Compare the2024 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2024 Audi S4

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 Elantra N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Elantra N has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S4.

The Elantra N’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 S4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Elantra N and the S4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Hyundai Elantra N 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 S4 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Elantra N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The S4’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the S4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the S4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra N for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S4.

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 Elantra N’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 above average in initial quality. With 33 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 statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 84 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

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 Elantra N offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The S4 doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Elantra N offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The S4 doesn’t offer an SMG.

For better stopping power the Elantra N’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the S4:

The Elantra N stops shorter than the S4:

The Elantra N handles at .99 G’s, while the S4 Prestige pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hyundai Elantra N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Audi S4.

The Elantra N is 3.4 inches shorter than the S4, making the Elantra N easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The S4 uses conventional rubber.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra N a Mid-size car, while the S4 is rated a Compact.

The Elantra N has 7.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S4 (99.4 vs. 92).

The Elantra N has 2.6 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the S4.

The Elantra N has a much larger trunk than the S4 (14.2 vs. 12 cubic feet).

The Elantra N’s standard Proximity Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Engine Start/Stop standard on the S4 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the S4 Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra N will be $15228 to $20079 less than for the Audi S4.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The S4 has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Audi A4/S4 by almost 10 to one during 2023.