2025 Audi Q5 vs 2024 Buick Envista

The 2024 Buick Envista, while sharing its platform with the Chevy Trax, took a distinct styling path with its sloping roofline, giving it a "crossover coupe" appearance reminiscent of more upscale models like the BMW X4 and X6. This design choice, while potentially compromising rear visibility, was deemed acceptable. The front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with daytime running lights positioned above the actual headlights, which were integrated into vertical elements flanking the grille. This sleek design was a first for Buick, setting the Envista apart from its siblings, the Envision and Encore GX, which received similar styling as part of their mid-cycle refreshes.

The Envista's interior, while similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, though some textures felt cheap. The cabin was a step up from the Trax, with features like a flat-bottom steering wheel and an eight-way power driver's seat standard on the Avenir trim. The ST grade featured black exterior trim and 18-inch wheels, while the top Avenir trim boasted bright exterior trim and standard 19-inch wheels. Despite these upgrades, the Envista remained an entry-level vehicle, offering a comfortable yet modest interior experience.

The 2025 Audi Q5 embraced a robust SUV aesthetic with a large, textured grille, prominent side air intakes, and high-mounted headlights, giving it an imposing presence. The design, while new, felt more evolutionary than revolutionary, resembling a facelift rather than a complete redesign. The Q5 was available in standard SUV and coupe-like Sportback body styles, with the latter offering a sleeker profile at the expense of cargo space and rear-seat headroom. The SQ5 performance variant featured enhanced power, sport suspension, and distinctive styling elements like matte chrome trim and quad exhaust tips.

Inside, the Q5's design was detailed but somewhat discordant, with a mix of lines and materials. The dashboard and door panels accommodated a curved touchscreen and bulging doors with speakers and armrests. Despite the design quirks, materials were top-notch, with standard leather seating surfaces and a mix of silver and black trim. The SQ5 offered a sportier interior with Alcantara trim and red upholstery, though it retained some less desirable elements like piano-black plastic. Overall, the Q5's interior aimed for distinction but fell short of cohesiveness.

The 2024 Buick Envista featured a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This powertrain, shared with the Trax, offered a refined driving experience, delivering power smoothly despite its modest specs. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, differentiating it from the Encore GX, which remained the cheapest Buick with AWD.

The Envista's suspension setup included a torsion-beam rear suspension for base models, while models with 19-inch wheels received a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension, enhancing ride quality. The front suspension featured a MacPherson strut setup with Buick-specific bushings and damper tuning, contributing to a quieter ride. During testing, the Envista handled bumps well but felt unsettled on less-than-perfect pavement. Despite this, the Envista offered a more premium feel than the Trax, with quieter acceleration and a more comfortable ride.

The 2025 Audi Q5 came equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. The base model featured a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, while the SQ5 boasted a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with 362 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The Q5's power output was competitive, though it experienced turbo lag and rough shifts, detracting from its sporty aspirations.

The Q5's suspension included a standard steel-spring setup with passive frequency selective damping, while the SQ5 featured air suspension with adaptive damping for sportier handling. The air suspension provided capable handling, balancing damping and body control without encouraging aggressive driving. The Q5 also offered Off-Road and Off-Road Plus modes, enhancing its versatility on dirt roads, though it was more suited to paved surfaces.

The 2024 Buick Envista was 14.2 inches longer than the outgoing Buick Encore, with a 5.7-inch wheelbase stretch, resulting in increased interior space. Rear-seat legroom grew by three inches, and shoulder room increased by about two inches in both rows, creating a more spacious feel. However, the coupe-like design reduced headroom, particularly for second-row passengers. The seats were comfortable for the price point, and the car-like design offered good outward visibility and maneuverability.

Cargo space in the Envista was limited, with 20.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 42 cubic feet with the seats folded, less than the old Encore and the Chevy Trax. The Envista's compact proportions and lower driving position made it easy to navigate tight spaces, but its cargo capacity was more akin to a small hatchback than an SUV.

The 2025 Audi Q5 maintained similar exterior dimensions and interior space to the 2024 model, offering adequate headroom and legroom. The sliding and reclining 40/20/40 split-folding second-row bench seat was standard, with cargo-area buttons for easy adjustment. The Q5 provided 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 56.9 cubic feet behind the first row, surpassing some rivals but falling short of others.

Standard features included a power tailgate and heated front seats, with higher trims adding a heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, heated rear seats, and ventilated front seats. The Q5 also offered up to 4,400 pounds of towing capacity, exceeding some competitors. Interior storage space was unremarkable, but the Q5's overall functionality made it a practical choice for families.

The 2024 Buick Envista came standard with an 11-inch touchscreen and 8-inch digital instrument cluster, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface was similar to the Trax, with easy-to-use controls and retained buttons and knobs for climate and audio settings. However, the center stack's tilt toward the driver made controls less accessible for the front-seat passenger.

Optional tech features were limited, with wireless phone charging available on all but the top Avenir trim. The lack of a head-up display was notable, but the Envista's infotainment system offered impressive features for its price range, surpassing some competitors in terms of standard equipment.

The 2025 Audi Q5 featured an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.5-inch central touchscreen, with the top Prestige trim adding a 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. Standard tech included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a cooled wireless charging pad, and a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system on Premium Plus models.

The MMI infotainment system, based on Android Automotive OS, was user-friendly, with a curved display easily visible from the driver's seat. A built-in voice assistant handled some vehicle functions, while an available head-up display provided additional information. The Q5 also included Audi's Dynamic Interaction Light and digital key connectivity, enhancing the overall tech experience.

The 2024 Buick Envista's safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable at the time of publication. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist, mirroring the Chevy Trax's offerings.

The 2025 Audi Q5 came with standard driver-assist features such as adaptive cruise control, active front assist, lane departure warning, parking sensors, and blind spot monitoring. Premium Plus models added a 360-degree camera system and adaptive cruise assist. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available, but Audi aimed to match the previous generation's five-star NHTSA rating.