Compare the2024 Audi SQ8VS 2024 Cadillac Escalade-V

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ8 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac Escalade-V doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

Both the SQ8 and Escalade-V have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ8 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 Escalade-V’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 SQ8 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 Escalade-V 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.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The SQ8 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the SQ8 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Escalade-V uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the SQ8 and the Escalade-V 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and available night vision systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi SQ8 is safer than the Cadillac Escalade-V:

	SQ8	Escalade-V
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	47%
Neck Stress	120 lbs.	272 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	47/47 lbs.	333/811 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi SQ8 is safer than the Cadillac Escalade-V:

	SQ8	Escalade-V
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	593 lbs.	764 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the SQ8, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6.1% less likely to roll over than the Escalade-V, which received a three-star rating.

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the SQ8 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escalade-V has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The SQ8’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the Escalade-V’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the SQ8 has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Escalade-V.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi SQ8 is faster than the Cadillac Escalade-V:

	SQ8	Escalade-V
Zero to 60 MPH	3.6 sec	4.3 sec
Quarter Mile	12.2 sec	12.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	112 MPH	111 MPH
Top Speed	129 MPH	125 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the SQ8 gets better fuel mileage than the Escalade-V (15 city/21 hwy vs. 11 city/16 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the SQ8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the SQ8’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the SQ8’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Escalade-V:

	SQ8	Escalade-V
Front Rotors	15.8 inches	13.5 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.6 inches

The SQ8 stops shorter than the Escalade-V:

	SQ8	Escalade-V
70 to 0 MPH	173 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the SQ8 has larger standard tires than the Escalade-V (285/40R22 vs. 275/50R22). The SQ8’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escalade-V (295/35R23 vs. 275/50R22).

The SQ8’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escalade-V’s standard 50 series tires. The SQ8’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Escalade-V’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the SQ8 offers optional 23-inch wheels. The Escalade-V’s largest wheels are only 22-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The SQ8 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The SQ8 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Cadillac doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Escalade-V.

The SQ8 Prestige handles at .92 G’s, while the Escalade-V pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Audi SQ8 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1000 to 1200 pounds less than the Cadillac Escalade-V.

The SQ8 is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Escalade-V, making the SQ8 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The SQ8 is 9.2 inches shorter in height than the Escalade-V, making the SQ8 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the SQ8’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Escalade-V doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

Cargo Capacity

The SQ8 has a much larger cargo volume than the Escalade-V with its rear seat up (30.5 vs. 25.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the SQ8 easier. The SQ8’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 33.7 inches, while the Escalade-V’s liftover is 37 inches.

Towing

The SQ8’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escalade-V’s (7700 vs. 7000 pounds).

Ergonomics

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SQ8 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The SQ8 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade and power rear side window sunshades are optional in the SQ8 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Escalade-V doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The SQ8 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Escalade-V’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Economic Advantages

The SQ8 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the SQ8 will retain 51.99% to 52.13% of its original price after five years, while the Escalade-V only retains 47.41%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi SQ8 will be $41725 to $46703 less than for the Cadillac Escalade-V.