Compare the2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5VS 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Ioniq 5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Ioniq 5 Limited has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Ioniq 5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Ioniq 5 and the Q4 e-tron Sportback 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.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Q4 e-tron Sportback is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

The Ioniq 5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 5 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q4 e-tron Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q4 e-tron Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Ioniq 5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 80 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 77 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 8 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Ioniq 5’s optional electric motors produces 25 more horsepower (320 vs. 295) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (446 vs. 339) than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the Ioniq 5 gets better mileage than the Q4 e-tron Sportback:

The Ioniq 5 can travel longer on a full charge than the Q4 e-tron Sportback on a full charge:

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Q4 e-tron Sportback. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

For better traction, the Ioniq 5 Limited AWD’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q4 e-tron Sportback (255/45R20 vs. 235/50R20).

The Ioniq 5 Limited AWD’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional 50 series front tires.

The Ioniq 5 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is 9.4 inches longer than on the Q4 e-tron Sportback (118.1 inches vs. 108.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Ioniq 5 is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 850 pounds less than the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The design of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 amounts to more than styling. The Ioniq 5 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .288 Cd. That is lower than the Q4 e-tron Sportback (.3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Ioniq 5 get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Ioniq 5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Ioniq 5 has 1.3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ioniq 5’s rear seats recline. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Ioniq 5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q4 e-tron Sportback with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 26.1 cubic feet). The Ioniq 5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q4 e-tron Sportback with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

The Ioniq 5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 Ioniq 5’s standard Proximity Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

The Ioniq 5’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 Q4 e-tron Sportback’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ioniq 5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Ioniq 5 Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Ioniq 5 Limited’s Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q4 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

The Ioniq 5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Ioniq 5 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 2 more times in the last 3 years. The Q4 e-tron Sportback has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 outsold the Audi Q4 e-tron by over three to one during 2023.