4 e-tron.

The Bolt has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q4 e-tron with its rear seat folded (57 vs. 53.1 cubic feet).

The Bolt’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’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bolt has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q4 e-tron only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Insurance will cost less for the Bolt owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Bolt will cost $2450 to $3990 less than the Q4 e-tron over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Bolt will be $10120 to $17876 less than for the Audi Q4 e-tron.

The Bolt was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2017. The Q4 e-tron has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bolt as the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Q4 e-tron has never been chosen.

The Chevrolet Bolt outsold the Audi Q4 e-tron by almost 11 to one during 2022.