Compare the2024 Audi RS 6VS 2023 Tesla Model S

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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The RS 6’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model S doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi RS 6 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Tesla Model S doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The RS 6 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 S 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.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The RS 6 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Model S doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the RS 6 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 S doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The RS 6 has a standard Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model S 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 RS 6’s optional Rear Cross-Traffic Assist uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The RS 6 has standard Audi Connect Care, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S 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 RS 6 and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi RS 6 is safer than the Tesla Model S:

	RS 6	Model S
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	30%
Leg Forces (l/r)	292/435 lbs.	467/415 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 RS 6 is safer than the Tesla Model S:

	RS 6	Model S
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	160
Hip Force	262 lbs.	339 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	197
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	395	449
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	514 lbs.	785 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 RS 6’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Audi vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Tesla.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the RS 6’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Model S:

	RS 6	Model S
Front Rotors	16.5 inches	15 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	14.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the RS 6 has larger standard tires than the Model S (275/35R21 vs. 255/45R19). The RS 6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model S (285/30R22 vs. 265/35R21).

The RS 6’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Model S’ standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires. The RS 6’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the Model S Plaid’s optional 35 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS 6 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Model S. The RS 6’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Model S Plaid.

Suspension and Handling

The RS 6 Avant handles at .95 G’s, while the Model S pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The RS 6 has 7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model S (101 vs. 94).

The RS 6 has 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model S.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the RS 6 easier. The RS 6’s trunk lift-over height is 23.7 inches, while the Model S’ liftover is 26.3 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the RS 6’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Model S doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RS 6’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The RS 6’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model S has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model S, the RS 6 offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The RS 6 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, 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 S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The RS 6’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 Model S’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the RS 6 has a standard rear wiper. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Laser headlights, standard on the RS 6, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Model S’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RS 6 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model S doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The RS 6’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RS 6 has standard extendable sun visors. The Model S doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the RS 6 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model S doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The RS 6 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model S.

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