Compare the2023 Audi Q5 SportbackVS 2022 Lexus RX

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

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 RX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 Sportback and RX 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 RX’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 RX 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 RX.

Both the Q5 Sportback and the RX 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, lane departure warning systems, 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 Lexus RX:

	Q5 Sportback	RX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	33.2%
Neck Stress	215 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	80/49 lbs.	433/719 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	305
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	40.1%
Neck Stress	134 lbs.	267 lbs.
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	70 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	90/55 lbs.	403/457 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q5 Sportback is safer than the Lexus RX:

	Q5 Sportback	RX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	98 lbs.	110 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	219	275
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	600 lbs.	685 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 RX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

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

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q5 Sportback’s warranty.

Reliability

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

Engine

The Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 268) than the RX 350’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 Sportback gets better mileage than the RX:

			MPG
Q5 Sportback
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/29 hwy
RX
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

Both the Q5 Sportback and the RX 450h have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Q5 Sportback’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The RX 450h requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Q5 Sportback has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 RX 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 RX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q5 Sportback	RX
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q5 Sportback’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RX (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

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 RX’s standard 65 series tires. The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the RX’s optional 55 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 RX. The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the RX.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the RX (111 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

Chassis

The Q5 Sportback is 8.6 inches shorter than the RX, making the Q5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 16 cubic feet). The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (51.9 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The Q5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RX’s (4400 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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 RX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 Q5 Sportback’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the RX’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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 RX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q5 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 RX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q5 Sportback is less expensive to operate than the RX because typical repairs cost much less on the Q5 Sportback than the RX, including $443 less for a water pump, $1243 less for a timing belt/chain and $1663 less for a power steering pump.

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