Competition is fierce in the luxury car market, and any notable advantage a vehicle might have - be it extra horsepower, stronger safety ratings, or more passenger space - matters a whole lot. Regarding the vehicles we're comparing here, the 2025 Acura RDX and Audi Q5 duke it out among compact luxury SUVs. Not only do they square off against one another, they face formidable rivals like the BMW X3, Genesis GV70, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Lexus NX, to name a few.
The RDX and Q5 have room for five onboard, all-wheel drive (AWD) fitted as standard, and power from turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. Well, that's not entirely true, seeing as the Audi can also be had as a plug-in hybrid or with a turbo V6 - more on these in a moment.
Let's check out the highlights of the Acura RDX and Audi Q5.
The base version of the 2025 RDX starts at $46,050, including a destination fee. Like many other Acura vehicles, the lineup is quirky among luxury vehicles. Rather than a variety of powertrain options and an endless list of piecemeal options, you pick your trim and color, which completes the ordering process.
That's why the RDX range might appear curious for newcomers to the Acura brand. It consists of the base RDX, Technology, A-Spec, Advance, and A-Spec Advance packages.
For some reference, the top-of-the-line A-Spec Advance package commands $55,800. It adds features such as heated and ventilated front seats, an adaptive suspension system, a surround-view parking camera, and a head-up instrument display.
Sporty and refined driving manners: Every RDX gets down the road via a zippy 272-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder. It works in conjunction with a 10-speed automatic and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive hardware. Agile and entertaining to drive, during road testing, we've found the RDX capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just over six seconds.
Standard driver aids: Sure, we're all about heated seats and upscale leather upholstery. Yet, for many car shoppers, safety matters most. With this in mind, it's nice knowing the RDX comes with many standard driver aids. You get a blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and more.
Super Handling All-Wheel Drive: The name is a little grandiose, true, though we can't argue with how Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) gets the RDX around corners with confidence. Combined with the available adaptive suspension system, this Acura SUV delivers amazing grip in wet and dry conditions.
Grammy-winning audio: No, the Acura RDX hasn't been on stage to accept a music-related award. But the producer behind its sound system sure has on many occasions. The "ELS" in the RDX's optional 12- or 16-speaker audio stands for Elliot Scheiner. He happens to be a multiple Grammy-winning sound producer who has worked with artists like Beyoncé, Sting, R.E.M., Aerosmith, the Foo Fighters, and many others.
Check this week's Fair Purchase Price or see the RDX models for sale near you.
As Audi's best-selling SUV, the 2025 Q5 possesses many fine attributes. It has a starting price of $46,695, including the destination fee. There is no shortage of ways to customize the Q5 to your specific budget and driving demands.
Standard is a 201-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder, though you can zoom all the way upward to a 362-hp plug-in hybrid version if you want the most potent available powertrain (based on pony count, of course). You also have a pick of two body designs; there's the standard square-shaped version or the Sportback model with a tapered rear roofline. We review the Q5 Sportback separately.
Engine choices: In total, the Q5 has four engine choices. These range from a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces 201 or 261 horsepower. They're called the 40 TFSI and 45 TSFI variants to use 'Audi speak.' The performance-tuned SQ5 has a turbocharged V6 nestled in its engine bay that serves up 349 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Finally, the Q5 plug-in hybrid 55 TSFI e has 362 total horsepower and offers an all-electric range of about 23 miles. Meanwhile, the Acura RDX has one engine option.
Virtual Cockpit Plus: This elegant digital instrument display puts information directly in the driver's line of sight. Virtual Cockpit Plus projects anything from navigation commands to music to temperature controls or music settings. It looks great and works even better.
Balance between sport and comfort: Having spent many hours behind the wheel of the Q5 in all its permutations, we think SUV shoppers will enjoy its blend of comfort and sportiness. Once again, the roster of powertrains lets you suit the Q5's personality to your own.
Sportback version: We're going to bend the rules a bit here. Yes, we review the Q5 Sportback separately. But it's worth mentioning this body style is available for those willing to sacrifice a dollop of cargo room and second-row headroom for its sleeker silhouette. Consider it the Q5 equivalent of stilettos to the standard model's sensible pumps.
Check this week's Fair Purchase Price or see the Q5 models for sale near you.
The Acura RDX and Audi Q5 are smart, safe, and sensible picks among compact luxury SUVs. They routinely impress us with their finely engineered dynamics, high-quality interiors, and state-of-the-art technology features.
Crummy cars are great for road tests because they make picking a winner in any given comparison so simple! Annoyingly, neither the RDX nor the Q5 come close to qualifying for crumminess status. This makes our task harder because it means the advantages each possesses come down to razor-thin differences.
We like the Acura RDX for its simplicity and somewhat left-brain approach. There are rival small luxury SUVs with fancier cabins or available engines with vastly more horsepower. Exhibit A: the Audi Q5. Yet the smoothness and efficiency of the RDX have it land near the very top of our ranking of Best Compact Luxury SUVs.
Nipping at its heels - sorry, we couldn't resist after the shoe reference - is the Audi Q5. It has an edge in powertrain choices, though keep in mind the higher performing models easily crest the $60K barrier. The base turbo 4-cylinder is also arguably underpowered for a luxury vehicle. And having been around for seven model years now, the Q5 is starting to feel due for a significant update.
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Acura RDX vehicles and New 2025 Audi Q5 vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.