Compare the2024 Subaru OutbackVS 2024 Audi A4 Allroad

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 Outback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Outback (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Outback’s optional 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 A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outback and the A4 Allroad have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Subaru Outback is safer than the Audi A4 Allroad:

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A4 Allroad was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Outback 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A4 Allroad. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A4 Allroad ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Outback has a standard 620-amp battery. The A4 Allroad’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 13 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Outback 2.5i gets better fuel mileage than the A4 Allroad (26 city/32 hwy vs. 23 city/30 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Outback uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A4 Allroad requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Outback has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the A4 Allroad (18.5 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Outback higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Audi A4 Allroad (5). This means the Outback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A4 Allroad every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Subaru Outback as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Audi A4 Allroad is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

The Outback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the A4 Allroad; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Outback is 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A4 Allroad.

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the A4 Allroad’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a 2.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the A4 Allroad (8.7 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 3 inches higher than on the A4 Allroad (9.5 vs. 6.5 inches).

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 200 pounds less than the Audi A4 Allroad.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Outback has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The A4 Allroad uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The front grille of the Outback 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Outback a Mid-Size Station Wagon car, while the A4 Allroad is rated a Small Station Wagon.

The Outback has 17 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 Allroad (109 vs. 92).

The Outback has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4 Allroad.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Outback’s rear seats recline. The A4 Allroad’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the A4 Allroad with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 24.2 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger trunk with its rear seat folded than the A4 Allroad with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 58.5 cubic feet).

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the A4 Allroad only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The A4 Allroad’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Outback’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $2545 to $4390 less than the A4 Allroad over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Outback will be $16818 to $20791 less than for the Audi A4 Allroad.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Audi A4/S4 by almost 12 to one during 2023.