Meet the new Audi Q4 E-Tron. It’s been no secret, that for months Audi has been planning a smaller electric SUV to complement their larger E-Tron SUV. The Q4 E-Tron is that very car, and it is rather handsome. Audi is pitting it up against cars like the Mercedes EQA and Volvo XC40 recharge, but how does it compare against the Tesla Model Y?
The Audi Q4 E-Tron comes in two body styles. You have the normal classic SUV body and the sleeker classier Sportback model. The base model is the 35 which features a 52 kWh battery under the floor, which pushes out 168hp. It hits 60 in 9 seconds with a top speed of 99 mph. That’s seriously slow performance figures, but not all is bad. The top 50 Quattro model, pushes out 295hp and it hits 60 in 6.2 seconds.
The Model Y blows the Q4 E-Tron out the window when it comes to performance. The standard range RWD Model Y hits 60 in almost a second faster than the quickest Q4 E-Tron right now. There may be an S or RS model of the Q4 E-Tron, but we doubt it will be as quick as the Model Y Performance model.
via motorauthority.com
In terms of looks, the Q4 E-Tron wins it all day. The Model Y just looks far too bland for my liking, looks like an egg on wheels. Despite being an Audi, the Q4 E-Tron is a handsome car. The front looks quite aggressive and the creases on the inside are all very elegant. The Sportback is a lot more aerodynamic thanks to its sloping roofline. I think I actually prefer the SUV over the Sportback, but that’s just my personal opinion. There will surely be people who much prefer the coupe-like Sportback but that’s their choice.
Interior-wise, the Audi wins again. It is very futuristic of course, with the large screens and the weird steering wheel. My favorite thing though about the interior is the quality. It looks expensive, which is another thing the Q4 has against the Model Y. The interior in the Tesla is futuristic, but it doesn’t look expensive at all. It is far too minimalistic and I feel it’s missing way too much inside. It needs an instrument cluster and more buttons! Some people love that look, but others such as myself aren’t too sure about it. Though, I would say the Tesla beats the Audi when it comes to interior technology. That huge screen is so easy to use, and you can play games on it too.
top picture via: autocar.co.uk
So what do we think of the Q4 E-Tron? Can It Really Rival The Model Y Tesla?
picture via: motorauthority.com
Can the Q4 E-Tron really rival the Model Y Tesla? It’s based mainly on the VW ID.4 platform, a car that is very important for the VW brand.
The Audi Q4 will start at $45,000. That’s a lot more than the base RWD Model Y, which is faster by a mile. The range of the base Q4 is 212 miles, whilst the Tesla is 244 miles. That’s not a massive range deficit compared to the Tesla, but it is still less. Things on paper are getting embarrassing for the Audi.
Let’s move away from the performance, and turn to family features.
The Model Y is a stupidly strong SUV, and it scores very high in tests such as the Euro NCAP and the IIHS. The Audi hasn’t been tested yet, but judging by all of their other cars, the Q4 will score very high. In terms of safety, I do believe the Tesla wins. But the Audi is still pretty safe since it features a very rigid body and all the safety technology you need. It’s just that all Tesla’s are built like tanks, with tons of safety features.
The Model Y can seat 7, though it will be pretty cramped. The Q4 only seats five but that isn’t an issue at all. If you want a seven-seater, choose something else. The Model Y has a boot space of 1839 liters which is huge, and that’s without the seats folded down. The interior is also very spacious, and visibility all around is perfect. The Audi on the other hand only has 520 liters with the seats up, and 1490 when they’re down. That is disappointing, but the Q4 is a smaller car.
The Tesla gets a front trunk, whilst the Q4 doesn’t either. It’s not looking good for the Audi at all. In terms of driver aids, the Audi has a very smart cruise control system, automatic emergency braking, etc. Just like any Audi, it is packed with many things to not only protect the driver but to make their life easier.
Unfortunately, it’s nothing compared to the Tesla. The autonomous driving system (known as the “Autopilot” system), can drive the car literally by itself now. It can detect dangers, sudden movements, corners, speed limits, etc. The Autopilot system is the most advanced autonomous driving system ever created. Furthermore, the Model Y has all the safety features the Audi has (mostly as standard) plus so much more. Tesla wins it again here.
Then we come to value for money. Audi is known to be an absolute pain when it comes to optional extras. This is something Tesla CEO, Elon Musk has said himself. I am 90% sure that the base Model Y has more features as standard than a decent spec Audi Q4. There are the automatic updates first of all which keep your car new. You can wake up one day to a car that feels totally new. Faster acceleration, new features, etc. Can the Audi do this?
In terms of charging, Tesla wins again. This is just getting one-sided now, isn’t it? Well, the Audi is getting a better charging network and soon it could be on par with Tesla’s supercharger network. But right now, does anything beat Tesla’s supercharger network? To 80% though, both cars take the same amount of time on a fast charger. However, there are more Tesla fast chargers than normal DC fast chargers.
The one thing the Audi has against the Tesla, is incentives. You can claim up to $7500 on federal incentives as well as a further few thousand on state incentives. In California, it can be up to $3500. You can also claim on home chargers, cables, charging, etc. On the Tesla, you cannot claim as many incentives. Therefore, the Audi can be a cheaper buy than the Tesla by a considerable bit.
What Would We Buy?
picture via: forbes.com
In all honesty, it’s the Tesla that wins it for us. We know that Audi is trying so hard to topple Tesla from their throne, but that’s going to be hard. The Model Y is a big example of how advanced Tesla is, and how far the brand has come. Yes, it looks like an egg on wheels and the interior is blander than a raw potato. But ultimately, it’s a better, faster, and safer car.
incentives make the Audi cheaper, but for what? Options on it are ludicrous, and you don’t get those automatic updates as you do on a Tesla. You don’t get the speed either or the little toys on the touchscreen. The Tesla also is a better handling car too thanks to its low center of gravity.
The Model Y is also very spacious. Call it the cargo space king of medium SUVs. The Audi is smaller, so we must take that into account. However, these two cars are similarly priced, and it makes the Tesla seem like such a bargain. Model Y wins it here, but maybe Audi can soon come up with something a bit more competitive. The VW ID.4 (the car the Q4 is based on) may seem like a better bet against the Tesla since it is cheaper and offers more space than the Q4.
I would also love to see Tesla’s new hatch for Europe. Who knows, it may just be a small crossover SUV to rival the likes of the Q4, Mercedes EQA, Nissan Ariya, etc. It would be wise for Tesla to make a small crossover SUV instead of a hatch since it would be easier to sell in America, yet it would still captivate the hatch market in Europe. Maybe Elon would read this and have a brainwave. There is a Tesla Model 4 and Model 2 expected, so this could be it.