Audi Q5 VS Acura RDX

A major reason for the popularity of the RDX is its low starting price, relative to the rest of the segment. This is made all the more compelling by the fact that both of the vehicles here come with standard all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, but a closer look shows why the Acura is so much cheaper. To start with, while it does have a few more horsepower, the torque advantage of the Q5 is a larger advantage, and a more important one when talking about AWD SUVs. Towing capacity isn’t nearly as close, with the Q5 offering a towing capacity that’s just shy of triple that of the RDX. It’s rare to see such a huge difference in capacity from two vehicles in the same segment, but clearly not impossible. Whether you’re towing or not, the multi-link front suspension in the Q5 gives you better control for better handling than the cost-saving strut suspension found in the RDX. 

You’ve probably guessed that the price difference between these two means that the Q5 is better equipped, and you would be correct about that, but the full extent might still surprise you. For example, the RDX comes with leatherette upholstery, requiring you to spend thousands to upgrade to a higher trim for genuine leather, which comes standard on the Q5. Safety features like Traffic Jam Assist, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic collision mitigation are also all standard on the Q5, but not the RDX. Integrated navigation is standard on the Q5, and it includes real-time traffic information, but it’s yet another optional extra on the RDX. And no matter how much extra you spend on the RDX, you still can’t have foglights, yet another piece of standard equipment on the Q5.