Compare the2026 Audi Q4 e-tronVS 2026 Tesla Model Y

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

The Q4 e-tron has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Q4 e-tron and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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.

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

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

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Q4 e-tron for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Audi will pay for cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model Y.

There are over 48 percent more Audi dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q4 e-tron’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

The Q4 e-tron has more powerful engines than the Model Y:

For better stopping power the Q4 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

The Q4 e-tron has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Q4 e-tron flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y Performance suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better maneuverability, the Q4 e-tron 45’s turning circle is 6.3 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (33.5 feet vs. 39.8 feet). The Q4 e-tron 55’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Model Y’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

The Q4 45 e-tron is 8 inches shorter than the Model Y, making the Q4 e-tron easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q4 e-tron has .3 inches more front shoulder room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q4 e-tron 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. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model Y.

The Q4 e-tron Premium Plus offers an optional 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 Model Y doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q4 e-tron to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Model Y doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q4 e-tron has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Consumer Reports rated the Q4 e-tron’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Model Y’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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 Premium Plus offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model Y doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q4 e-tron’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Audi Q4 e-tron optionally equipped with SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.