Lexus NX450H+ vs Audi Q5

What's the difference?

The Lexus NX450h+ F Sport is a gorgeous mid-size SUV that combines great specs and a fairly efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s a comfortable and easy ride which should appeal to a wide range of driving styles. It also looks good parked at the kerbside of a city street and with it ticking most of the boxes, it may become your new best friend.

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 NX simple looks like a scaled-down version of its larger RX cousin, so if you like that you’ll like what the NX.

It looks sweeter, though, with its smaller proportions being only 4660mm long and 1670mm high but there’s enough sharp pleating in the panelling and rear LED lights to give it a sporty edge. It’s a design that should appeal to a wide range of people.

The interior helps the NX compete against some of its flashier rivals, but the BMW X3's interior beats it hands down with the wow factor. Still, the dual-toned leather upholstery and fabrics of our test model scream understated luxury.

The perforated leather of the seats is supple underhand, but even the robust synthetic leather on the backs of the seats and some door panelling feels like the real stuff most of the time.

The dashboard components – like the air vents, displays and accents – are well integrated and seem well-built. The cockpit is intimate and plush overall, and it always reminds you that you're in the cabin of a luxury vehicle.

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 cabin of the NX is spacious where it needs to be for four adults to be comfortable on a longer journey, and features enough equipment to satisfy most.

Access is best at the front because of the wider door apertures and while still easy enough to get in and out of from the back, the rear wheel arch cuts into the aperture a bit.

The front seats are very comfortable with thick padding, tall side bolsters that lock you into place in a turn as well as heating and cooling functions.

The back seats are almost as comfortable as the front! However, the outboard seats offer the best under-thigh support. It is a shame that they miss out on heat functions for its grade level, though.

Storage is fairly good for the class, with lots of small item cubbies up front like a sunglasses holder, a mini drawer next to the drivers' knee and a dedicated phone holder and two cupholders. The large glove box (that can hold more than just a manual) and mid-size middle console shoulder most of the storage burden, though.

In the back you get a couple of map pockets, small storage bins and two cupholders. which is most than enough for this size of SUV.

The boot offers an impressive 520L of capacity and a level loading space makes it an easy car to slide larger gear in and out of. The little storage compartment under the floor is handy for charging cables and the hands-free powered tailgate is always handy to have.

The technology is a nice mix of easy-to-use and high-end with a responsive touchscreen on the 14-inch multimedia display. The system has built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The CarPlay was simple to set up and has maintained a steady connection with my iPhone this week.

Charging options are decent with two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket per row, as well as a wireless charging pad up front.

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.

The Audi Q5 Sportback is offered with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, across two grades before stepping up to the more powerful SQ5 variants. For this review, we’re testing the base petrol TFSI grade, which is also the only front-wheel drive option in the line-up.

It carries a before on-road costs price of $84,500 and comes well stocked with features that often sit on the options list with key rivals. Aside from the Genesis GV70 2.5T, which remains hard to beat for standard inclusions, the Q5 Sportback TFSI stands out as one of the better value propositions at this price point.

New for this update is a large panoramic display that combines an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14.5-inch central media screen. The system includes built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and access to the 'Audi Connect' app. The app allows access to remote services like locking/unlocking to car, checking fuel/charge levels, sending navigation routes, car finder and monitoring vehicle status (warnings, last parked location).

Our test car is fitted with optional 'Pearl Beige' leather upholstery, which is a no-cost option. New design elements include a full suite of LED exterior lights, including matrix LED headlights and side puddle lamps.

Comfort is clearly a priority in this grade, with electric and heated front seats featuring lumbar support and a two-position memory function for the driver. Three-zone climate control, a wireless charging pad, multiple USB-C ports and 12-volt sockets, along with a 360-degree camera system round out the major tech highlights.

Practical touches haven’t been overlooked either, with a hands-free powered tailgate, cargo cover and net plus a 40/20/40 split-fold rear seat set-up.

The NX450h+ F Sport is the first attempt at a plug-in hybrid powertrain for Lexus. It pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, one located at each end of the car for all-wheel drive. Together they produce up to 227kW of power, but Lexus doesn’t quote the combined torque figure (cheeky).

The flagship model can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.3 seconds and features a smooth continuously variable transmission.

Overall, it moves quickly and the shift between the electric and engine components is barely noticeable.

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.

The flagship NX has a smallish 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery and a Type 2 charging port but no CCS enhancement, which means you can’t hook it up to a fast DC charger.

On a standard AC 240-volt domestic plug port, you can charge this from 0-100% in around 7hrs 30mins. You get a great electric-only NEDC-rated driving range of up to 87km and that means you really only have to charge it every other day, which I appreciated. 

The official combined fuel cycle usage is 1.3L/100km, but you won’t really see that in the real world. After doing some longer trips mixed in with city slicking, my average real-world usage popped out at 6.5L/100km, and I averaged 20.2kWh/100km when in pure EV mode. They’re not the best hybrid figures I’ve seen for the class, but they're not too bad either.

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.

This NX feels like it has lots of power in reserve when you put your foot down and never struggles going up big hills. When it’s in pure EV mode, it’s very quiet but there’s no big fanfare when this kicks over to the traditional engine. You barely notice it until you’re on the open road travelling at higher speeds, and that’s when the engine starts to sound more growly like its non-hybrid siblings.

The steering is forgiving without feeling too light and around town, the NX is nimble and sure of itself. The suspension is on the firmer side, so you’ll hear and feel the bigger bumps, but it never feels rough.

Visibility is decent with the largish windows, and the pillars that aren’t too wide from my driving position. I do like having the digital rearview mirror, though, because when you have a big car seat or tall adult in the back seat, the vision back there is hindered.

It’s pretty hard to find a modern car that’s terrible to park, especially in the mid-size SUV segment, and the NX is no different. Even in a small car space, you still have good clearance around you, which hopefully translates to less dings from neighbouring cars!

The 360-degree view camera system is top notch with its quality, and I like that the car disappears and you can see the ground underneath.

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.

The Audi Q5 Sportback carries a fresh maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2025 testing. It comes with nine airbags, including side-chest airbags for both rows which is a standout feature, as these are often limited to the front seats.

The safety equipment suite is strong, featuring lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, side exit warning, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, dusk-sensing LED headlights and emergency call capability. There’s also front collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert with assist and rear turn-assist. Adaptive cruise control is generally well-calibrated, though it can occasionally slow for vehicles outside your lane.

Autonomous emergency braking covers cars, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and backover assist which is operational between 5.0 and 250km/h. Child safety is supported with two ISOFIX mounts and three top-tether anchor points, although only two seats fit comfortably.

The NX is offered with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is on par with its European rivals.

It comes with a five-year capped price servicing program, where services are competitively priced at $595 each.

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

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.