Compare the2024 BMW i7VS 2024 Audi e-tron GT

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 i7 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The i7 has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The i7’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 e-tron GT doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the i7 and the e-tron GT have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The BMW i7 weighs 778 to 1131 pounds more than the Audi e-tron GT. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i7 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW 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 e-tron GT.

There are over 15 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the i7’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 29 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 10 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The i7 has more powerful engines than the e-tron GT:

On the EPA test cycle the i7 gets better mileage than the e-tron GT:

The i7 can travel longer on a full charge than the e-tron GT on a full charge:

For better stopping power the i7’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the e-tron GT:

The i7 stops shorter than the e-tron GT:

The i7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The i7 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the e-tron GT.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i7’s wheelbase is 12.4 inches longer than on the e-tron GT (126.6 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The i7 xDrive60 handles at .93 G’s, while the e-tron GT Prestige pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the i7 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The i7 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The i7 has .5 inches more front headroom, 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 10.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the e-tron GT.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the i7’s available rear seats recline. The e-tron GT’s rear seats don’t recline.

The i7 has a much larger trunk than the e-tron GT (11.4 vs. 9.2 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style and remote trunk release lockout, the i7 offers cargo security. The e-tron GT’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The i7’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 e-tron GT’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the i7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i7 has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The i7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the e-tron GT.

Both the i7 and the e-tron GT offer optional massaging front seats. The i7 also offers optional massaging rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the e-tron GT.

The i7 is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The BMW i7 outsold the Audi e-tron by over three to one during 2023.