The comparison of the 2025 Lexus NX and the 2024 Audi Q5 indicates the truth of the adage, "Good things come in small packages." In the seemingly never-ending battle to woo buyers of small luxury SUVs, automakers like Lexus and Audi continue to fill their crossover SUVs with features that previously graced only the most expensive prestige sedans.
These days, small five-passenger luxury crossovers like the Lexus NX and Audi Q5 offer shoppers comprehensive packages of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), sophisticated connectivity, and fuel-saving hybrid powertrain technology. On the comfort and convenience front, these small but mighty SUVs deliver heated and ventilated seats, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and concert hall-worthy premium sound.
While you might never take them off-road, the Lexus NX and the Audi Q5 offer all-wheel drive (AWD) that improves on-road traction in inclement weather and on dicey surfaces. Further, despite their reasonably short overall lengths, the NX and Q5 prove handy in transporting difficult-to-haul cargo.
While these two small crossovers have many similarities, they also differ in key aspects. To quote another adage, "The devil is in the details," and the details matter when choosing the right vehicle for you. This comparison of the 2025 Lexus NX and the 2024 Audi Q5 will make that task easier.
2025 Lexus NX 350 F Sport
Lexus markets the 2025 NX in six trim levels: NX 250, NX 350 AWD, NX 350 F Sport Handling AWD, NX 350h AWD, NX 450h+ AWD, and NX 450h+ F Sport Handling AWD. The base NX 250 offers a front-wheel-drive (FWD) price-leader trim, while all others have standard AWD, as you might guess from their suffixes.
The NX 250 with FWD, which starts at $41,990, is the least expensive. (Buyers can add AWD to the NX 250 for an extra $1,600.) At the top rung of the price ladder, the NX 450h+ F Sport Handling AWD has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $63,505. Prices do not include the $1,150 destination charge.
Every new 2025 NX features LexusCare, which includes complimentary first and second maintenance services. Free roadside assistance is available for four years with no mileage limit. All 2025 NXs offer buyers a three-year trial of Lexus Remote Connect, including digital key and remote start. Wi-Fi Connect offers Wi-Fi hotspot functionality with a 30-day/3-gigabyte trial.
The 2024 Audi Q5 lineup offers three trims and three engine choices. Buyers can choose from Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trims and 40 TFSI, 45 TFSI, and 55 TFSI e powertrains. All nine combinations feature Quattro AWD.
At $45,300, the Premium 40 TFSI is the least expensive Q5. For an additional $22,000, the plug-in hybrid Prestige 55 TFSI e occupies the top of the Q5 lineup, with an MSRP of $67,700. (Prices exclude the $1,195 destination charge.) Audi also offers the Q5 Sportback and the performance-oriented SQ5, but neither is competitive with the NX.
The 2024 Audi Q5 offers complimentary roadside assistance for four years without a mileage restriction. It does not include free scheduled maintenance. All 2024 Q5 buyers get Audi Connect Care, subscription-free connectivity that provides emergency call, remote lock/unlock, and stolen-vehicle locator services. Audi Connect Nav and Audi Connect Plus with Wi-Fi offer six-month trial subscriptions to various connected services, including real-time traffic information and Wi-Fi hotspot availability.
Advantage: Lexus NX
Why? The NX is generally priced lower than comparable Q5 models, and it offers a pair of free scheduled maintenance visits.
2024 Audi Q5
The Lexus NX ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment in the JD Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which assesses owner-reported problems during the third year of ownership.
The NX does not rank among the top three models in its segment in the JD Power 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), which tracks problems experienced by owners during the first 90 days.
The 2025 Lexus NX offers a standard warranty of four years or 50,000 miles and a powertrain warranty of six years or 70,000 miles. Additionally, Lexus covers hybrid components for eight years or 100,000 miles.
The Audi Q5 does not rank among the top three models in its segment in the 2024 VDS or the 2024 IQS. Its basic warranty coverage matches the NX’s, but its powertrain warranty is two years and 20,000 miles shorter.
Advantage: Lexus NX
Why? The NX outperforms the Q5 in vehicle dependability and has a longer powertrain warranty.
2025 Lexus NX 350
The 2025 Lexus NX gives buyers multiple powertrain choices. The base engine in the NX 250 is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder rated at 203 horsepower. The conventionally powered NX 350 AWD offers a 275-hp, turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 317 pound-feet of torque. The NX 350h AWD is a hybrid with 240 hp, while a 304-hp plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain is the motivating force of the two 450h+ trims. The PHEVs offer 37 miles of battery-electric range.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the 2025 NX 250 at 28 mpg in combined driving, and the NX 350h hybrid turns in a 39-mpg mark. As of this writing, the EPA hasn’t rated the fuel economy of the 2025 NX 450h+ plug-in hybrids, but Lexus pegs them at 84 MPGe combined.
Audi offers three powertrain choices for its 2024 Q5, each with an Audispeak codename. The base 40 TFSI employs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers 201 hp and 236 pound-feet of torque. The 45 TFSI re-tunes the turbocharged 2.0-liter to produce 261 hp and 273 pound-feet of torque.
Adding plug-in hybrid tech, the 55 TFSI e uses the 2.0-liter turbo four plus electric drive to deliver 362 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque. Audi fits all 2024 Q5s with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Quattro AWD.
The Q5 40 TFSI is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined, while the Q5 45 TFSI gets a similar combined estimate. The federal agency rates the 2024 Q5 55 TFSI e at 26 mpg combined.
Advantage: Lexus NX
Why? The NX offers a broader array of powertrains and better fuel economy.
2024 Audi Q5 Prestige
At this point, it is reasonable for any consumer to expect a brand-new vehicle to include the following safety features:
So, how do the NX and Q5 stack up? Let's take a look.
The 2025 Lexus NX offers a robust collection of standard ADAS in its Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0). Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings are not part of LSS+ 3.0 but are standard on all 2025 NX trims. The NX additionally features adaptive cruise control with Curve Speed Management, lane-centering assistance, and Proactive Driving Assist, providing automatic braking and steering support as the SUV approaches curves.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn't published an overall safety rating for the 2025 Lexus NX. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not rated the SUV’s crashworthiness. However, it did name the structurally similar 2024 NX a Top Safety Pick for the 2024 calendar year.
Like the NX, the 2024 Audi Q5 features a solid array of standard ADAS. It offers all of the systems mentioned at the beginning of this section while adding a few more. The Q5's adaptive cruise control combines with lane-centering assistance to provide hands-on-the-wheel self-driving in certain situations.
The Q5 also offers some advanced parking aids: a surround-view camera system and automatic steering for entering perpendicular and parallel parking spaces. Standard in the Prestige trim, the latter system requires the driver to operate the accelerator and brake pedal while the SUV steers itself.>
The NHTSA gave the 2024 Audi Q5 a five-star overall safety rating, its highest award. Meanwhile, the IIHS named the 2024 Q5 a Top Safety Pick for the 2023 calendar year.
Advantage: Audi Q5
Why? The Q5 receives high ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS.
2025 Lexus NX 350 F Sport
The Lexus Interface powers the infotainment in the 2025 Lexus NX. All trims except the 450h+ offer a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen display, with a 14-inch touchscreen optional. The larger screen is standard on the 450h+ trims. Both systems include standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a three-month trial of SiriusXM Platinum. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system is available on most trims.
The 2025 NX comes with a three-year trial of Drive Connect that includes cloud-based navigation, a digital assistant, and destination services. Lexus Remote Connect includes remote engine starting, vehicle health reports, and service scheduling. All NXs offer a 30-day/3-gigabyte trial of Wi-Fi Connect, a Wi-Fi hotspot that connects multiple devices.
The NX's digital e-Latch door-opening system operates with the vehicle's safe-exit assistance system to prevent occupants from opening doors when a car, bicyclist, or even a jogger is approaching from the rear of the SUV.
Audi equips all 2024 Q5s with its MMI infotainment system and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and a connected voice- and touchscreen-activated navigation system that includes Amazon Alexa integration and hybrid/online radio is available as part of a package. Buyers can purchase a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D premium audio system as an option.
The Q5 includes a very robust connectivity offering under the Audi Connect umbrella. Audi Connect Care offers emergency call, remote lock/unlock, and stolen-vehicle locator services. Audi Connect Nav features real-time traffic information, point-of-interest search, and natural-voice recognition. Audi Connect Plus includes Amazon Alexa integration and a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices.
The Q5 offers the availability of Audi’s Virtual Cockpit Plus, a colorful and configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument and driver information display. Depending on the driver’s preferences, it can show navigation instructions, phone controls, media choices, and various other information. An available head-up display supplements information delivery.
Advantage: Neither
Why? Both the Lexus NX and Audi Q5 offer intuitive infotainment systems with large digital displays and impressive connectivity choices.
2024 Audi Q5 Prestige
The five-passenger 2025 Lexus NX features a well-designed contemporary interior with rich-looking materials. The digital instrument panel is clear and colorful, and the automatic climate control offers discrete knobs to choose temperature settings. Its controls are straightforward and easy to use. The NX and the rival Q5 are nearly identical in key interior dimensions. A tilt-and-slide moonroof and a panoramic glass roof are available (but not on the same vehicle).
Most NXs offer standard synthetic leather-covered seats, while the 450h+ trims feature genuine leather seats and open-pore wood trim. The NX offers eight-way power-adjustable driver's seats with power lumbar support and eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seats. Heated front seats are standard across the board, and heated and ventilated seats are widely available up and down the lineup. A fast-response heater that makes things cozier quicker is standard on the 350 F Sport Handling AWD and available on several other trims.
The NX has a 22.7-cubic-foot cargo area behind the rear seat; with the rear seat folded, it has 46.9 cubic feet of luggage space. A power-operated rear door is standard, and a version with a kick sensor is optional.
One of the five-passenger 2024 Audi Q5's key advantages is its handsome but low-key interior. Digital instruments and driver information are skillfully displayed under a nacelle that limits glare. The 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen isn't especially well-integrated but is readily accessible. The dashboard also offers easy-to-use physical climate controls. A standard cooled front cupholder on the Prestige trim is an unexpected nicety.
The Q5’s front bucket seats flank a console with a traditional gear lever. The rear seat splits in a 40/20/40 configuration, and it slides, reclines, and folds. Leather seating surfaces are standard across the lineup. Heated eight-way power-adjusted driver's and front passenger seats are standard on the Q5. Ventilated front seats and heated rear seats are available on some trims.
The Q5’s rear cargo area offers 25.9 cubic feet of space, and with the rear seats folded, 54.1 cubic feet of cargo room opens up. Audi includes a power-operated liftgate in every 2024 Q5 that aids loading and unloading.
Advantage: Audi Q5
Why? The Q5 features standard leather seats and offers more cargo space.
If you’d like to learn more about these premium crossover SUVs, be sure to read our expert reviews of the Lexus NX, NX Hybrid, and the Audi Q5. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please remember that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on June 6, 2024, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Jack R. Nerad has reviewed cars, trucks, vans, and sport utilities for over three decades. He also managed the editorial efforts of MotorTrend, JD Power, and Kelley Blue Book. Jack currently hosts the Sports Byline Network program "America on the Road," available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Audacy, and other outlets.
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