Compare the2024 Audi Q4 e-tron SportbackVS 2024 Lexus RZ

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

Both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and RZ have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q4 e-tron Sportback has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RZ’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback. But it costs extra on the RZ.

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

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the RZ’s (12 vs. 6 years).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s warranty.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 94 more horsepower (295 vs. 201) and 143 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 196) than the RZ 300e’s standard electric motor. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s electric motors produces 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 321) than the RZ 450e’s optional electric motors.

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

For better stopping power the Q4 e-tron Sportback’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the RZ:

The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s 235/50R20 front and 255/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RZ’s standard 60 series front and 55 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q4 e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RZ.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback is 8.5 inches shorter than the RZ, making the Q4 e-tron Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q4 e-tron Sportback. The RZ doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback has a 2646 lbs. towing capacity. The RZ has no towing capacity.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q4 e-tron Sportback 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. Lexus doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the RZ.

The power windows standard on both the Q4 e-tron Sportback and the RZ have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Q4 e-tron Sportback is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The RZ prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Q4 e-tron Sportback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the RZ can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q4 e-tron Sportback’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the RZ’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Lexus RZ, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi Q4 e-tron outsold the Lexus RZ by almost two to one during 2023.