Compare the2023 Buick Encore GXVS 2023 Audi Q5 Sportback

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Encore GX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Buick Encore GX 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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Encore GX and the Q5 Sportback 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Buick Encore GX is safer than the Audi Q5 Sportback:

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

Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the Encore GX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5 Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 6 times as many Buick dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore GX’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Encore GX has a 130-amp alternator. The Q5 Sportback’s standard 110-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Encore GX has a standard 760-amp battery. The Q5 Sportback’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Encore GX first among small suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Q5 Sportback isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 100 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 85 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 14th.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Encore GX uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 Sportback requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Encore GX has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Encore GX higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 Sportback (5). This means the Encore GX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 Sportback every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Buick Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder AWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5 Sportback.

The Encore GX has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Encore GX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Encore GX’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Q5 Sportback’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Buick Encore GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 1000 pounds less than the Audi Q5 Sportback.

The Encore GX is 1 foot shorter than the Q5 Sportback, making the Encore GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Encore GX uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Encore GX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Encore GX AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Encore GX can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Q5 Sportback can’t be towed flat on the ground.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 7% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The Encore GX offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Encore GX’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Audi Connect CARE can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Encore GX has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 Sportback only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Encore GX Essence has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Encore GX Essence’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Q5 Sportback Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The Encore GX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Encore GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Encore GX will cost $1955 to $3720 less than the Q5 Sportback over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore GX will be $23289 to $24701 less than for the Audi Q5 Sportback.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Buick Encore GX and the Audi Q5 Sportback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Buick Encore outsold the Audi Q5 by 46% during the 2021 model year.