Compare the2025 Audi Q5VS 2025 Cadillac XT4

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
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The XT4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 and XT4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 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 XT4’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 Q5 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 XT4 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 Q5. But it costs extra on the XT4.

The Q5’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 XT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Q5 and the XT4 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, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi Q5 is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Q5	XT4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	28%
Neck Stress	215 lbs.	218 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	80/49 lbs.	181/231 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	350
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	34%
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	77 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	90/55 lbs.	73/175 lbs.

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 Audi Q5 is safer than the Cadillac XT4:

	Q5	XT4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	114
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	98 lbs.	185 lbs.
Hip Force	279 lbs.	328 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Q5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the XT4’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Reliability

The Audi Q5’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the XT4’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Q5 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 26 more horsepower (261 vs. 235) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Q5 55 TFSI e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 127 more horsepower (362 vs. 235) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q5 55 TFSI e is faster than the Cadillac XT4:

	Q5	XT4
Zero to 60 MPH	4.5 sec	7.8 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	12.2 sec	23 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	4.9 sec	8.2 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3 sec	4.2 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	3.9 sec	5.4 sec
Quarter Mile	13.2 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	104 MPH	87 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 running on electricity gets better mileage than the XT4:

			MPGe
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e Electric Motor	55 city/61 hwy
XT4
			MPG
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the XT4:

			MPG
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/27 hwy
		40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/29 hwy
XT4
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

The Q5 55 TFSI e can travel with zero emissions for 23 miles. The XT4 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Q5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The XT4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Q5’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 16.3 gallons).

The Q5 has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port which lock and unlock with the power locks. The XT4 doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

Transmission

The Q5 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 XT4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Q5’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 XT4 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XT4:

	Q5 40/45 TFSI	Q5 55 TFSI e	XT4
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	13.8 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13 inches	12.4 inches

The Q5 stops much shorter than the XT4:

	Q5	XT4
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XT4 (255/45R20 vs. 245/45R20).

The Q5 Prestige’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT4’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Prestige offers optional 21-inch wheels. The XT4’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Q5 55 TFSI e has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The XT4 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q5’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the XT4 (111 inches vs. 109.4 inches).

The Q5 45 TFSI Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XT4 Sport AWD (27.2 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q5 55 TFSI e has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT4 (8 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Q5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q5 45 TFSI’s minimum ground clearance is 1.5 inches higher than on the XT4 (8.2 vs. 6.7 inches).

Passenger Space

The Q5 has .2 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Q5’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Q5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (25.9 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Q5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (54.1 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q5 easier. The Q5’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the XT4’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

The Q5’s cargo area is larger than the XT4’s in almost every dimension:

	Q5	XT4
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36”/69”	37.5”/67.4”
Max Width	48.5”	50”
Min Width	41”	38.7”
Height	29.7”	26.6”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Q5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT4’s (2750 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac XT4 is only 3500 pounds. The Q5 offers up to a 4400 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Q5’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 XT4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Q5 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 lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the XT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The XT4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XT4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT4 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Q5 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 XT4.

The Q5 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 XT4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Q5 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Q5 with a number “5” insurance rate while the XT4 is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q5 is less expensive to operate than the XT4 because it costs $282 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Q5 than the XT4, including $44 less for a muffler, $271 less for a timing belt/chain and $320 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Cadillac XT4 by over three to one during 2023.

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