Compare the2025 Audi SQ5 SportbackVS 2024 Porsche Cayenne

The SQ5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cayenne doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and Cayenne have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ5 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 Cayenne’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 SQ5 Sportback’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 Cayenne doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and the Cayenne 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

There are over 54 percent more Audi dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the SQ5 Sportback’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the SQ5 Sportback gets better mileage than the Cayenne running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi SQ5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Cayenne requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The SQ5 Sportback has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The SQ5 Sportback’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 Cayenne’s standard 55 series front tires.

The SQ5 Sportback’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54.3% to 45.7%) than the Cayenne’s (56% to 44%). This gives the SQ5 Sportback more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s (38.7 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Cayenne’s (38.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Audi SQ5 Sportback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 1350 pounds less than the Porsche Cayenne.

The SQ5 Sportback is 9.4 inches shorter than the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, making the SQ5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the SQ5 Sportback easier. The SQ5 Sportback’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Cayenne’s liftover is 31 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the SQ5 Sportback’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Cayenne doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The SQ5 Sportback’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Cayenne’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the SQ5 Sportback has standard extendable sun visors. The Cayenne doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Cayenne.

Insurance will cost less for the SQ5 Sportback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the SQ5 Sportback will cost $365 less than the Cayenne over a five-year period.

The Audi SQ5 Sportback outsold the Porsche Cayenne by almost four to one during 2023.