Compare the2024 Audi Q4 e-tronVS 2024 Kia Niro EV

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 Niro EV doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q4 e-tron and Niro EV 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 Niro EV’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 Niro EV 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 50 e-tron has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro EV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Niro EV 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.

Both the Q4 e-tron and the Niro EV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi Q4 e-tron weighs 953 to 1140 pounds more than the Kia Niro EV. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Audi Q4 e-tron achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Niro EV has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Q4 e-tron’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the Niro EV’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

The Q4 40 e-tron’s standard electric motor produces 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (229 vs. 188) than the Niro EV’s electric motor. The Q4 50 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 94 more horsepower (295 vs. 201) and 151 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 188) than the Niro EV’s electric motor.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Q4 50 e-tron electric motors is faster than the Kia Niro EV:

The Q4 40 e-tron RWD can travel longer on a full charge than the Niro EV (265 miles vs. 253 miles).

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

The Q4 e-tron stops much shorter than the Niro EV:

For better traction, the Q4 e-tron has larger tires than the Niro EV (F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19 vs. 215/55R17).

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 Niro EV’s standard 55 series tires. The Q4 e-tron Quattro’s optional 235/50R20 front and 255/45R20 rear tires have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile than the Niro EV’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q4 e-tron has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Niro EV. The Q4 e-tron Quattro offers optional 20-inch wheels.

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

The Q4 e-tron has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Niro EV doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q4 e-tron’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Niro EV (108.7 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron 40’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Niro EV’s (33.5 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

The Q4 e-tron has .4 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom and .3 inches more rear legroom than the Niro EV.

The Q4 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro EV 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 Niro EV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q4 e-tron has a 2205 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro EV has no towing capacity.

The Q4 e-tron’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 Niro EV’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Niro EV Wave’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

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 Niro EV can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q4 e-tron to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Niro EV doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Q4 e-tron’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Niro EV’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Q4 e-tron’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Niro EV’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

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 Niro EV 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 Niro EV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Q4 e-tron 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 Niro EV doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q4 e-tron and the Kia Niro EV, based on reliability, safety and performance.