Compare the2023 Audi Q5VS 2023 Tesla Model X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Model X doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Q5 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model X doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q5’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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 Model X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Q5 has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Q5 and the Model X 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rearview cameras.

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

	Q5	Model X
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	26%
Leg Forces (l/r)	80/49 lbs.	138/94 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	187	228
Neck Stress	134 lbs.	135 lbs.
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	52 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	90/55 lbs.	156/119 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 Audi Q5 is safer than the Tesla Model X:

	Q5	Model X
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	101
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	98 lbs.	157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	219	274
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	600 lbs.	625 lbs.

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

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 Model X has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Audi dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q5’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q5’s reliability 16 points higher than the Model X.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 13 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Q5 55 TFSI e’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 408 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Model X’s range is only 311 to 348 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 15 minutes for only a 49% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge using a conventional 110-volt outlet can take up to 82 hours and 53 minutes.

Brakes and Stopping

The Q5 stops much shorter than the Model X:

	Q5	Model X
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The Q5 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Model X’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.8 feet). The Q5 55 TFSI e’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Model X’s (39.4 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Q5 45 TFSI has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model X (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Q5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Audi Q5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 1100 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The Q5 is 1 foot, 2.8 inches shorter than the Model X, making the Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The Q5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (25.8 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The Q5’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Q5’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q5 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and vehicle inspections based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

Ergonomics

The Q5’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The Q5 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q5 has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model X doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q5’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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 Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Q5’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model X doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Q5 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Q5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q5 will cost $7690 to $10345 less than the Model X over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q5 is less expensive to operate than the Model X because typical repairs cost much less on the Q5 than the Model X, including $336 less for a water pump and $777 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q5 will be $41121 to $43028 less than for the Tesla Model X.

Recommendations

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

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Tesla Model X by almost three to one during 2022.