Audi Q5 vs Lexus RX500H

What's the difference?

The updated Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI is a strong example of a luxury base-grade SUV, ticking most of the boxes in styling, comfort and features. It may not always outperform its rivals on paper, but it delivers where it counts, offering a refined, practical and engaging package that will satisfy.

The Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance certainly gave a solid driving performance this week. I was comfortable behind the wheel and enjoyed the luxe features up front. I feel that it's missing some luxe items in the back seat and some of the family storage options that other large SUVs can have but otherwise, it suited my family’s needs. The fuel efficiency was quite surprising for a hybrid, so this gets a 7.0/10 from me.

My son really liked the panoramic roof and his high seating position. So, he gives this an 8.0/10.

The Q5 Sportback is the more attractive sibling when compared to the standard SUV, with a shape that feels more dynamic and sport-oriented. The updated design dials back the sharper creases of the previous model in favour of softer curves, paired with slim matrix LED headlights. The revised 'Singleframe' grille has strong presence and the full-width rear light treatment adds to the Sportback’s visual appeal. Overall, it’s a very handsome vehicle.

Inside, the interior glow-up is immediately noticeable. The large new display takes centre stage in a redesigned dashboard that looks clean and appropriately sophisticated. 

There’s a good mix of materials throughout the cabin, including the beige leather upholstery, although the presence of hard plastics reminds you that this is still a base grade. Even so, the cabin largely hits the right notes for a luxury entry point.

There are a few details that don’t quite land for me. The door-mounted control panel on the driver's side feels busy and a little fiddly to use, and creates an oddly sized and positioned pull handle that just doesn’t feel nice to use. And this is very much a nitpick, but the black stitching on the beige seatbelts catches my eye all the time. None of these are deal-breakers, but they stand out in an otherwise well resolved interior.

The RX is a deceptively large SUV, at first glance the sporty tailoring might make you think it’s the smaller NX sibling but park it and you’ll see how it fills up a space!

It’s 4890mm long and 1920mm wide but the compact 1695mm height is what causes the misdirection.

Let’s get straight into some of the obvious design changes. The iconic ‘spindle’ grille design has been flattened at the top with a new body panel. It’s a design choice that makes the bonnet look more bulbous than sporty but that’s pretty much all I don’t like.  

It was a great choice to lift and level out the sloping of the bonnet because it looks a lot more purposeful now. There’s lots of sporty elements too with the black 21-inch alloy wheels and faux-mesh intake vents at the front and rear. Plus, I’ve always been a fan of the floating roof effect that’s created by the black panelling that shoots from the C-pillar to the rear.

It’s not just the exterior that’s been revamped. The interior now boasts a massive 14-inch touchscreen multimedia system, up from the 12.3-inch screen from the previous generation. The gear shifter is now an e-shifter and the dashboard has been ‘stepped’ to make it feel like you’re being tucked into the cockpit. There’s new ambient lighting inside too, designed to make the interior feel like a luxury lounge.

All round, they’ve nailed the ‘luxury’ aspect.

Up front, the cabin feels spacious and comfortable, with plush (heated) electric seats, while the driver also benefits from a two-position memory function, which is a plus if the car is shared. My main gripe is the short seat bases, which become noticeable on longer drives.

In the rear, comfort largely holds up, though space is better suited to two adults due to the high transmission tunnel. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat is a practical inclusion and helps when juggling passengers and longer items.

Storage is mostly well considered. There’s a generously sized glove box and a couple of useful storage bins in each door, although the centre console is on the smaller side. The dedicated phone tray is a highlight, housing the wireless charging pad, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Both rows get cupholders and bottle storage, while rear passengers also benefit from USB-C ports, climate control, directional air vents and map pockets. Overall, there’s just enough space and amenity for adults or teens to remain comfortable.

Technology is handled by the updated media display, which features a responsive touchscreen and a menu system that’s easy enough to navigate. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are quick to set up, and the built-in satellite navigation is clearly laid out. That said, the near-total absence of physical buttons may frustrate some, with functions like climate control buried within the touchscreen. The number of pop-up disclaimers on start-up also feels excessive.

Boot space is where the Sportback’s sloping roofline has the biggest impact. Load height is limited, and capacity tops out at 515L with all seats in place, making it the smallest in its segment, albeit only by around 10L. I like the deep underfloor storage, along with the cargo cover, net and hands-free powered tailgate. However, the lack of a spare tyre, replaced by a repair kit, is a deal-breaker for me as a country driver, though it may matter less to those with easier access to repair services.

Sometimes you can forget how many luxury items this car has because they've been sprinkled around too sparsely.

For example, front passengers definitely enjoy the most this car has to offer. The legroom and headroom are both great, while the luxe factors feature heavily with the heated and ventilated seats and heated steering wheel. It’s great that there is dual-climate control up front and ample individual storage on offer.

The driver has a lot of technology within easy reach – the 14-inch touchscreen multimedia system is simple to use and has built-in satellite navigation. You can pull the directions into the head-up display and there’s still a healthy mix of physical dials on display. The wireless Apple CarPlay was easy to connect to and there’s also wired Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and digital radio (which was good in the city, terrible in regional areas).

Front passengers are absolutely spoiled when it comes to charging options, too. You can choose between an USB-A port, three USB-C ports, 12-volt port and a wireless charging pad!

When I reviewed the smaller NX sibling, I struggled with the e-latch door handles but finally got used to them on this model (I even like them!). My six-year-old found them to be frustrating at times and if the groans from my family members are to be believed, they weren’t impressed either but I do think it came down to it being a ‘user’ issue!

The backseat is comfortable and perfect for my 168cm height but taller passengers may feel a little cosier. The seats are set in a stadium setting, which does make you feel like you’re teetering in corners but my son loved the high position.

You can comfortably fit a couple of child seats back there but it might be a squeeze for three. The wide door apertures do make it easy to fit a child seat and to bend down to buckle them in.

Individual storage is limited to just map pockets, two cupholders and skinny drink bottle holders in the doors. The amenities never quite make it to luxurious either but I did like seeing two USB-C ports and retractable sun blinds.

The boot space is decently sized at 612L but the aperture is sloped, which means you might struggle to fit some bulky items. It has a level load space and it’s easy to access the temporary spare tyre. The powered tailgate with kick-function is super quick and handy too. 

There are six models for the RX and the 500h Sport Performance completely replaces the previous 450h model as ‘top dog’.

As with most things, the purchase price has shifted upwards with a hearty $126,000 tag (before on-road costs). However, it’s still almost $10K more affordable than its nearest rival, with the X5 at $139,900 and the GLE at $135,200 (all before on-road costs).

Being a top model means you enjoy the perks of many features coming as standard, like electric front seats with lumbar support, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof and leather accented seats and trim.

It even has real aluminium inserts for the accents and a new for 2023 digital rear-view mirror.

The only luxe factor that it doesn’t have, but should for a flagship model, are heated and ventilated outboard seats in the back row.

Other features include some decent tech, like wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, three-zone climate control and a premium Mark Levinson sound system but more on that below.  

The Q5 Sportback TFSI is front-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired with a mild-hybrid system. Combined outputs sit at 150kW and 340Nm, which places it toward the lower end of the segment when stacked against rivals such as the Genesis GV70 2.5T and Mercedes GLC300 Coupe offering 224kW/422Nm and 190kW/400Nm, respectively.

On the road, however, there’s still plenty on offer for everyday driving, with power delivery feeling smooth and accessible. The seven-speed transmission shifts effortlessly, helping the Q5 Sportback feel refined and easy to live with, even if outright performance isn’t its headline feature.

There is only one engine for the top model and that’s a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid offering. It has a combined max power output of 273kW.

This replaces the old V6 hybrid engine from previous models but I found it to still be punchy. In fact, it’s claimed that you can do 0-100km/h in as little as 6.2 seconds.

It’s an all-wheel-drive and features a cool – eAxle … meaning the car is a bit clever with its power distribution using the electric motor to power the rear axle and the petrol engine to power the front. You can notice the gear changes with the six-speed auto transmission but overall, this combination delivers a solid performance.

The Q5 Sportback TFSI has a claimed combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle fuel consumption figure of 5.7L/100km and paired with its 65L fuel tank offers a theoretical driving range of up to 1140km. An impressive result on paper.

After a mix of long highway driving and my usual urban runaround, real-world consumption settled at 5.8L/100km, which is almost spot on.

It also highlights the Q5 Sportback TFSI’s performance/efficiency trade-off. While its outputs are modest relative to some rivals it rewards you with excellent economy in real-world use.

The official combined fuel figure is 6.5L/100km and that’s up by half a litre on the previous model. Real-world testing saw my figure at 8.3L, and I was disappointed with the efficiency. There are more efficient options out there that I would consider if the ‘hybrid’ part of the model’s name was what interested you.

With the 65L fuel tank and based off the official combined figure, you should be able to get a 1000km driving range … but based off my experience, I would expect a little less than that.

There’s enough power in the base grade to keep things engaging on the open road, whether overtaking or maintaining pace, with a reassuring sense of reserves and smooth, punctual delivery.

Despite the firmer suspension, ride comfort remains high thanks to the newly tuned damping system, which absorbs bumps without sacrificing road feedback. The cabin is quiet at speed and at low speeds the car can switch to its hybrid system for extra refinement.

I’m not a huge fan of the adaptive steering assist, particularly on winding roads, as it can overcorrect at times. Overall, though, the Q5 Sportback delivers enjoyable, sporty dynamics.

Visibility is good from the front and sides, while the rear window is a little on the small side. It’s easy to get accustomed to the car’s dimensions and a clear 360-degree camera view comes standard across all grades, providing a clear view that automatically activates during low-speed manoeuvres. Parking this car is straightforward and stress-free.

My first thought when I drove this was that it doesn’t drive like a big car. It has nice sporty handling – it feels firmly positioned on the road and the steering is responsive.

There’s a definite sense of power but it’s lazy. You have to get firm with the accelerator but it performs well when you push it.

There’s an interesting duality at play here because, despite this, it’s not sluggish - I’m just as confident on the open-road as I am zipping across traffic in this.

The suspension is adaptive and feels springy. It handles cornering quite well but I’m not as firmly seated as I would like. My husband said the same from the passenger side.

The cabin is extremely quiet and peaceful until my kid gets into the car. Then it’s 20-questions in 20-seconds. But otherwise, the new active noise cancelling this model has, works.

I really love the 11m turning circle – parking this in a rat-warren car park was simple. The 360-degree view camera is easily in my top three for camera tech that I’ve used and I like how the car ‘disappears’ when you’re manoeuvring. It makes it easier to navigate a tight spot and not get distracted. Large SUVs can sometimes feel daunting to park but not this one.

The RX has a full suite of safety features that are always great to see on a large SUV, like: LED daytime running lights, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and dynamic parking guidance.

A cool highlight is the 'Safe Exit Assist' which will alert you via the dash if the car has sensed an oncoming obstacle when you go to exit the car. However, Lexus goes further and if the obstacle is still present and you try to open the door, the car will LOCK your door and stop you from exiting. Pretty neat!

The autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning has car, pedestrian and cyclist detection (operational from 5.0 – 80km/h and up to 180km/h for car detection).

It achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022. However, this model used to have 10 airbags but now only has eight. I do like that it now has the front centre airbag.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points. You may get lucky with three skinny child seats but two will fit best. A 0-4 rearward facing child seat can be installed but will encroach on front passenger comfort, especially if they’re tall.

The Q5 Sportback comes with Audi’s five-year/unlimited km warranty, which also includes complimentary roadside assistance - all fairly standard at this end of the market. A five-year pre-paid servicing plan is available for $3520, which is cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option, though it’s not the most competitive compared with some rivals. For instance, BMW offers the same coverage for $2475, while the Genesis comes with complimentary servicing.

You can also extend the service period by two years with the 'Audi Advantage Package' for an additional cost. Services are spaced at sensible intervals, every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, making maintenance straightforward and predictable.

The ownership terms have been improved too with the RX now coming with a five-year/unlimited km warranty term, which is more in line with the market standard.

It has a five-year/75,000km capped-price servicing plan and services cost $695, which is $100 more than the previous model. Even with the price hike, the servicing costs aren’t as expensive as others in the class. 

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever occurs first, which is good.

Lexus recommends a minimum of 95 RON petrol for this model.