Compare the2024 Audi Q5 SportbackVS 2023 Porsche Cayenne Coupe

The Q5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 Sportback and Cayenne Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe’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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Q5 Sportback has a standard backup collision prevention system that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Q5 Sportback’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Cayenne Coupe.

The Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q5 Sportback’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Automatic Brake Activation automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Q5 Sportback and the Cayenne Coupe 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 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 Q5 Sportback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 98 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cayenne Coupe 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 Sportback’s warranty.

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

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Cayenne Coupe 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 Sportback higher (5 out of 10) than the Porsche Cayenne Coupe (3 to 5). This means the Q5 Sportback produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cayenne Coupe every 15,000 miles.

The Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe 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 Sportback 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 Coupe doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Audi Q5 Sportback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 1500 pounds less than the Porsche Cayenne Coupe.

The Q5 Sportback is 9.6 inches shorter than the Cayenne Coupe, making the Q5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi Q5 Sportback amounts to more than styling. The Q5 Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is lower than the Cayenne Coupe (.34 to .35). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q5 Sportback get better fuel mileage.

The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the Cayenne Coupe with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 22 cubic feet).

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

The Q5 Sportback 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 Cayenne Coupe doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

If the windows are left open on the Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

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

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

The Q5 Sportback has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Cayenne Coupe.

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

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