Compare the2023 Audi Q5VS 2023 Porsche Cayenne

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 Cayenne doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 and Cayenne 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 Cayenne’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’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Cayenne.

The Q5 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 Cayenne’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q5’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Q5 and the Cayenne have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras 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 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cayenne has not been tested, yet.

There are over 56 percent more Audi dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q5’s warranty.

The Audi Q5’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Cayenne’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q5 55 TFSI e is faster than the Porsche Cayenne turbo V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Cayenne running on electricity:

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

The Q5 can travel longer on electricity, only, on a full charge than the Cayenne on electricity, only, on a full charge:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Cayenne requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi Q5 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Porsche Cayenne (3 to 5). This means the Q5 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cayenne every 15,000 miles.

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 Cayenne doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Q5 has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Audi Q5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 1050 pounds less than the Porsche Cayenne.

The Q5 is 9.4 inches shorter than the Cayenne, making the Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q5 has .6 inches more front headroom and .3 inches more rear headroom than the Cayenne.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q5 easier. The Q5’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Cayenne’s liftover is 31 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Cayenne doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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 Cayenne can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Cayenne’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Cayenne doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Cayenne doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Q5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q5 will cost $250 to $11270 less than the Cayenne over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q5 will be $19395 to $81887 less than for the Porsche Cayenne.

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

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Porsche Cayenne by over four to one during 2022.