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Luxury and sustainability have always seemed mutually exclusive in the auto industry. But with the popularity of EVs, luxury brands such as Audi and Volvo are finding new ways to cut CO2 emissions while delivering maximum power. The 2022 Audi e-tron and Volvo XC40 Recharge offer eco-conscious consumers luxurious performance with the benefits of zero tailpipe emissions. If you’re considering making the switch to an all-electric luxury SUV, check out the Audi e-tron and Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Both offer impressive performance capabilities and plenty of desirable features. However, the 2022 Audi e-tron offers several advantages over the Volvo XC40 Recharge. 

1. The 2022 Audi e-tron has a larger cargo hold than the Volvo XC40 Recharge

2022 Audi e-tron vs 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge
2022 Audi e-tron Prestige trim with Glacier White exterior and Pearl Beige interior | Audi

The Audi e-tron has 28.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, whereas the Volvo XC40 Recharge provides only 25 cubic feet, according to Edmunds. The Audi gives you 3.5 cubic feet more in the cargo area to load with groceries, gear, or luggage when riders occupy all five seats. That makes the 2022 e-tron more practical for family road trips than the XC40 Recharge.

2. The 2022 Audi e-tron has more battery capacity than the Volvo XC40 Recharge

In addition, the 2022 Audi e-tron bests the Volvo XC40 Recharge in battery capacity. The former has a 95-kWh battery, compared with the latter’s 78 kWh. Why is the larger battery capacity better? “Choosing an EV with a higher kWh rating is like buying a car that comes with a larger gas tank in that you’ll be able to drive for more miles before needing a ‘fill up,'” MyEV.com explains.

3. The Audi has more standard torque than the Volvo

As for the two EVs’ standard powertrains, the e-tron produces 490 lb-ft of torque, while the XC40 Recharge makes 486 lb-ft. Why is more torque better? It helps a vehicle get faster acceleration from a dead stop. And better acceleration off the line could help with merging into traffic or avoiding a collision. More torque also helps with towing, which brings us to our next point.

4. The e-tron wins with superior towing capacity

The 2022 Audi e-tron can tow much more than the 2022 XC40 Recharge: 4,000 pounds versus 2,000 pounds. That 2,000-pound difference makes the Audi better equipped to trailer various vehicles and toys. For instance, you could pull a small camper, ATVs, motorcycles, canoes, kayaks, Jet Skis, or snowmobiles with a 4,000-pound capacity. That utility gives the e-tron a significant advantage over the XC40 Recharge.

5. The 2022 Audi e-tron has a potential safety advantage

Although Volvo vehicles are well known for their safety, the 2022 Audi e-tron has one advantage over the XC40 Recharge in that area. That’s because the e-tron’s curb weight is 5,765 pounds, while the XC40 weighs 4,662 pounds — over a thousand pounds’ difference.

“A bigger, heavier vehicle provides better crash protection than a smaller, lighter one, assuming no other differences,” the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) explains. “Heavier vehicles also tend to continue moving forward in crashes with lighter vehicles and other obstacles, so the people inside them are subject to less force.”

However, that doesn’t mean the XC40 Recharge is unsafe. On the contrary — like the e-tron, the 2022 XC40 Recharge earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.

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4 Reasons to Buy a 2022 Audi e-tron, Not a Volvo C40 Recharge