Compare the2024 Audi S5 SportbackVS 2024 Acura TLX

The S5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The TLX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the S5 Sportback and TLX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S5 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 TLX’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 S5 Sportback’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The TLX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The S5 Sportback 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 TLX 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the TLX.

Both the S5 Sportback and TLX offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the S5 Sportback with Rear Cross-Traffic Assist also has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The TLX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S5 Sportback and the TLX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

The S5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the TLX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

There are over 12 percent more Audi dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the S5 Sportback’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the S5 Sportback’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the TLX’s camshafts. If the TLX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Acura.

The S5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 77 more horsepower (349 vs. 272) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the TLX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The S5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 354) than the TLX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi S5 Sportback is faster than the Acura TLX:

On the EPA test cycle the S5 Sportback gets better fuel mileage than the TLX Type S (20 city/29 hwy vs. 19 city/25 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the S5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The TLX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

For better stopping power the S5 Sportback’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the TLX:

The S5 Sportback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the TLX are solid, not vented.

The S5 Sportback stops much shorter than the TLX:

For better traction, the S5 Sportback’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the TLX (265/30R20 vs. 255/35R20).

The S5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the TLX’s standard 40 series tires. The S5 Sportback’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the TLX Type S’ 35 series tires.

The S5 Sportback 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 TLX; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The S5 Sportback Prestige handles at .93 G’s, while the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The S5 Sportback Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD (25 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the S5 Sportback’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the TLX’s (38.4 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

The S5 Sportback is 7.4 inches shorter than the TLX, making the S5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the S5 Sportback Prestige is quieter than the TLX Type S (70 vs. 71 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the S5 Sportback a Mid-size car, while the TLX is rated a Compact.

The S5 Sportback has .6 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the TLX.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the S5 Sportback has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The TLX doesn’t offer a power trunk.

The engine in the S5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the TLX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The power windows standard on both the S5 Sportback and the TLX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the S5 Sportback is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The TLX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The S5 Sportback’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The TLX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The TLX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, standard on the S5 Sportback Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the TLX’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the S5 Sportback has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The TLX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The S5 Sportback’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The TLX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the S5 Sportback and the TLX have standard heated front seats. The S5 Sportback Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the TLX.

The S5 Sportback has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the TLX.

The S5 Sportback has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the TLX.

The S5 Sportback Prestige’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The TLX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Audi S5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Acura TLX isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The S5 Sportback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the S5 Sportback will retain 54.47% to 55.05% of its original price after five years, while the TLX only retains 45.75% to 49.71%.

The Audi A5/S5/RS 5 outsold the Acura TLX by 42% during 2023.