In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Avalon are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A4 doesn't offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Avalon Limited/Touring offers optional Rear Cross-Traffic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A4 doesn't offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Avalon has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A4's blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Avalon has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the A4.

Both the Avalon and the A4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Avalon is safer than the Audi A4:

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

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 Toyota Avalon is safer than the Audi A4:

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

Toyota's powertrain warranty covers the Avalon 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Avalon for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A4.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Avalon's warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Avalon has a standard 582-amp battery. The A4's 420-amp battery isn't as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 32nd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Audi is ranked 14th.

The Avalon's 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 100 more horsepower (301 vs. 201) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (267 vs. 236) than the A4 40 TFSI's standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Avalon's 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 40 more horsepower (301 vs. 261) than the A4 45 TFSI's standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Avalon uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A4 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Toyota Avalon, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A4.

The Avalon offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The A4's suspension doesn't offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Avalon's wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the A4 (113 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Avalon is .9 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A4.

The Avalon Touring executes Motor Trend's “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the A4 Premium (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G's vs. 27.2 seconds @ .64 average G's).

The Avalon Touring uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A4 doesn't offer active noise cancellation.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Avalon a Mid-size car, while the A4 is rated a Compact.

The Avalon has 12.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A4 (104.3 vs. 92).

The Avalon has .1 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4.

The Avalon has a much larger trunk than the A4 (16.1 vs. 12 cubic feet).

The Avalon Limited/Touring's standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver's seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A4 doesn't offer an easy entry system.

Insurance will cost less for the Avalon owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Avalon will cost $1530 to $5575 less than the A4 over a five-year period.

The Avalon will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Avalon will retain 46.36% to 47.7% of its original price after five years, while the A4 only retains 42.99% to 43.13%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Avalon is less expensive to operate than the A4 because it costs $109 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Avalon than the A4, including $319 less for a water pump, $295 less for a muffler, $26 less for front brake pads, $302 less for a starter, $127 less for a fuel pump and $462 less for front struts.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Avalon will be $9075 to $13698 less than for the Audi A4.

The Toyota Avalon has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Toyota Avalon outsold the Audi A4/S4 by 15% during the 2021 model year.