Compare the2024 Ford Mustang Mach-EVS 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback

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 Mustang Mach-E are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mustang Mach-E has a standard Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Mustang Mach-E’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 Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Mustang Mach-E and the Q8 e-tron Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Mustang Mach-E 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q8 e-tron Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q8 e-tron Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 10 times as many Ford dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang Mach-E’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Mustang Mach-E’s reliability 15 points higher than the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford 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 Ford vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD electric motors is faster than the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback (base engine):

As tested in Motor Trend the Mustang Mach-E GT electric motors is faster than the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback (base engine):

On the EPA test cycle the Mustang Mach-E gets better mileage than the Q8 e-tron Sportback:

The Mustang Mach-E can travel longer on a full charge than the Q8 e-tron Sportback on a full charge:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mustang Mach-E’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Q8 e-tron Sportback (117.5 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Mustang Mach-E’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s (38.1 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Ford Mustang Mach-E may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1400 pounds less than the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback.

The Mustang Mach-E Select/Premium is 7.9 inches shorter than the Q8 e-tron Sportback, making the Mustang Mach-E easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Mustang Mach-E has .8 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more rear headroom than the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

The Mustang Mach-E has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q8 e-tron Sportback with its rear seat up (29.7 vs. 27.2 cubic feet). The Mustang Mach-E has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q8 e-tron Sportback with its rear seat folded (59.7 vs. 54.5 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 Mustang Mach-E’s exterior PIN entry system. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Mustang Mach-E’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 Q8 e-tron Sportback’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 Mustang Mach-E has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q8 e-tron Sportback only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Q8 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The Mustang Mach-E’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Q8 e-tron Sportback Prestige/Launch Assist’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The Mustang Mach-E is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ford Mustang Mach-E, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Mustang Mach-E third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Q8 e-tron Sportback isn’t in the top three.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Mustang Mach-E as the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Q8 e-tron Sportback has never been chosen.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E outsold the Audi e-tron by almost five to one during 2023.