Compare the2024 Hyundai Tucson HybridVS 2024 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 Tucson Hybrid 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 Tucson 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 Tucson 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is safer than the Q5:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tucson Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q5 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

The Tucson Hybrid comes with a full 5-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 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Tucson Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Tucson Hybrid’s reliability 11 points higher than the Audi Q5 and 15 points higher than the Audi Q5 55 TFSIe.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 33 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 statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 84 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 8 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Tucson Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 25 more horsepower (226 vs. 201) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 236) than the Q5 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 requires premium for maximum efficiency, 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 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 (5 to 7). This means the Tucson Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 every 15,000 miles.

The Tucson Hybrid stops shorter than the Q5:

The Tucson Hybrid Limited handles at .84 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Premium Plus pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Tucson Hybrid’s turning circle is .1 feet tighter than the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s (38.6 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Tucson Hybrid’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Q5 55 TFSI e’s (38.6 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Tucson Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q5 55 TFSI e (8.3 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Tucson Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Tucson Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is .1 inch higher than on the Q5 45 TFSI (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 800 pounds less than the Audi Q5.

The design of the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid amounts to more than styling. The Tucson Hybrid has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 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 Tucson Hybrid get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Tucson 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.

The Tucson Hybrid has .5 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and 3.3 inches more rear legroom than the Q5.

The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 25.9 cubic feet). The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (74.5 vs. 54.1 cubic feet).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson Hybrid uses the Electronic 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Tucson 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 Tucson Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Tucson Hybrid Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q5 Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Insurance will cost less for the Tucson Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Tucson Hybrid will cost $640 less than the Q5 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid will be $17503 to $23238 less than for the Audi Q5.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Audi Q5 isn't recommended.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by almost three to one during 2022.