Compare the2024 Mercedes EQBVS 2024 Audi Q4 e-tron

The Mercedes EQB has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The EQB’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 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EQB’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 37 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The EQB has more powerful engines than the Q4 e-tron:

As tested in Car and Driver the EQB 350 is faster than the Q4 50 e-tron electric motors:

On the EPA test cycle the EQB 250+ FWD gets better mileage than the Q4 40 e-tron RWD (114 city/100 hwy vs. 112 city/94 hwy MPGe).

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

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the EQB can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The EQB’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EQB’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Q4 e-tron (111.3 inches vs. 108.7 inches).

The EQB 350 4MATIC handles at .85 G’s, while the Q4 50 e-tron Prestige pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EQB offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Q4 e-tron can only carry 5.

The EQB has 2.2 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more rear headroom and .9 inches more rear legroom than the Q4 e-tron.

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

The EQB’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q4 e-tron.

The EQB uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Q4 e-tron uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Q4 e-tron, the EQB has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The EQB’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside 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 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

The EQB’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q4 e-tron’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EQB offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EQB also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the EQB keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The EQB offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Q4 e-tron.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes EQB has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q4 e-tron.

The EQB offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q4 e-tron doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The EQB’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Q4 e-tron Premium Plus/Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The Mercedes EQB outsold the Audi Q4 e-tron by 9% during 2023.