Compare the2023 Audi Q4 e-tronVS 2023 Nissan Ariya

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 Ariya doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q4 e-tron and Ariya have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q4 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 Ariya’s 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 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 Ariya 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.

Both the Q4 e-tron and Ariya have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Q4 e-tron has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ariya’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

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

The Q4 e-tron comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Ariya’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Q4 e-tron’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Ariya’s (12 vs. 5 years).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 9 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q4 50 e-tron electric motors is faster than the Ariya + electric motor:

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

The Q4 e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the Ariya on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Q4 e-tron’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Ariya:

For better traction and acceleration, the Q4 e-tron has larger rear tires than the Ariya (255/50R19 vs. 235/55R19).

The Q4 e-tron’s standard 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ariya’s standard 55 series tires.

The Q4 e-tron offers an optional or off-road. The Ariya’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron 40’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Ariya’s (33.5 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The design of the Audi Q4 e-tron amounts to more than styling. The Q4 e-tron offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .28 to .31 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the Ariya (.3 to .33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q4 e-tron get better fuel mileage.

The Q4 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the Ariya with its rear seat up (24.8 vs. 22.8 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q4 e-tron. The Ariya doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q4 e-tron’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ariya’s (2205 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE AWD is only 1500 pounds. The Q4 e-tron offers up to a 2646 lbs. towing capacity.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 18th.

If the windows are left open on the Q4 e-tron the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Ariya can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q4 e-tron’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Ariya’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Ariya doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q4 e-tron’s optional 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 Ariya offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Audi Q4 e-tron outsold the Nissan Ariya by almost 18 to one during 2022.