Compare the2023 Audi e-tronVS 2023 Volvo XC90

The Audi e-tron 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 XC90 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 XC90 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the e-tron and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 weighs 662 to 1485 pounds more than the Volvo XC90. 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 is safer than the Volvo XC90:

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the e-tron, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 6.7% to 9.9% less likely to roll over than the XC90, which received a four-star rating.

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the e-tron its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 135 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XC90 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Audi vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 17 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 8 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

The e-tron has more powerful engines than the XC90:

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi e-tron (base engine) is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the XC90 running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the XC90 running its gasoline engine:

The e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the XC90 on electricity, only, on a full charge:

The e-tron has a standard locking charge port with a remote release located convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XC90. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage; a locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi e-tron higher (10 out of 10) than the Volvo XC90 (5 to 7). This means the e-tron produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC90 every 15,000 miles.

The e-tron’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 XC90 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XC90:

The e-tron stops shorter than the XC90:

For better traction, the e-tron has larger standard tires than the XC90 (255/50R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The e-tron’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XC90’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the XC90.

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the XC90, which uses coil springs in front and transverse leafs springs in the rear. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron Chronos Edition handles at .85 G’s, while the XC90 B6 Core pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The e-tron Chronos Edition executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XC90 B6 Ultimate (26.6 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The front grille of the e-tron uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC90 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The e-tron has .9 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the XC90.

The e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the XC90 with its rear seat up (28.5 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Volvo. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Volvo is ranked 12th.

The e-tron’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The XC90’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The e-tron’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XC90’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the e-tron has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The e-tron has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the XC90.