Compare the2023 Audi Q5VS 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV

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

Both the Q5 and Sportage PHEV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 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 Sportage PHEV’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 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 Sportage PHEV 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.

Both the Q5 and the Sportage PHEV 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 92 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sportage PHEV is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

The Q5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sportage PHEV’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

The Audi Q5’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Sportage PHEV’s engine uses 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 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than Kia.

The Q5 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Q5 55 TFSI e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 101 more horsepower (362 vs. 261) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Both the Q5 and Sportage PHEV have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Q5 has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Q5 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (14.3 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q5’s standard fuel tank has 7.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (18.5 vs. 11.1 gallons).

A seven-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Audi Q5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage PHEV.

The Q5 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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Q5’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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The Q5’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sportage PHEV are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Q5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sportage PHEV (255/45R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Q5’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage PHEV’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Sportage PHEV’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Q5 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 Sportage PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Q5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Sportage PHEV’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q5 55 TFSI e has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q5’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the Sportage PHEV (111 inches vs. 108.5 inches).

The Q5 has 1.8 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage PHEV.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q5. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sportage PHEV’s (4400 vs. 2000 pounds).

The Q5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sportage PHEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 31% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

The Q5 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Q5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage PHEV’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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

The Q5’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 Sportage PHEV’s 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 Q5’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Sportage PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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

The Q5’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sportage PHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Q5 and the Sportage PHEV have standard heated front seats. The Q5 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage PHEV.

The Q5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q5 will retain 48.77% to 50.66% of its original price after five years, while the Sportage PHEV only retains 45.04% to 45.21%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q5, based on reliability, safety and performance.