Consumers love sport utility vehicles (SUVs), so it's no surprise that they are some of the most popular battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The Audi E-tron (and E-tron Sportback) and Tesla Model Y were early entries in this segment.
Both electric SUVs offer brisk performance, premium cabin appointments, and ample room for four adults and their luggage. The Audi E-tron has the edge in elegance and refinement (it's extremely quiet, even by EV standards), and its interior has a more traditional and familiar layout.
The Tesla Model Y, meanwhile, dispenses with most ergonomic conventions and looks like a car from the future. You might not love Tesla's approach for ease of use, but the Model Y costs less and provides significantly more range. It also has access to a more extensive DC fast-charger (DCFC) network.
Which of these electric crossover SUVs is right for you? This 2023 Audi E-tron vs. 2022 Tesla Model Y comparison will help you sort out the details.
Consumers researching 2023 Audi E-tron pricing will find that Audi's pure electric SUV ranges from $70,800 to $95,300, not including the $1,095 destination charge. Five-passenger seating is standard, as is all-wheel drive (AWD). The 2023 E-tron Sportback also seats five but has a fastback roofline. It looks great, and you won't lose much cargo capacity (rear headroom takes a hit, though). The Sportback model starts at $74,000 and tops out at $97,900.
Although the 2022 Audi E-tron qualified for a $7,500 federal tax credit under Section 30D of the IRS tax code, the E-tron is ineligible under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, which requires final vehicle assembly in North America (Audi builds the E-tron in Belgium). To claim the original credit, you must have entered into a binding contract to purchase an E-tron (but not necessarily taken delivery of your vehicle) before August 16, 2022. It's also worth looking into possible state and local incentives.
The base 2023 Audi E-tron and E-tron Sportback use dual electric-drive motors. They come in Premium, Premium Plus, Chronos Edition (regular E-tron only), and Prestige (E-tron Sportback only) trim levels.
Audi offers a higher-performance S version on both E-tron body styles. The 2023 Audi E-tron S and E-tron Sportback S each have three electric-drive motors—one in the front and two in the rear. The S comes in Premium Plus and Prestige trims for both body styles.
Every 2023 Audi E-tron and E-tron Sportback offers typical connected services like automatic collision notification, live emergency assistance, rapid access to roadside services, stolen-vehicle location services, remote locking, and customizable geofencing parameters. For the moment, the above services are complimentary. Audi E-trons also come with a 6-month trial subscription for the Wi-Fi hotspot, Google Earth, Amazon Music, and Integrated Toll Module, which allows your vehicle to serve as a transponder for multiple toll-lane accounts. There are numerous Wi-Fi plans to consider if you buy a paid subscription.
Audi recommends maintenance at 10,000-mile intervals for the 2023 Audi E-tron. The company does not offer free scheduled maintenance. You can, however, get complimentary Level 3 charging at Electrify America stations until you exhaust the 2-year/250-kilowatt-hour (kWh) limit.
Consumers will find that 2022 Tesla Model Y pricing runs from $59,990 to $69,990, not including the $1,200 destination charge. No 2022 Tesla was eligible for the previous federal tax credit, which phased out once a manufacturer sold 200,000 electrified vehicles. But the U.S.-built Model Y will qualify for the new IRA tax credit. You'll just have to wait until January 2023, when the federal government officially lifts the 200,000-vehicle limit.
Tesla's website shows only the 2022 Model Y Long Range ($67,990) and Performance ($69,990) trim levels. The automaker quietly added a base-trim Model Y AWD priced at $59,990 in April 2022. All trims come with two electric motors, AWD, and seating for five. There's an available 2-passenger third-row seat. It's pretty compact, so consider it an occasional-use third row.
Tesla assembles the base Model Y at its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, while it builds other Model Ys in Fremont, California. Tesla still isn't officially taking orders for the base trim level, but there are reports of customers with existing orders that the automaker has offered the opportunity to switch to the Texas-built Model Y.
Tesla offers a diverse range of connected services. In addition to basics like automatic collision notification, remote access features, and Wi-Fi, you get digital key access, PIN to Drive, and Dog Mode. The latter feature allows you to leave well-mannered pets in your vehicle while you run a quick errand. With Dog Mode enabled, the Model Y's climate control maintains a preset temperature, and a message on the infotainment display advises passersby that your best friend is in good health and that you'll return soon.
You've likely heard about Sentry Mode, which records video of parking-lot encounters and potential break-ins; it requires the Premium Connectivity package. There's also Smart Summon, which allows your 2022 Tesla Model Y to come to you in parking lots; it's part of the Enhanced Autopilot package.
Tesla doesn't require scheduled maintenance at specific intervals or provide complimentary service visits. However, the company explicitly advises owners to rotate the tires "every 6,250 miles, or if the tread depth difference is 2/32 inch or greater." Unlimited free access to Tesla's Supercharger DCFC network is a thing of the past, but the company runs occasional promotions to encourage charging during off-peak hours.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y will likely offer high resale value. It ranks highest in the Premium Electric category of the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. ALG Residual Value Awards. The Model Y ranks second among Premium BEVs in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study.
The Audi E-tron does not rank among the top three SUVs in its segment in either the J.D. Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) or the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2023 Audi E-tron comes with the following warranty coverage:
The Tesla Model Y is too new to have participated in the 2022 VDS. The SUV did, however, take part in the 2022 IQS but was ineligible for awards because Tesla Motors does not allow J.D. Power access to owner information in the 15 U.S. states where the automaker must give permission. The 2022 Tesla Model Y comes with the following warranty coverage:
Consumers have their choice of two powertrain configurations for the 2023 Audi E-tron. Base Audi E-trons and Audi E-tron Sportbacks have a 135-kilowatt front-drive electric motor and a 165-kW rear-drive electric motor. The motors draw power from a 95-kWh battery pack. Total system output rates 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque. Audi says the E-tron will reach 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, which is adequate but unremarkable for an EV in this price range.
If your budget allows, you'll undoubtedly want to consider the three-motor S version, which can hit 60 mph in a claimed 4.3 seconds. The 2023 Audi E-tron S and 2023 Audi E-tron S Sportback use a 124-kW front electric motor and two 196-kW rear motors—one for each rear wheel. The battery pack remains 95 kWh. The total output is 429 hp and 596 pound-feet of torque. In addition to their superior acceleration, the S models offer sharper handling, as Audi uses the individual rear motors to provide torque-vectoring capability.
As of this writing, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not published ratings for the 2023 Audi E-tron, but the 2022 ratings should apply. The EPA rates the base 2022 Audi E-tron for 222 miles of range and tallies 43 kWh/100 miles for energy consumption. The 2022 E-tron Sportback is good for 218 miles and 44 kWh/100 miles.
If you select the S version, it's wise to stick with 20-inch wheels, which provide 208 miles of range and 46 kWh/100 miles for the E-tron S and 212 miles and 45 kWh/100 miles for the E-tron S Sportback. With 21- or 22-inch wheels, the range plummets to just 181 miles for the E-tron S.
The base 2023 E-tron and E-tron Sportback have a 4,000-pound tow rating when properly equipped. The S versions are limited to 3,300 pounds, likely due to their higher curb weight—they weigh over 6,000 pounds (for reference, the larger Audi Q7 is about 1,000 pounds lighter).
Audi E-tron owners should budget 10 hours to recharge the battery pack at 240 volts. This is considered Level 2 charging. Most EV owners will need access to it at home, whether it's a deluxe wall unit or a simple 240-volt outlet. Level 3 charging (or DCFC) will replenish 80-percent charge in 30 minutes, but it's intended to top off the battery pack while you're on the go.
Consumers will find that the Texas-built 2022 Tesla Model Y has a 91-kW front electric-drive motor and a 200-kW rear motor. One-pedal driving capability is standard and adds to the fun of piloting Tesla's premium compact SUV.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y Long Range uses similarly rated electric motors, but as its name indicates, it comes with a higher-capacity battery pack. Claimed zero-to-60-mph acceleration is 4.8 seconds. The Tesla Model Y Performance features 133-kW front and 179-kW rear electric motors. Major automotive media outlets have reported sub-4-second zero-to-60-mph times in the Y Performance.
The EPA rates the base 2022 Tesla Model Y for 279 miles of range and energy consumption of 28 kWh/100 miles. The Long Range rates an impressive 330 miles and 28 kWh/100 miles, while the 2022 Tesla Model Y Performance rates 303 miles and 30 kWh/100 miles. The 2022 Tesla Model Y has a 3,500-pound tow rating with the optional tow package.
Consumers will find that the 2023 Audi E-tron comes with an Audi Pre Sense package of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). All trims feature basics like forward-collision warning (FCW) with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning (LDW), and blind-spot warning (BSW) with rear cross-traffic warning. The BSW system includes safe-exit assistance to prevent occupants from opening the doors into approaching traffic.
The E-tron's higher trims add lane-keeping assistance (LKA), intersection turn assistance (ITA), and adaptive cruise control (ACC) with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance (this constitutes Level 2 semi-autonomous driving assistance).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not published crash-test ratings for the 2023 Audi E-tron. Still, the structurally similar 2022 Audi E-tron has a maximum 5-star overall safety rating (4 stars for frontal-impact protection). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also has not rated the crashworthiness of the 2023 E-tron. But the structurally similar 2022 E-tron and 2022 E-tron Sportback achieved Top Safety Pick+ status—the Institute's highest safety accolade.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y provides standard FCW with AEB, BSW, LDW, LKA, and ACC with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance. The available Enhanced Autopilot package adds automatic lane-change capability and Autopark active parking assistance. There's also the optional Full Self Driving (FSD) package. Despite what its name might suggest, it will not allow your Model Y to drive itself. Nevertheless, FSD enables your vehicle to slow automatically for stop signs and red lights on surface streets.
That is, if you get to use it. Model Y owners will find that they have to maintain a high Safety Score to access all of FSD's functionality. You should also be aware of the NHTSA's ongoing investigation of Tesla's semi-autonomous driver-assistance technology following several serious collisions involving Tesla drivers who were apparently using Autopilot.
Despite the controversy, Tesla Motors scores highest in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Tech Experience (TXI) Study, which surveyed owners of new 2021 model-year vehicles. It's an unofficial ranking since the automaker only permits access to owner data in 35 states. Still, enthusiasm for Tesla's ADAS runs high, and the automaker's frequent over-the-air (OTA) software updates likely contribute to owner satisfaction.
In NHTSA crash testing, the 2022 Tesla Model Y earned 5 stars for overall safety. The IIHS rates the 2022 Model Y a Top Safety Pick+.
Both models provide a healthy dose of ADAS and get top crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS. The Model Y has a few more standard safety features and performs well in the TXI Study. Still, the NHTSA investigation and questions surrounding FSD and Autopilot negate those advantages.
All 2023 Audi E-trons have a 12.3-inch touchscreen interface that runs off the company's newest Modular Infotainment Toolkit 3 (MIB 3) platform. It's worth noting that this display is just for infotainment functions, as the E-tron still includes separate climate controls and a traditional instrument panel behind the steering wheel. Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring is wireless, but you'll still need a cable for Android Auto. Factory navigation, natural-voice recognition, and a wireless charging pad are standard.
A 15-inch touchscreen interface is the nerve center inside every 2022 Tesla Model Y. Get comfortable with it. Besides infotainment, you'll use it instead of a traditional instrument panel, and for all climate functions and many secondary controls. Factory navigation, OTA updates, natural-voice recognition, and a wireless charging pad are standard. Tesla's platform doesn't support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. But the automaker offers many built-in apps and an internet browser.
If you're looking for rich materials, the 2023 Audi E-tron features top-grade furnishings. It also comes in a broader array of colors inside and out. But if you're OK with the 2022 Tesla Model Y's minimalist controls, you probably won't mind its plainer interior, especially given how much less Tesla's electric SUV costs.
You'll likely find both SUVs comfortable, though the Audi has the edge in second-row legroom. Tesla offers more cargo capacity, though. The standard E-tron has a 28.5-cubic-foot cargo bay that expands to a seats-folded maximum of 56.4 cubic feet (27.5/54.5 Sportback). The Model Y has a 30.2-cubic-foot cargo bay (26.6 in 7-seaters) plus a 4.1-cubic-foot front trunk or "frunk." With the seats folded, it provides 72.1 cubic feet (67.9 in 7-seaters).
If you'd like to learn more about these electric vehicles, be sure to read our preview of the Audi E-tron and research the 2022 Tesla Model Y. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please keep in mind that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on August 18, 2022, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker's website or your local dealership.
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