Compare the2023 Toyota VenzaVS 2023 Audi A5 Sportback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Venza are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited has standard Rear Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Venza has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A5 Sportback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Venza has standard rear cross-path warning, helping the driver avoid collisions. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A5 Sportback.

The Venza’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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Venza and the A5 Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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 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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	Venza	A5 Sportback
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	152	164
Leg Forces (l/r)	400/388 lbs.	431/395 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	1 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	340/190 lbs.	324/341 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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	Venza	A5 Sportback
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	172
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	138 lbs.	219 lbs.
Hip Force	246 lbs.	308 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	277
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	299	333
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	47 G’s

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Venza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A5 Sportback last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Venza 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A5 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 A5 Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Venza 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 A5 Sportback.

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 Venza’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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 6th.

Engine

The Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (219 vs. 201) than the A5 Sportback 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Venza gets better mileage than the A5 Sportback:

			MPG
Venza
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/37 hwy
A5 Sportback
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/33 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy

The Venza can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The A5 Sportback can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Venza uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A5 Sportback 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 Venza higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi A5 Sportback (5). This means the Venza produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A5 Sportback every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Venza 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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a CVT.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Venza is .5 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the A5 Sportback.

For better maneuverability, the Venza LE’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the A5 Sportback’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the A5 Sportback’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Venza uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Venza has 7.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A5 Sportback (98.3 vs. 91).

The Venza has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the A5 Sportback.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Venza’s rear seats recline. The A5 Sportback’s rear seats don’t recline.

Ergonomics

The Venza’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

If the windows are left open on the Venza the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the A5 Sportback can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Venza has a standard rear wiper. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Venza has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the A5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Venza, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Venza third among midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The A5 Sportback isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Toyota Venza outsold the Audi A5/S5 by 84% during 2022.