Compare the2026 Kia SportageVS 2025 Audi new Q5

Both the Sportage and the new Q5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The new Q5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the new Q5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the new Q5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sportage’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 88 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage gets better mileage than the new Q5:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage uses regular unleaded gasoline. The new Q5 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Kia Sportage, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the new Q5.

The Sportage offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the new Q5; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 850 pounds less than the Audi new Q5.

The front grille of the Sportage uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The new Q5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Sportage has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more rear headroom and 3.3 inches more rear legroom than the new Q5.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the new Q5 with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the new Q5 with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 57.1 cubic feet).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The new Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sportage has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the new Q5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sportage’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the new Q5’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Sportage is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The new Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sportage, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by almost three to one during 2024.