Compare the2025 Mercedes G-ClassVS 2025 Audi SQ5 Sportback

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes G-Class 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 Audi SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 G-Class are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mercedes G-Class 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 SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the G-Class and the SQ5 Sportback 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 driver alert monitors.

The Mercedes G-Class weighs 1222 to 2576 pounds more than the Audi SQ5 Sportback. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the G-Class’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 57 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The G 550’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 94 more horsepower (443 vs. 349) and 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (413 vs. 369) than the SQ5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6. The AMG G 63’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 228 more horsepower (577 vs. 349) and 258 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 369) than the SQ5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6. The G 580’s standard electric motors produces 230 more horsepower (579 vs. 349) and 490 lbs.-ft. more torque (859 vs. 369) than the SQ5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6.

On the EPA test cycle the G 580 running on electricity gets better mileage than the SQ5 Sportback (68 city/53 hwy MPGe vs. 19 city/24 hwy).

The G 580 can travel with zero emissions for 239 miles. The SQ5 Sportback can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the G-Class AMG 63’s fuel efficiency. The SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The G-Class has 7.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the SQ5 Sportback (26.4 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes G-Class, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the SQ5 Sportback.

For better stopping power the AMG G 63’s brake rotors are larger than those on the SQ5 Sportback:

For better traction, the G-Class has larger standard tires than the SQ5 Sportback (265/60R18 vs. 255/45R20). The G-Class’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the SQ5 Sportback (295/40R22 vs. 255/45R20).

The G-Class has a standard full size spare (not available on 580) so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the SQ5 Sportback; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The G-Class AMG 63 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The AMG G 63 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the SQ5 Sportback.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the G-Class’ wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the SQ5 Sportback (113.8 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the G-Class is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the SQ5 Sportback.

The G-Class’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (53% to 47%) than the SQ5 Sportback’s (54.3% to 45.7%). This gives the G-Class more stable handling and braking.

The G-Class has 3.8 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.8 inches more rear headroom, 1.5 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the SQ5 Sportback.

The G-Class has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the SQ5 Sportback with its rear seat up (34.8 vs. 24.7 cubic feet). The G-Class has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SQ5 Sportback with its rear seat folded (68.6 vs. 51.9 cubic feet).

The G-Class’ standard towing capacity is much higher than the SQ5 Sportback’s (7000 vs. 4400 pounds).

The G-Class 580 can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the G-Class can be unhitched and driven around locally. The SQ5 Sportback can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the G-Class uses the Electronic Stability Program sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The SQ5 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The G-Class’ standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the SQ5 Sportback.

The SQ5 Sportback’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The G-Class’ standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Mercedes G-Class has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the SQ5 Sportback.

The G-Class offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the SQ5 Sportback.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes G-Class has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the SQ5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The G-Class’ Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The SQ5 Sportback Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.