Compare the2025 Subaru SolterraVS 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback

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

The Subaru Solterra 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 Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Subaru Solterra is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Solterra	Q4 e-tron Sportback
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	-23 MPH	-21 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.3 sec	2 sec
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2.1 sec	1.8 sec

The Solterra’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 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

	Solterra	Q4 e-tron Sportback
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	227	264
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	37.1%
Neck Compression	25 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 Subaru Solterra is safer than the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback:

	Solterra	Q4 e-tron Sportback
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars

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

The Subaru Solterra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Q4 e-tron Sportback has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Solterra 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q4 e-tron Sportback. 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 Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Solterra’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 59 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 Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 77 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru first in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 7th.

On the EPA test cycle the Solterra gets better mileage than the Q4 e-tron Sportback:

			MPGe
Solterra
		Premium Electric Motors	114 city/94 hwy
		Limited/Touring Electric Motors	111 city/93 hwy
Q4 e-tron Sportback
		Q4 55 e-tron Sportback Electric Motors	107 city/92 hwy

The Subaru Solterra 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 Sportback. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Q4 e-tron Sportback (112.2 inches vs. 108.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

For better maneuverability, the Solterra’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s (36.7 feet vs. 37.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Solterra has a 2.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q4 e-tron Sportback (8.3 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Solterra to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Solterra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback.

The front grille of the Solterra uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Solterra has .3 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q4 e-tron Sportback.

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

The Solterra has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q4 e-tron Sportback with its rear seat folded (63.5 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 26% lower rating, Audi is ranked 18th.

The Solterra’s standard Keyless Access and Start allow you to unlock the doors from either front 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 Sportback only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Solterra Limited/Touring has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the Solterra and the Q4 e-tron Sportback have standard heated front seats. The Solterra Limited/Touring/Onyx 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 Sportback.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Solterra Touring/Onyx keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q4 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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

The Subaru Solterra outsold the Audi Q4 by 9% during 2024.