Compare the2023 Audi Q3VS 2023 Cadillac XT5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Q3 and XT5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q3 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 XT5’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 Audi Q3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XT5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Q3 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 XT5 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q3. But it costs extra on the XT5.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q3’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The XT5 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Q3 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. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q3 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. Only the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Q3 and the XT5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

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 Audi Q3 is safer than the Cadillac XT5:

	Q3	XT5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	112
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	95 lbs.	151 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	159	183
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	632 lbs.	825 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	485 lbs.	799 lbs.

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

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT5 was last qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The Q3’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the XT5’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

The Audi Q3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the XT5’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 11 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q3 gets better mileage than the XT5:

			MPG
Q3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
XT5
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Cadillac XT5 (6 to 7). This means the Q3 produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XT5 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Q3 stops much shorter than the XT5:

	Q3	XT5
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT5 (255/45R19 vs. 235/65R18).

The Q3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT5’s standard 65 series tires. The Q3’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT5’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the XT5 AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Q3’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the XT5’s (38.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Q3’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the XT5 w/20” wheels’ (38.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

Chassis

The Q3 is 1 foot, 1 inches shorter than the XT5, making the Q3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The front step up height for the Q3 is 1 inches lower than the XT5 (17.5” vs. 18.5”). The Q3’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the XT5’s (18” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q3 easier. The Q3’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the XT5’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

Towing

The Q3’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT5’s (1500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Q3’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The XT5’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Q3 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 XT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q3 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The XT5 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Q3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The XT5’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q3’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the XT5’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

Economic Advantages

The Q3 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q3 will retain 50.79% to 50.87% of its original price after five years, while the XT5 only retains 42.02% to 43.14%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q3 is less expensive to operate than the XT5 because it costs $282 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Q3 than the XT5, including $583 less for a muffler, $17 less for front brake pads, $30 less for fuel injection, $48 less for a fuel pump and $294 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q3 will be $10289 to $14225 less than for the Cadillac XT5.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q3 and the Cadillac XT5, based on reliability, safety and performance.