Compare the2025 Nissan AriyaVS 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Ariya are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Ariya has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Ariya Platinum+ 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 Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard ProPilot Assist, the Nissan Ariya is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q4 e-tron, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Ariya	Q4 e-tron
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-15 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-24 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	-32 MPH	-21 MPH

The Ariya’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 Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Ariya and the Q4 e-tron 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Ariya is safer than the Audi Q4 e-tron:

	Ariya	Q4 e-tron
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.8 inches	.8 inches
Neck Compression	34 lbs.	132 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Ariya is safer than the Audi Q4 e-tron:

	Ariya	Q4 e-tron
	Into Pole
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Ariya 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q4 e-tron. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q4 e-tron ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Ariya for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Nissan 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 Q4 e-tron.

There are almost 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ariya’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Ariya’s reliability 14 points higher than the Q4 e-tron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 76 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 76 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 2 places higher in reliability than Audi.

Engine

The Ariya Engage+/Evolve+/Platinum+’s electric motors produces 54 more horsepower (389 vs. 335) than the Q4 55 e-tron’s optional electric motors.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Ariya can travel longer on a full charge than the Q4 e-tron on a full charge:

			Miles
Ariya
	FWD	Evolve+ Electric Motor	289 miles
	AWD	Engage+/Evolve+ Electric Motors	272 miles
		Platinum+ Electric Motors	267 miles
Q4 e-tron
	RWD	Q4 45 e-tron Electric Motor	288 miles
	AWD	Q4 55 e-tron Electric Motors	258 miles

Brakes and Stopping

The Nissan Ariya has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Q4 e-tron. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Ariya stops shorter than the Q4 e-tron:

	Ariya	Q4 e-tron
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Ariya Platinum+’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q4 e-tron (245/45R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Ariya has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Ariya is 2 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q4 e-tron.

The Ariya Platinum+ handles at .86 G’s, while the Q4 e-tron Quattro pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Ariya has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q4 e-tron (6.7 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Ariya to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Nissan Ariya may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Audi Q4 e-tron.

The Ariya Platinum+ uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Ariya has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q4 e-tron.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ariya’s rear seats recline. The Q4 e-tron’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Ariya has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q4 e-tron with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 24.8 cubic feet). The Ariya has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q4 e-tron with its rear seat folded (59.7 vs. 53.1 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Q4 e-tron, the Ariya Platinum+ has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Ariya’s standard Intelligent Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start standard on the Q4 e-tron only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

The Ariya’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q4 e-tron’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ariya has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q4 e-tron only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Nissan Ariya has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Q4 e-tron.

Both the Ariya and the Q4 e-tron have standard heated front seats. The Ariya also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q4 e-tron.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Ariya Platinum+ keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Ariya 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 is only available on the Q4 e-tron Premium Plus/Prestige.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Ariya has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q4 e-tron.

The Ariya Platinum+’s ProPILOT Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Q4 e-tron Premium Plus/Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Ariya and the Audi Q4 e-tron, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Ariya outsold the Audi Q4 e-tron by 25% during 2023.

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