Compare the2023 Audi e-tronVS 2023 Rivian R1S

The e-tron’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The R1S doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the e-tron and R1S have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The e-tron has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The R1S’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The e-tron’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 R1S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The e-tron 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 R1S 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.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron 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 R1S doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the e-tron and R1S have rear cross-traffic warning, but the e-tron has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The R1S’ Rear Cross-Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the e-tron and the R1S 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, 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 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 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The R1S has not been tested, yet.

The e-tron’s corrosion warranty is 4 years longer than the R1S’ (12 vs. 8 years).

The e-tron S’ standard electric motors produces 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 600) than the R1S Dual Motor’s standard electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the R1S:

For better stopping power the e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the R1S:

For better maneuverability, the e-tron’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the R1S’ (40 feet vs. 43.3 feet).

The Audi e-tron may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1200 pounds less than the Rivian R1S.

The e-tron is 7.8 inches shorter than the R1S, making the e-tron easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The e-tron is 11.9 inches shorter in height than the R1S, making the e-tron much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

For excellent aerodynamics, the e-tron has standard flush composite headlights. The R1S has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the R1S 4dr Sport Utility with its rear seat up (28.5 vs. 17.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the e-tron. The R1S doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The e-tron’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The R1S’ tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the e-tron’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The R1S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its tailgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the R1S, the e-tron 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 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The R1S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The e-tron’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The R1S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the e-tron to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The R1S doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the e-tron 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 R1S’ mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The e-tron (except Premium) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the R1S.

The Audi e-tron outsold the Rivian R1S by almost 16 to one during 2022.