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Video: 2022 Audi E-Tron Vs. 2021 Tesla Model Y
By Cars.com Editors
November 3, 2022About the video
2022 Audi E-Tron Vs. 2021 Tesla Model Y
Transcript
If you haven't been following the auto industry that closely, you might be surprised to learn that Tesla is one of the best selling luxury brands in the US. And a big reason for that is this model, the Model Y SUV, which we named Cars.c
om's best electric vehicle in 2022 and also purchased for our long term test fleet. The model next to me is the 2022 Audi e-tron, which actually beat the Model Y to market in the US with its debut for 2019. It's similar to the Model Y in some respects. It's about the same size. It's also designed for on-road driving, and it has all-wheel drive, but it's quite different in others. Here's a quick look at each of these SUVs and how they compare in some key areas. So starting with the Model Y, we ordered ours in July of 2021 and it was delivered in November of that year. We paid around $60,000 for it, but prices have risen steadily since then. So if you're gonna order this model today, it would cost more than $72,000. This is a long range version with 19 inch wheels and tires, and an optional third row seat, and it has an EP estimated driving range of 326 miles. Other options include this blue paint and also a tow hitch. So for the e-tron, its base price is right around that $72,000 mark of our Tesla, but you can spend significantly more if you choose one of the higher trim levels. We have one of those higher trim levels here. It's the Chronos edition, and it comes with upscale features like a Bang & Olufsen stereo and a leather wrapped interior. This is a 2022 version of it, but to get this vehicle today as a 2023, it's around $89,000 as tested and the EP estimated driving range is 222 miles. The Model Y is one of the sportiest SUVs I've driven in a long time, and that has its trade offs though. Now on the plus side, it's steering is really quick. It gives the vehicle a nimble, agile feel, and at the same time though, it doesn't make it twitchy on the highway, which is another plus. On the downside though, is that the ride quality in the Model Y is very firm and it results in a brittle ride on rough roads and also a noisy ride at times. So driving the e-tron, it lacks the quick ratio steering that gives the Model Y it's go-cart feel, but it's ride quality is better even with the 21 inch wheels that this model has that are larger than what's on the Model Y. It's ride quality is firm, but it doesn't have the busyness that you get when you're driving the Model Y. And one of the big differences between these two SUVs is that the e-tron has an adaptive air suspension while the Model Y has a fixed suspension. One of the other things I like about driving the e-tron is that its cabin is a lot quieter than the Model Y's. There's not the thwacking sounds that you get when you drive the model Y over rougher pavement. It's just more isolated and that's also apparent when you're traveling at highway speeds where noise just doesn't intrude as much when you're in the e-tron. So these two EVs take really different approaches when it comes to their interiors. With the Tesla, it has that minimal aesthetic where many of the vehicle controls are assessed from the large center touchscreen but the e-tron goes a much more traditional route. When you're sitting in it it doesn't really feel that much different than some of Audi's traditional gas powered SUVs like the Q7, but it feels very luxurious. That Audi attention to detail in quality really comes through in the e-tron, and that's something that separates it from the Model Y. Now, the Model Y's materials are nice enough, but they don't feel as nice as you might expect considering what it costs. And I also like the seats in the e-tron better than the Model Y's. They're not quite as narrowed and don't feel as overstuffed and they also come with more amenities including ventilation and massage features. The e-tron also offers relatively common features that the Model Y doesn't get, Things like a head up display, Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, and something as basic as a separate instrument panel rather than the Model Y's use of the upper left corner of its touch screen for vehicle instrumentation. The e-tron has better natural visibility than the Model Y too, particularly rear visibility. And its electronic visibility aids are better positioned as well, like blind spot warning indicators. You can see in your peripheral vision as opposed to the Tesla's blind spot camera views that appear in part of the center screen. The e-tron also has useful 360 degree and front camera views that the Model Y doesn't offer. I've already mentioned the Tesla's significant advantage when it comes to EPA estimated driving range, but it's also much more efficient than the e-tron. When looking at EPA estimates, the Model Y is rated to use 27 kilowatt hours of energy per 100 miles while the e-tron is rated at 43 kilowatt hours. And this has ramifications when it's time to charge these EVs. As the Model Y's greater efficiency means it's able to add more miles of range than the e-tron from the same amount of energy. And this was evident when I charged these SUVs at home for an hour using a 48 amp level two charger. Both SUVs accepted the same amount of energy, 11.2 kilowatt hours, during the charging sessions, but while the Audi added 28 miles of range during the hour, the Tesla added 46 miles of range. When you're away from home and need to charge, Tesla's network of supercharger stations and their integration with the Model Y's navigation system, along with detailed charger information, is a clear advantage over what the e-tron offers. The e-tron has a basic trip planning function, but it's not as polished as what you get in the Model Y. For example, when I was plotting out a route in the e-tron that I've traveled many times before, it suggested I stop at a charge point charger at a concrete company. Now is it open to the public? Who knows? This trip planning function didn't really offer that level of detail, so I didn't have the confidence using it that I do in the Tesla, that these stations are gonna be there when you need them. Tesla's focus on over the air software updates to continually enhance its vehicles long after they've left the factory remains one of the automakers distinguishing features that traditional brands are only now starting to catch up with. But it's also a bit of a a double edged sword as we've learned in our ownership with the Model Y, where at times the interface has changed and features that we've liked having in certain places were no longer there. The e-tron delivers a level of comfort, luxury, and familiarity that the Model Y can't match. But on the other hand, the Model Y's greater efficiency results in real home charging advantages, and its network of superchargers makes longer road trips more doable. Not all of the Model Y's innovations make sense, but many of them do, including its update-ability and its approach to user profiles. All in all, the Model Y does EV things better than the e-tron, but the e-tron is a better luxury vehicle than the Model Y. They represent two different approaches to what a luxury EV SUV should be. So pick the one that most aligns with what you want from this type of vehicle. For more information on both the e-tron and the Model Y, check out cars.com.
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