Compare the2023 Infiniti QX50VS 2023 Audi Q5

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 QX50 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Infiniti QX50 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 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX50 has standard Rear 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.

Both the QX50 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, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the Audi Q5:

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

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX50 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX50 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Infiniti will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the QX50 has a 130-amp alternator. The Q5’s standard 110-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the QX50 has a standard 720-amp battery. The Q5’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 35 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Infiniti higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Infiniti higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 3 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (268 vs. 201) and 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 236) than the Q5 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (268 vs. 261) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 273) than the Q5 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The QX50 has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q5 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (16 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The QX50 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.

The QX50 stops much shorter than the Q5:

The QX50’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 Q5’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Q5.

The QX50 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 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Q5 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The QX50 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The QX50’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Q5 55 TFSI e’s (36.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q5 55 TFSI e (8.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The QX50’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the Q5 45 TFSI (8.6 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Infiniti QX50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the Audi Q5.

The design of the Infiniti QX50 amounts to more than styling. The QX50 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Q5 (.33 to .34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the QX50 get better fuel mileage.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The QX50 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q5.

The front step up height for the QX50 is 1.1 inches lower than the Q5 (17.2” vs. 18.3”). The QX50’s rear step up height is .3 inches lower than the Q5’s (17.7” vs. 18”).

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 25.8 cubic feet). The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (65.1 vs. 54 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the QX50 easier. The QX50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26.6 inches, while the Q5’s liftover is 29 inches.

The QX50’s cargo area is larger than the Q5’s in every dimension:

The QX50 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 QX50 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 QX50’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 QX50 Sensory/Autograph has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Q5 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Infiniti QX50 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q5.

The QX50 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX50 is less expensive to operate than the Q5 because it costs $382 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the QX50 than the Q5, including $219 less for a muffler, $96 less for front brake pads, $189 less for a starter, $156 less for fuel injection, $99 less for a fuel pump and $134 less for front struts.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Infiniti QX50 and the Audi Q5, based on reliability, safety and performance.