Compare the2025 Cadillac CT5VS 2024 Infiniti Q50

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 CT5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Cadillac CT5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q50 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The CT5’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 Q50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CT5 and the Q50 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, 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 all wheel drive.

There are almost 3 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CT5’s warranty.

The battery on the CT5 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the CT5’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Q50’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti With 23 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Cadillac higher than Infiniti.

The CT5’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 350) than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6.

On the EPA test cycle the CT5 gets better mileage than the Q50:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CT5’s fuel efficiency. The Q50 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CT5’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 Q50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CT5 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 Q50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac CT5 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Infiniti Q50 (3). This means the CT5 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q50 every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The CT5 stops shorter than the Q50:

For better traction, the CT5 has larger standard tires than the Q50 (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R18). The CT5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q50 (255/35R20 vs. 245/40R19).

The CT5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q50 Luxe’s standard 50 series tires. The CT5’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CT5 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Q50’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CT5’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the Q50 (116 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CT5 is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

The CT5 Sport handles at .88 G’s, while the Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The front grille of the CT5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CT5 has .5 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear hip room than the Q50.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CT5’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Q50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The CT5 has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Q50 has no towing capacity.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Infiniti. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 1% lower rating, Infiniti is ranked 6th.

The CT5’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q50 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The CT5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q50 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CT5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Q50’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the CT5 and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the CT5 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Q50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The CT5’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Infiniti Intelligent Key standard on the Q50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the CT5 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q50 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The CT5 has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Q50.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac CT5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The CT5’s Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Q50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the CT5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CT5 will cost $3555 to $9720 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

The CT5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CT5 will retain 49.33% to 50.43% of its original price after five years, while the Q50 only retains 45.32% to 45.77%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Cadillac CT5 will be $10605 to $21892 less than for the Infiniti Q50.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Cadillac CT5 and the Infiniti Q50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Cadillac CT5 outsold the Infiniti Q50 by almost three to one during 2023.