- 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.com'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.