Compare the2024 Audi S4VS 2023 Hyundai Elantra N

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi S4 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Elantra N doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The S4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Elantra N doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the S4 and Elantra N have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S4 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 Elantra N’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 Audi S4 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 Elantra N doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The S4’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 Elantra N doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The S4 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 Elantra N 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 S4 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Elantra N doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The S4 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Elantra N only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the S4 and the Elantra N have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi S4 weighs 551 to 661 pounds more than the Hyundai Elantra N. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The S4’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Elantra N’s (12 vs. 7 years).

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 7 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The S4’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 73 more horsepower (349 vs. 276) and 80 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 289) than the Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the S4’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Elantra N doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi S4 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Elantra N requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The S4 has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Elantra N (15.3 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi S4 higher (5 out of 10) than the Hyundai Elantra N (3). This means the S4 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Elantra N every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Audi S4 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Elantra N.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the S4 has larger tires than the Elantra N (255/35R19 vs. 245/35R19).

The S4 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Elantra N; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The S4 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Elantra N’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S4’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the Elantra N (111 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

The S4’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Elantra N’s (62.8% to 37.2%). This gives the S4 more stable handling and braking.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the S4 easier. The S4’s trunk lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Elantra N’s liftover is 28.6 inches.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the S4’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Elantra N’s useful trunk space.

The S4’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Elantra N’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the S4 offers cargo security. The Elantra N’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the S4. The Elantra N doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The S4 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Elantra N uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the S4 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Elantra N. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 34% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the S4, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Elantra N doesn’t offer a memory system.

The S4 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 Elantra N doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The S4’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Elantra N has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The S4’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 Elantra N’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the S4 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 Elantra N can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The S4’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Elantra N’s passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The S4’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 Elantra N’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S4 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Elantra N doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S4 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Elantra N doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the S4 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Elantra N doesn’t offer cornering lights. The S4 Prestige also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the S4 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Elantra N doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the S4 with available tilt-down mirrors 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 Elantra N’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The S4’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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 Elantra N offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the S4 and the Elantra N have standard heated front seats. The S4 Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Elantra N.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the S4 Premium Plus/Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Elantra N doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the S4’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Elantra N doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The S4 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 Elantra N doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The S4 has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Elantra N.

Both the S4 and the Elantra N offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the S4 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Elantra N doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the S4 has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Elantra N doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The S4 Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Elantra N doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

The S4 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the S4 will retain 54.86% to 55.98% of its original price after five years, while the Elantra N only retains 52.19% to 53.5%.

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