Audi Q4 e-tron vs Ford Mustang Mach-E: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Audi Q4 e-tron burns about $650 of fuel annually against $700 for the Ford Mustang Mach-E. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Audi Q4 e-tron is the stronger commuter at 125 mpg city, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E pulls ahead on the interstate at 104 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Drivetrain and class: the Audi Q4 e-tron is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Ford Mustang Mach-E with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.