Compare the2026 Audi Q5VS 2025 Cadillac XT4

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 front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The XT4 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Audi Q5 achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Cadillac XT4 has not been tested.

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.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q5 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 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 Audi Q5 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The XT4 has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

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

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Q5 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 1 visits). Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the XT4.

The Audi Q5’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.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q5’s reliability 13 points higher than the XT4.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 5 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The Q5’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.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q5 is faster than the Cadillac XT4:

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 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 Q5 has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the XT4 AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 16.3 gallons).

The Q5 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 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.

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

The Q5 stops shorter than the XT4:

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

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the Q5 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 Q5 Prestige 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 1.5 inches longer than on the XT4 (110.9 inches vs. 109.4 inches).

The Q5 Prestige handles at .88 G’s, while the XT4 Sport AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q5 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the XT4 Sport AWD (26.6 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q5 has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT4 (8.2 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Q5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q5 Prestige’s minimum ground clearance is 2.8 inches higher than on the XT4 (9.5 vs. 6.7 inches).

The Q5 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 Q5’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Q5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (27.6 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 (57.9 vs. 48.9 cubic feet).

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

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.

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 all of them 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 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 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 Q5 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 Q5 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 Q5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the XT4.

The Q5’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The XT4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Cadillac XT4 by over four to one during 2025.