Compare the2023 Audi e-tron SportbackVS 2023 Lucid Motors Air

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

The e-tron Sportback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Air doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron Sportback helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Air doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The e-tron Sportback has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Air doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the e-tron Sportback and the Air have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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 Audi e-tron Sportback weighs 488 to 742 pounds more than the Lucid Motors Air. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 e-tron Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Air has not been tested, yet.

There are over 10 times as many Audi dealers as there are Lucid Motors dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the e-tron Sportback’s warranty.

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

For better traction, the e-tron Sportback has larger standard tires than the Air (255/50R20 vs. 245/45R19). The e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Air (265/45R21 vs. 245/40R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Air. The e-tron Sportback’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Air.

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron Sportback uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Air, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron Sportback has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The e-tron Sportback’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Air doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

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

The e-tron Sportback has .3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Air.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the e-tron Sportback’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Air doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The e-tron Sportback offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity. The Air has no towing capacity.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Air, the e-tron Sportback Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The e-tron Sportback Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Air doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the e-tron Sportback has a standard rear wiper. The Air doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the e-tron Sportback detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Air doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The e-tron Sportback’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Air’s power mirror controls are embedded in the infotainment system, seriously distracting drivers who have to adjust them while driving.

When the e-tron Sportback is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Air’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The e-tron Sportback’s standard 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 Air has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the e-tron Sportback’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Air doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

On extremely cold winter days, the e-tron Sportback’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Air doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Audi e-tron outsold the Lucid Motors Air by almost six to one during 2022.