Compare the2025 Audi new Q5VS 2026 GMC Acadia

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the new Q5 and Acadia have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new 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 Acadia’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.

With its standard Active Front Assist, the Audi new Q5 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the GMC Acadia, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	new Q5	Acadia
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-20 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-17 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-16 MPH
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-16 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.5 sec	1.9 sec
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-16 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.5 sec	1.4 sec

The new 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 Acadia 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 new Q5. But it costs extra on the Acadia.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new Q5 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Acadia doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the new Q5 and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, front seat center airbag, 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the new Q5 is safer than the Acadia:

	new Q5	Acadia
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Audi new Q5 is safer than the Acadia:

	new Q5	Acadia
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	-22 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	139	260
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Audi new 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 Acadia is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The new Q5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The new Q5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Reliability

The Audi new Q5’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Acadia’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 13 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
new Q5
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/30 hwy
Acadia
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/23 hwy

The new Q5 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Acadia. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The new Q5 offers an available 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 Acadia doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The new 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 Acadia doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	new Q5	Acadia
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

The new Q5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia AT4’s standard 65 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the new Q5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Acadia doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The new Q5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Acadia’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The new 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 new 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 Acadia doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the new Q5’s turning circle is .1 feet tighter than the Acadia Elevation’s (38.7 feet vs. 38.8 feet). The new Q5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Acadia Denali Reserve’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.1 feet).

Chassis

The Audi new Q5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the GMC Acadia.

The new Q5 is 1 foot, 6.3 inches shorter than the Acadia, making the new Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The new Q5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Acadia with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 23 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the new Q5. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the new Q5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Acadia. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The new 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 Acadia’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the new 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 Acadia can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The new Q5’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access standard on the Acadia doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The new Q5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Acadia’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the new Q5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Acadia 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 new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Acadia doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights. The new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the new Q5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Acadia doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the new Q5 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Acadia’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Audi new Q5 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Acadia Denali.

The Audi new Q5 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. GMC charges extra for Homelink® on the Acadia.

Recommendations

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the GMC Acadia by 14% during 2024.

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