Compare the2023 Audi e-tron SportbackVS 2023 Tesla Model Y

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 Model Y doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The e-tron Sportback’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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 Model Y 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the e-tron Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

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 Model Y doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The e-tron Sportback offers an optional Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the e-tron Sportback’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Automatic Brake Activation automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning 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 Model Y 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 Model Y 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Audi e-tron Sportback weighs 1356 to 1391 pounds more than the Tesla Model Y. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi e-tron Sportback is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	e-tron Sportback	Model Y
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	117 lbs.	145 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	123	358
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	45 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	279	283
Hip Force	631 lbs.	682 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Audi dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the e-tron Sportback’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 13 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Engine

The e-tron Sportback’s standard electric motors produces 77 more horsepower (402 vs. 325) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 475) than the Model Y Long Range’s standard electric motors. The e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 487) than the Model Y Performance’s standard electric motors. The e-tron Sportback S’ standard electric motors produces 41 more horsepower (496 vs. 455) and 230 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 487) than the Model Y Performance’s standard electric motors.

Transmission

The e-tron Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Model Y doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	e-tron Sportback	Model Y
Front Rotors	15.7 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.2 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (265/45R21 vs. 255/35R21).

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

Suspension and Handling

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

The e-tron Sportback has a standard 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 Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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 Model Y doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the e-tron Sportback’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Model Y (115 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

Passenger Space

The e-tron Sportback has 2.2 inches more front shoulder room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

Cargo Capacity

The e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the Model Y with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 16.9 cubic feet).

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 Model Y doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Tesla Model Y is limited to 3500 pounds. The e-tron Sportback offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

A Service Interval Display is standard on the e-tron Sportback to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for vehicle inspections, vehicle inspection based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model Y.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, 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 Model Y 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 Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The e-tron Sportback’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the e-tron Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The e-tron Sportback offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model Y.