Compare the2025 Audi new Q5 SportbackVS 2025 Cadillac XT4

Both the new Q5 Sportback and XT4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new Q5 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 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 new Q5 Sportback has standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically apply 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 new Q5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the XT4.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new Q5 Sportback has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The XT4 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

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

Both the new Q5 Sportback 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 Audi new Q5 Sportback weighs 428 to 608 pounds more than the Cadillac XT4. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

The Audi new Q5 Sportback’s engine uses 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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 14 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The new Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 33 more horsepower (268 vs. 235) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the XT4’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the new Q5 Sportback gets better fuel mileage than the XT4 AWD (22 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/28 hwy).

The new Q5 Sportback has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the XT4 FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The new Q5 Sportback has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 16.3 gallons).

The new Q5 Sportback has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XT4. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The new Q5 Sportback offers an available 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 new Q5 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 XT4 doesn’t offer launch control.

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

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

The new Q5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XT4’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the new Q5 Sportback has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the XT4.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the new Q5 Sportback can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The XT4 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The new Q5 Sportback Prestige has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new Q5 Sportback’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 new Q5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the XT4 (110.9 inches vs. 109.4 inches).

The new Q5 Sportback has .7 inches more front shoulder room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

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

The new Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (25.4 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The new Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (53.1 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

The new Q5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XT4’s (4400 vs. 2000 pounds).

The engine in the new Q5 Sportback 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.

The new Q5 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 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 new Q5 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 XT4 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the new Q5 Sportback 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 new Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The XT4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XT4’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The new Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s 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.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi new Q5 Sportback has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the XT4.

The new Q5 Sportback’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The XT4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Cadillac XT4 by almost three to one during 2024.