Compare the2025 Volvo EC40VS 2024 Audi e-tron GT

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 EC40 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EC40 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The EC40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the EC40’s standard Hill Descent Control allow you to creep down safely. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The EC40’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 e-tron GT doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the EC40 and the e-tron GT 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EC40 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Volvo will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the e-tron GT.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volvo higher than Audi.

The EC40’s optional electric motors produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (494 vs. 472) than the e-tron GT’s standard electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the EC40 gets better mileage than the e-tron GT:

The EC40 can travel longer on a full charge than the e-tron GT on a full charge:

For better maneuverability, the EC40’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the e-tron GT’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The Volvo EC40 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Audi e-tron GT.

The EC40 is 1 foot, 9.6 inches shorter than the e-tron GT, making the EC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EC40 has .1 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 3.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the e-tron GT.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the EC40’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the EC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the EC40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EC40 has a standard rear wiper. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EC40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The EC40 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The e-tron GT doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volvo EC40 outsold the Audi e-tron by over two to one during 2023.