Compare the2025 Audi Q4 e-tron SportbackVS 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback. But it costs extra on the Mustang Mach-E.

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Mustang Mach-E have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback is safer than the Mustang Mach-E:

The Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 Mustang Mach-E is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Mustang Mach-E’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Mustang Mach-E’s (12 vs. 5 years).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 3 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 71 more horsepower (335 vs. 264) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 387) than the Mustang Mach-E’s standard electric motor. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 45 more horsepower (335 vs. 290) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 387) than the Mustang Mach-E ER’s standard electric motor. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 10 more horsepower (335 vs. 325) and 1 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 500) than the Mustang Mach-E eAWD’s standard electric motors.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback is faster than the Mustang Mach-E ER electric motor:

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron Sportback gets better mileage than the Mustang Mach-E:

The Q4 e-tron Sportback can travel longer on a full charge than the Mustang Mach-E on a full charge:

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a standard locking charge port which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

For better traction, the Q4 e-tron Sportback has larger tires than the Mustang Mach-E (F:235/50R20 & R:255/45R20 vs. 225/55R19).

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s standard 235/50R20 front and 255/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mustang Mach-E’s standard 55 series tires. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional 255/40R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Mustang Mach-E GT’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang Mach-E. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Mustang Mach-E GT.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback handles at .83 G’s, while the Mustang Mach-E 4 pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Mustang Mach-E (26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The Q4 e-tron Sportback is 4.9 inches shorter than the Mustang Mach-E Select/Premium, making the Q4 e-tron Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q4 e-tron Sportback. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a 2650 lbs. towing capacity. The Mustang Mach-E has no towing capacity.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for vehicle inspections, vehicle inspection based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Ford doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Mustang Mach-E.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q4 e-tron Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer headlight washers.

When the Q4 e-tron Sportback with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Mustang Mach-E’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Mustang Mach-E has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Mustang Mach-E.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, based on reliability, safety and performance.