Compare the2025 Audi Q4 e-tron SportbackVS 2024 Porsche Cayenne

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 Cayenne doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and Cayenne have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 Cayenne’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.

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Cayenne have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 Cayenne 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 Q4 e-tron Sportback’s warranty.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 133 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 368) than the Cayenne’s standard 3.0 turbo V6. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 479) than the Cayenne E-Hybrid’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (501 vs. 442) than the Cayenne S’ standard 4.0 turbo V8.

On the EPA test cycle the Q4 e-tron Sportback gets better mileage than the Cayenne running its gasoline engine:

The Q4 55 e-tron Sportback can travel with zero emissions for 258 miles. The Cayenne can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s standard 235/50R20 front tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cayenne’s standard 55 series front tires.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49% to 51%) than the Cayenne’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Q4 e-tron Sportback more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Cayenne’s (37.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Q4 e-tron Sportback is 1 foot, 1.3 inches shorter than the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, making the Q4 e-tron Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback amounts to more than styling. The Q4 e-tron Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Cayenne (.3 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q4 e-tron Sportback get better fuel mileage.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback 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 Cayenne doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The Cayenne doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Cayenne.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Porsche Cayenne, based on reliability, safety and performance.