Compare the2025 Audi Q5VS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The Q5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid 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 Q5. But it costs extra on the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Both the Q5 and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q5 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 121 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Santa Fe Hybrid has not been fully tested, yet.

The Q5’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (12 vs. 7 years).

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

The Q5 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 30 more horsepower (261 vs. 231) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Q5 55 TFSI e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 131 more horsepower (362 vs. 231) and 98 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

			MPGe
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e Electric Motor	55 city/61 hwy
Santa Fe Hybrid
			MPG
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/35 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/34 hwy

The Q5 55 TFSI e can travel with zero emissions for 23 miles. The Santa Fe Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Both the Q5 and Santa Fe Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Q5 has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

A seven-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Audi Q5, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Q5 offers a standard 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Q5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Q5 40/45 TFSI	Q5 55 TFSI e	Santa Fe Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	13.8 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13 inches	12.8 inches

The Q5’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Santa Fe Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The Q5 Prestige’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited/Calligraphy’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Prestige offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Q5 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on 55 TFSI e) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q5 55 TFSI e has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Q5 45 TFSI Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD (27.2 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q5 55 TFSI e has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Hybrid (8 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Q5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q5 45 TFSI’s minimum ground clearance is 1.2 inches higher than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (8.2 vs. 7 inches).

The Audi Q5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Q5 is 5.9 inches shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid, making the Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid with its rear seat up (25.9 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

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

The Q5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (2750 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is only 2000 pounds. The Q5 offers up to a 4400 lbs. towing capacity.

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

The Q5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Q5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe Hybrid can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

The 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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q5’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Q5 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q5’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Santa Fe Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Q5 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited/Calligraphy.

The Audi 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. Hyundai charges extra for Homelink® on the Santa Fe Hybrid.