Compare the2025 Honda PassportVS 2024 Audi Q5 Sportback

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 Passport are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Passport deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Passport’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Q5 Sportback’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Passport and the Q5 Sportback 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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

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, results indicate that the Honda Passport is safer than the Audi Q5 Sportback:

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

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Passport 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5 Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Passport for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda 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 Sportback.

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Passport’s warranty.

The engine in the Passport has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Q5 Sportback has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 69 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 14 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 19 more horsepower (280 vs. 261) than the Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Passport’s fuel efficiency. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Passport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 Sportback requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Passport has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Q5 Sportback (19.5 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Passport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Passport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5 Sportback.

For better traction, the Passport has larger standard tires than the Q5 Sportback (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R19). The Passport EX-L/Black Edition’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q5 Sportback (265/45R20 vs. 255/45R20).

The Passport has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 3.3 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q5 Sportback.

The Passport uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Passport has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 4.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q5 Sportback.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat up (41.2 vs. 24.7 cubic feet). The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat folded (77.7 vs. 51.9 cubic feet).

The Passport’s cargo area is larger than the Q5 Sportback’s in every dimension:

The Passport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q5 Sportback’s (5000 vs. 4400 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Passport uses the Vehicle Stability Assist sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Passport’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Q5 Sportback.

The Passport’s standard Push Button Start and Smart Entry allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start standard on the Q5 Sportback only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Passport has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 Sportback only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Passport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The Passport TrailSport/Black Edition has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Passport owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Passport will cost $2705 to $4185 less than the Q5 Sportback over a five-year period.

The Passport will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Passport will retain 52.97% to 53.54% of its original price after five years, while the Q5 Sportback only retains 48.27% to 49.93%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Passport will be $12467 to $17314 less than for the Audi Q5 Sportback.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Passport and the Audi Q5 Sportback, based on reliability, safety and performance.