Compare the2023 Audi Q5 SportbackVS 2023 Cadillac XT4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The XT4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 Sportback and XT4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 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 XT4’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 Q5 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 XT4 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 Q5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the XT4.

The Q5 Sportback’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the XT4.

Both the Q5 Sportback and the XT4 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning 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 Audi Q5 Sportback is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Q5 Sportback	XT4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	28%
Neck Stress	215 lbs.	218 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	80/49 lbs.	181/231 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	350
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	34%
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	77 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	90/55 lbs.	73/175 lbs.

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, results indicate that the Audi Q5 Sportback is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Q5 Sportback	XT4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	114
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	98 lbs.	185 lbs.
Hip Force	279 lbs.	328 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 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 Q5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 92 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XT4 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Q5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the XT4’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

The Audi Q5 Sportback’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the XT4’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q5 Sportback’s reliability 47 points higher than the XT4.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 7 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

Engine

The Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 26 more horsepower (261 vs. 235) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Q5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Q5 Sportback has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 FWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q5 Sportback has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 16.3 gallons).

Transmission

The Q5 Sportback offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The XT4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Q5 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 XT4 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q5 Sportback’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT4:

	Q5 Sportback	XT4
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q5 Sportback’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT4 (255/45R20 vs. 245/45R20).

The Q5 Sportback’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 XT4’s standard 60 series tires. The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the XT4’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Sportback has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT4. The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the XT4.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the XT4 (111 inches vs. 109.4 inches).

Passenger Space

The Q5 Sportback has .8 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Q5 Sportback’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (51.9 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q5 Sportback easier. The Q5 Sportback’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the XT4’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q5 Sportback’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Q5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT4’s (4400 vs. 2500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Q5 Sportback’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 XT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Q5 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 XT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q5 Sportback 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 XT4 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Q5 Sportback’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 XT4 Luxury’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The XT4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XT4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q5 Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT4 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Q5 Sportback owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Q5 Sportback with a number “5” insurance rate while the XT4 is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

The Q5 Sportback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q5 Sportback will retain 48.81% to 48.82% of its original price after five years, while the XT4 only retains 45.4% to 45.5%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q5 Sportback is less expensive to operate than the XT4 because it costs $282 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Q5 Sportback than the XT4, including $44 less for a muffler, $271 less for a timing belt/chain and $320 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q5 Sportback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac XT4 isn't recommended.

The Audi Q5 outsold the Cadillac XT4 by almost five to one during the 2021 model year.