Compare the2023 Audi Q7VS 2023 Tesla Model Y

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

Safety

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The Q7’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 Q7 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 Q7’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Q7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera 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 Q7 offers an optional Top View Cameras 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 Q7’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Q7 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 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 Q7 and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 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 Q7 is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	Q7	Model Y
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	128 lbs.	145 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	337	358
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	557 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 Q7’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q7’s reliability 18 points higher than the Model Y.

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 Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 10 more horsepower (335 vs. 325) than the Model Y Long Range’s standard electric motors.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

	Q7	Model Y
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.2 inches

The Q7 stops shorter than the Model Y:

	Q7	Model Y
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	161 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	118 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (285/45R20 vs. 255/35R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q7 Prestige offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Model Y’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Q7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Model Y doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Q7 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Q7 flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Q7 offers an available 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q7’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Model Y (117.9 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Q7 is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

For greater off-road capability the Q7 has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (8.3 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Q7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q7 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 3.1 inches higher than on the Model Y (9.7 vs. 6.6 inches).

Passenger Space

The Q7 has 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, 4.5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.3 inches more third row headroom, 2.7 inches more third row legroom and 8.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Model Y.

Cargo Capacity

The Q7’s cargo area provides more volume than the Model Y.

	Q7	Model Y
Third Seat Folded	37.5 cubic feet	30.7 cubic feet

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q7’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by waving your foot, 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

The Q7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (4400 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Tesla Model Y is only 3500 pounds. The Q7 offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

A Service Interval Display is standard on the Q7 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, and vehicle inspections, 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 Q7 Prestige offers an optional 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 Q7 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 Q7 has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Model Y’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

Consumer Reports rated the Q7’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model Y doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q7’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 better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Q7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Model Y doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q7 has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Q7 (except Premium) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Q7 Prestige 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Tesla Model Y isn't recommended.