Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 HybridVS 2023 Audi Q5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rav4 Hybrid (except LE/Woodland) offers optional Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q5 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Rav4 Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Rav4 Hybrid and the Q5 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q5:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Q5
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches

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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q5:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Q5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	246 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	185
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	53 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	817 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches

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

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Rav4 Hybrid 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5. 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 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4 Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 67 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

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

Engine

The Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (219 vs. 201) than the Q5 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Hybrid gets better mileage than the Q5 running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Rav4 Hybrid
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/38 hwy
		Woodland 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	38 city/35 hwy
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/27 hwy
		40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/29 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 (5 to 7). This means the Rav4 Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Rav4 Hybrid 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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Rav4 Hybrid stops much shorter than the Q5:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Q5
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Rav4 Hybrid XSE handles at .80 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Hybrid’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Rav4 Hybrid’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Q5 55 TFSI e’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q5 55 TFSI e (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Rav4 Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 800 pounds less than the Audi Q5.

The Rav4 Hybrid is 3.4 inches shorter than the Q5, making the Rav4 Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Rav4 Hybrid 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 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Rav4 Hybrid has .1 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Q5.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 25.8 cubic feet). The Rav4 Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 54 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 Hybrid easier. The Rav4 Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Q5’s liftover is 29 inches.

The Rav4 Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Q5’s in almost every dimension:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Q5
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40”/73.4”	36”/69”
Max Width	59”	48.5”
Min Width	39.4”	41”
Height	36.6”	29.7”

Towing

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 Hybrid uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Rav4 Hybrid has a standard 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 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Rav4 Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Rav4 Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Hybrid Limited offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Q5 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid and the Audi Q5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by over seven to one during the 2022 model year.

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