Compare the2024 GMC TerrainVS 2023 Audi Q5

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Terrain are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Terrain and the Q5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the GMC Terrain is safer than the Audi Q5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the GMC Terrain is safer than the Audi Q5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Terrain 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 5 times as many GMC dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Terrain has a standard 700-amp battery. The Q5’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Terrain second among compact suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Q5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Audi.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Terrain has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the GMC Terrain higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 (5 to 7). This means the Terrain produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Terrain, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5.

The Terrain has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Terrain w/17” wheels’ turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The GMC Terrain may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 900 pounds less than the Audi Q5.

The front grille of the Terrain offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Terrain uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Terrain has .4 inches more front headroom and 1.7 inches more rear legroom than the Q5.

The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 25.8 cubic feet). The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 54 cubic feet).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Terrain uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Terrain offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Q5 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Terrain’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Terrain has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Terrain’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Terrain offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Terrain is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Terrain is less expensive to operate than the Q5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Terrain than the Q5, including $237 less for a water pump, $302 less for a starter and $272 less for front struts.

The GMC Terrain outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by 38% during 2022.