Compare the2025 Toyota CrownVS 2024 Audi A4

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

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crown Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A4 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Crown 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 A4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Crown has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake on the Limited/Platinum/Nightshade automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A4.

The Crown’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 A4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Crown and the A4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Toyota Crown 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 A4 has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Crown 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A4. 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 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Crown for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota 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 A4.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Crown’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 Crown’s reliability 11 points higher than the A4.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 50 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 128 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 29th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 19th.

The Crown’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 35 more horsepower (236 vs. 201) than the A4 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Crown Platinum’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 79 more horsepower (340 vs. 261) and 127 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 273) than the A4 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Crown gets better mileage than the A4:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Crown higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi A4 (5). This means the Crown produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A4 every 15,000 miles.

The Crown 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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Crown’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the A4:

The Crown stops shorter than the A4:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crown has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the A4. The Crown’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the A4.

The Crown offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The A4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Crown’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the A4 (112.2 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Crown is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A4.

For better maneuverability, the Crown Platinum’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the A4’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Crown’s turning circle is .1 feet tighter than the A4’s (38 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Crown a Mid-size car, while the A4 is rated a Compact.

The Crown has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 (98 vs. 92).

The Crown has .9 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4.

The Crown has a much larger trunk than the A4 (15.2 vs. 12 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Crown Platinum has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The A4 doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The Crown’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A4 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Crown’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from any outside 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 A4 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

Consumer Reports rated the Crown’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the A4’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The Crown 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 A4.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Crown has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the A4 Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The Crown Platinum’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The A4 Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Insurance will cost less for the Crown owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Crown will cost $1185 less than the A4 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Crown will be $5192 to $8345 less than for the Audi A4.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Crown and the Audi A4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Crown outsold the Audi A4/S4 by 41% during 2023.