Compare the2026 Audi SQ7VS 2026 Tesla Model Y

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XKTUJ-UYCZR 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/12/27

The SQ7’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.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Audi SQ7 achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Tesla Model Y has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the SQ7. But it costs extra on the Model Y.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the SQ7’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Model Y doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The SQ7 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Model Y doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the SQ7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Model Y doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The SQ7 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 SQ7 and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi SQ7 weighs 893 to 1107 pounds more than the Tesla Model Y. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi SQ7 is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

	SQ7	Model Y
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	128 lbs.	145 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	337	358
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	557 lbs.	682 lbs.

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

Warranty

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the SQ7 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, 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 SQ7’s warranty.

Reliability

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.

Engine

The SQ7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 205 more horsepower (500 vs. 295) and 259 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 309) than the Model Y Long Range RWD’s standard electric motor. The SQ7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 103 more horsepower (500 vs. 397) and 179 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 389) than the Model Y Long Range AWD’s standard electric motors. The SQ7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 40 more horsepower (500 vs. 460) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 487) than the Model Y Performance’s standard electric motors.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi SQ7 is faster than the Tesla Model Y:

	SQ7	Model Y Long Range AWD	Model Y Performance
Zero to 60 MPH	3.5 sec	3.9 sec	3.6 sec
Quarter Mile	12 sec	12.3 sec	12.1 sec
Top Speed	151 MPH	127 MPH	150 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the SQ7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

	SQ7	Model Y
Front Rotors	15.8 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.2 inches

The SQ7 stops much shorter than the Model Y:

	SQ7	Model Y
70 to 0 MPH	155 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the SQ7 has larger tires than the Model Y (285/40R21 vs. 255/45R19). The SQ7’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (285/40R21 vs. 255/35R21).

The SQ7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Model Y’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the SQ7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Model Y. The SQ7’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the Model Y Performance.

Suspension and Handling

The SQ7 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the SQ7 flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y Performance suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The SQ7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model Y doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the SQ7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Model Y, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The SQ7 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model Y.

The SQ7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The SQ7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Model Y doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the SQ7’s wheelbase is 4.2 inches longer than on the Model Y (118 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the SQ7 is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

The SQ7 Premium Plus handles at .91 G’s, while the Model Y Long Range AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The SQ7 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Model Y Long Range AWD (25.2 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 25.6 seconds @ .74 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The SQ7 has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Model Y can only carry 6.

The SQ7 has 3.1 inches more front shoulder room and 4.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

Towing

The SQ7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model Y’s (7719 vs. 3500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

A Service Interval Display is standard on the SQ7 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, and vehicle inspections, 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.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, the SQ7 Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The SQ7 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction 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 SQ7 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 SQ7 has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

Laser headlights, standard on the SQ7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Model Y’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The SQ7 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model Y doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The SQ7’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 better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the SQ7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Model Y doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the SQ7 has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the SQ7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The SQ7 Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model Y.

The SQ7 is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model Y, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the SQ7 offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model Y.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the SQ7 equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model Y, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Audi SQ7 empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Audi SQ7 equipped with standard 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.

See Available Inventory