Compare the2022 Audi SQ5 SportbackVS 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

The SQ5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and Stelvio Quadrifoglio have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ5 Sportback has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The SQ5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the SQ5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio has not been tested, yet.

The SQ5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s (12 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Audi dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the SQ5 Sportback’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Audi 20th in reliability. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is ranked 32nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 15 places higher in reliability than Alfa Romeo.

On the EPA test cycle the SQ5 Sportback gets better fuel mileage than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio (19 city/24 hwy vs. 17 city/23 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the SQ5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The SQ5 Sportback has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio (18.5 vs. 16.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi SQ5 Sportback higher (5 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (3). This means the SQ5 Sportback produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio every 15,000 miles.

The SQ5 Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer launch control.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Stelvio Quadrifoglio; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the SQ5 Sportback is 2.7 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than on the Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

For better maneuverability, the SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s (38.7 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The SQ5 Sportback has 4.4 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, 5.9 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the SQ5 Sportback’s rear seats recline. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s rear seats don’t recline.

The SQ5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 18.5 cubic feet).

The SQ5 Sportback has a 4400 lbs. towing capacity. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio has no towing capacity.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the SQ5 Sportback offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The SQ5 Sportback Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the SQ5 Sportback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the SQ5 Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the SQ5 Sportback is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the SQ5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The SQ5 Sportback Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the SQ5 Sportback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the SQ5 Sportback will cost $2130 to $3700 less than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi SQ5 Sportback will be $17205 to $29371 less than for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

The Audi SQ5 Sportback outsold the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by over six to one during the 2021 model year.