Compare the2025 Audi A5 SportbackVS 2025 Cadillac CT4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A5 Sportback 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 CT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CT4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A5 Sportback are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The A5 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 CT4 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 A5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the CT4.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A5 Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CT4 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the A5 Sportback and CT4 offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the A5 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 CT4’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the A5 Sportback and the CT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, 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.

Warranty

The A5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the CT4’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

The Audi A5 Sportback’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the CT4’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 24 more horsepower (261 vs. 237) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the CT4’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A5 Sportback gets better mileage than the CT4:

			MPG
A5 Sportback
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/36 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/32 hwy
CT4
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/32 hwy
		2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
		2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CT4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CT4 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The A5 Sportback has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the CT4. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The A5 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 CT4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A5 Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CT4 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A5 Sportback’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CT4:

	A5 Sportback 40 TFSI	A5 Sportback 45 TFSI	CT4	CT4 Sport
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	13.3 inches	11.8 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	13 inches	12.4 inches	12.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A5 Sportback has larger standard tires than the CT4 (245/40R18 vs. 225/45R17). The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CT4 (265/30R20 vs. 235/40R18).

The A5 Sportback’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 CT4 Luxury’s 45 series tires. The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the CT4’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A5 Sportback has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CT4 Luxury. The A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the CT4.

The A5 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 CT4; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the CT4 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

Suspension and Handling

The A5 Sportback offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The CT4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the CT4 (111.2 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A5 Sportback is 2.2 inches wider in the front than on the CT4.

The A5 Sportback Prestige handles at .94 G’s, while the CT4 Premium Luxury pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the A5 Sportback a Mid-size car, while the CT4 is rated a Compact.

The A5 Sportback has .5 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the A5 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 CT4 doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Towing

The A5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CT4’s (3500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The A5 Sportback uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CT4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The A5 Sportback’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The CT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the A5 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 also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the CT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The A5 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 CT4’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The CT4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, standard on the A5 Sportback Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the CT4’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A5 Sportback has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The CT4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Both the Audi A5 Sportback and Cadillac CT4 offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The A5 Sportback offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the CT4’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The A5 Sportback has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the CT4. The A5 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 CT4.

The A5 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 CT4.

The Audi A5 Sportback has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport.

The A5 Sportback Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The CT4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Audi A5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Cadillac CT4 isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

Recommendations

The Audi A5/S5 outsold the Cadillac CT4 by almost three to one during 2023.