Compare the2023 Audi Q4 e-tronVS 2023 Tesla Model X

The Q4 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 Model X doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Q4 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 Model X 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.

The Q4 e-tron offers an optional Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X 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 Q4 e-tron’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 X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Q4 e-tron has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X 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 Q4 e-tron and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact 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 and rearview cameras.

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 Q4 e-tron its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model X has not been tested, yet.

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 Q4 e-tron’s warranty.

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.

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

The Q4 e-tron has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron 40’s turning circle is 7.3 feet tighter than the Model X’s (33.5 feet vs. 40.8 feet). The Q4 e-tron 50’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Model X’s (37.7 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

The Audi Q4 e-tron may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 550 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Q4 e-tron is 1 foot, 6.4 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Q4 e-tron easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q4 e-tron is 5.3 inches narrower than the Model X, making the Q4 e-tron easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Q4 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (24.8 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The Q4 e-tron’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q4 e-tron’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q4 e-tron 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 X.

The Q4 e-tron’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The Q4 e-tron offers an optional 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 Model X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q4 e-tron has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q4 e-tron Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model X doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q4 e-tron’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X 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 Q4 e-tron has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Q4 e-tron’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The Q4 e-tron has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The Q4 e-tron is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model X doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Q4 e-tron owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q4 e-tron will cost $7805 to $9760 less than the Model X over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q4 e-tron will be $49603 to $50305 less than for the Tesla Model X.