Audi SQ5 vs Holden Acadia
What's the difference?

Audi SQ5

$49,990 - $89,950

2022 price

View pricing & specs

Holden Acadia

—

2020 price

View pricing & specs

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2022 Audi SQ5

2020 Holden Acadia

By Andrew Chesterton

By Laura Berry

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo 6, 3.0L

V6, 3.6L

Fuel Type

Diesel/Electric

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.0L/100km (combined)

8.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Style with little sacrifice
Plenty of on-board tech
SQ5 is a fun and engaging drive

Truck-like looks
Advanced safety tech
Good value

Dislikes

Price penalty for Sportback
Regular Q5 Sportback more premium than performance-focused
Cabin not quite premium at every touchpoint

2000kg braked towing capacity
Engine needs to rev hard to make grunt
Wireless charging not standard on LT

2022 Audi SQ5 Summary

The Audi Q5 now has a sportier-looking sibling, with the German brand's all-time best-selling SUV welcoming a sleeker, more aggressive solution it calls its Sportback range.

And look, spoiler alert, it looks better than the regular Q5. It's as simple as that. So if that's all you're here to find out, feel free to close the laptop, put the phone away, and move on with your day.

But you'd be doing yourself a disservice, because there are more questions to be answered here. Like will you paying in on-board comfort for this new raked roofline? Do the Sportback's sporty intentions make for a more annoying daily drive? And how much does Audi want you to pay for one?

All these questions and more answered. So stay with me.

View full pricing & specs

2020 Holden Acadia Summary

If the Acadia had an accent it would be a southern drawl because this big seven-seat SUV is built in Tennessee, USA, and wears a GMC badge when it’s at home.

In Australia of course it wears a Holden one and comes straight from the factory in right-hand drive. So how does it suit Aussie conditions? Does it even know the importance of a sausage on a piece of bread bought outside a hardware store on a Saturday?

All this and more was learnt when the entry grade LT front-wheel drive came to live with my family.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2022 Audi SQ5 2020 Holden Acadia

Verdict

Let’s forget the money, for a second, because yes, you’re paying more for the Sportback variant. But if you can afford it, then why wouldn’t you. This is a sleeker, sportier and more stylish answer to the regular Q5, which was already a super-solid offering in the segment. And as far as I can tell, the practicality sacrifices you have to make are minimal at best.

So why not?

Verdict

The Holden Acadia is a proper seven-seater SUV in that it will fit adults in the third row without turning your friends into enemies. It’s also practical and well fitted out with storage places and utilities such as USB ports.

I was particularly impressed with the advanced safety equipment on-board even at this entry LT level. Yes, it’s a V6 petrol and it’s not the most fuel-efficient SUV, but our time with it showed that with cylinder deactivation and the stop-start system it might not be as thirsty as you’d think.

Audi SQ5 vs Holden Acadia What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi SQ5 vs Holden Acadia
What's the difference?