Compare the2024 Audi Q8 e-tronVS 2024 Porsche Macan Electric

The Q8 e-tron’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q8 e-tron and Macan Electric have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q8 e-tron has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Macan Electric’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Q8 e-tron’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Q8 e-tron 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 Macan Electric 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 Q8 e-tron has Car-to-X Services, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the Q8 e-tron and the Macan Electric have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q8 e-tron weighs 405 to 827 pounds more than the Porsche Macan Electric. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Audi Q8 e-tron 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 Macan Electric has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are over 54 percent more Audi dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q8 e-tron’s warranty.

The Q8 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 479) than the Macan 4 Electric’s standard electric motors.

The Q8 e-tron can travel with zero emissions for 218 to 285 miles (dependent on model). The Macan Electric can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

For better stopping power the Q8 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Macan Electric:

The Q8 e-tron’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Macan Electric are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Q8 e-tron has larger standard tires than the Macan Electric (255/50R20 vs. 235/55R20). The Q8 e-tron’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Macan Electric (265/45R21 vs. 255/45R21).

The Q8 e-tron’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Macan Electric’s standard 55 series front tires.

The Q8 e-tron has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Macan Electric; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q8 e-tron’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Macan Electric (115.1 inches vs. 113.9 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Q8 e-tron has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan Electric (8.1 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Q8 e-tron to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Q8 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume than the Macan Electric with its rear seat up (28.5 vs. 22.9 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q8 e-tron’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Q8 e-tron has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Q8 e-tron’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Macan Electric.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q8 e-tron has a standard rear wiper. A rear wiper costs extra on the Macan Electric.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q8 e-tron has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan Electric doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q8 e-tron, based on reliability, safety and performance.