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2018 Jaguar F-PACE vs. 2018 Audi Q5: Which Is Best?
Jaguar F Pace Audi Q5 Hero ・ Photo by Audi / Jaguar
Demand for compact luxury crossover vehicles has exploded in recent years. Audi was on the game early with the Q5, which debuted as a 2009 model. The second-generation Q5 came out for 2018, to go head-to-head with Jaguar’s first-ever crossover, the compact F-PACE.
Both the Q5 and F-PACE were their respective brands’ best-selling vehicles in 2017, and continue to lead the way in 2018. The Q5 had its best sales year ever last year, selling over 57,000 crossovers in the US. The F-PACE sold over 17,000 examples in its debut year, an impressive showing for Jaguar’s first-ever SUV. Which is the best?
Heritage
Audi and Jaguar are two brands with uniquely different identities. Audi began in Germany in 1909, was owned by Daimler (parent of Mercedes-Benz) from 1958 to 1965, and has been part of Volkswagen Group since 1966. Jaguar began as Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, changing names to Jaguar cars in 1945. A merger with British Motor Corporation in 1966 was followed by a takeover by British Leyland in 1968. Jaguar was spun off as a separate brand in 1984, then acquired by Ford in 1990. Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors in 2008, which created Jaguar Land Rover Limited as an operating entity in 2013.
Both Audi and Jaguar have endured tough times when their reputations were at a low. Today, though, each brand is thriving, with design, technology, and performance rated highly, along with strong marks for initial quality and long-term reliability.
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Photo by Jaguar
Exterior Design
The 2018 Q5 is a crisp, tailored, athletic crossover, with sharp details and an assertive design. A prominent example of Audi’s single-frame grille, highlighted with the four linked rings of the brand’s logo, states the vehicle’s intent. The hood and body are sculptural, with strong lines and deep scallops. Tall wheel arches set off the wheels, and an integrated rear spoiler gives a nice finish to the roof line.
The 2018 F-PACE is every bit a Jaguar, sharing the corporate grille and multiple air intakes. A muscular hood treatment ties the grille to the arch of the roofline. The body sides are tucked in nicely, bulging out slightly at the fenders, and ending in a convex tailgate. The F-PACE has a slightly longer wheelbase than the Q5 (113.2 inches vs. 111.0 inches) and is longer overall (186.3 inches vs. 183.6 inches), and looks bigger than that.
Photo by Jaguar Land Rover
Interior Design
Audi excels at interior design, especially for those with an eye toward minimalist Bauhaus-influenced design. A wraparound dash with a very strong horizontal element makes the Q5's cabin feel broad and roomy. A big infotainment screen is mounted at the top of the center stack, perfectly in the driver's view. Audi’s virtual cockpit, a fully digital 12.3-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) screen, is available for the instrument panel, and it is amazing in function and beauty.
The F-PACE has a much more driver-centric dashboard layout, with the instrument panel, center stack and center console forming a cockpit-like environment. The F-PACE’s infotainment screen is set lower on the dash than Q5’s, below a set of HVAC vents. Both vehicles feature seating for five, but the center position in the second row is definitely the least desirable and least comfortable.
Photo by Audi
Engine
The F-PACE offers two gasoline-powered turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines: a 247-hp version in 25t models and a 296-hp version in 30t models. A 380-hp 3.0-liter supercharged V6 gasoline engine comes in the S model, and a 5.0-liter 550-hp supercharged V8 gasoline engine is shoehorned into the SVR. Additionally, there’s a 180-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine in the 20d version. The 25t and 30t are rated at 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway/24 mpg combined, while the S is rated at 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway/20 mpg combined and the 20d comes in at 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.
The Q5 has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine tuned to produce 252 hp, while the SQ5 version gets a 354-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 gasoline engine. The Q5 is rated at 23 mpg city/27 mpg highway/25 mpg combined, while the SQ5 is rated at 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg combined.
Photo by Jaguar
Transmission/Drive System
All F-PACE models come standard with all-wheel drive and Active Driveline torque on demand to the rear axle, while the Q5 and SQ5 come with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system. Each F-PACE model uses a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. The Q5 comes with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT), while the SQ5 is equipped with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Paddle shifters are provided all around for manual gear selection.
Notably, the F-PACE can be ordered with Adaptive Surface Response, a traction control technology designed to enhance performance in a variety of low-traction conditions.
Photo by Jaguar
Technology
The F-PACE is available with Jaguar's InControl Touch Pro infotainment system with a 10.2-inch capacitive touchscreen and a virtual 12.3-inch HD instrument cluster with full-screen navigation display and laser head-up display. InControl W-Fi is also available and is capable of hosting up to eight devices. Activity Key — a waterproof, wearable vehicle access technology — allows owners to leave their keys behind in the vehicle, locked away securely.
The Q5 comes with a 7.0-inch high-mounted TFT infotainment display and can be ordered with an 8.3-inch TFT display; Audi's "virtual cockpit," MMI all-in-touch with handwriting technology; a Bang & Olufsen audio system with 3D surround sound, 19 speakers, 16 channels of amplification, and 755 watts; and advanced keyless start, stop, and entry.
Photo by Jaguar
Braking/Suspension/Handling
The F-PACE comes with four-wheel independent suspension (double-wishbone front/Integral Link rear), constructed nearly entirely from aluminum for light weight and stiffness. Ventilated disc brakes are fitted all around (12.8-inch front and rear on 20d and 25t/13.8-inch front and 12.8-inch rear on 30t and S). Torque vectoring is standard, along with electronically assisted power steering.
The Q5 and SQ5 come with five-link front and rear independent suspension, with available adaptive damping suspension on the Q5 (standard on the SQ5) and an available adaptive air suspension on the SQ5. Ventilated disc brakes are standard on all four wheels (13.3-inch front/13.0-inch rear). Steering is an electromechanical speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion system. Torque vectoring is also standard on the Q5 and SQ5 as part of the Quattro all-wheel drive system.
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Photo by Audi
Cargo/Towing
One of the many reasons that crossover vehicles have gained in popularity is their utility. Buyers welcome the luggage and cargo space that liftbacks offer, seemingly without penalty over a traditional sedan or coupe. The Q5 and SQ5 can handle 26.8 cubic feet of luggage behind their rear seats. Folding it flat opens up 60.4 cubic feet of cargo space. The Q5 has a towing capacity of 4,400 lbs when equipped with a trailer hitch.
The F-PACE outdoes that by a bit, with a towing capacity of 5,291 lbs (with a trailer brake). It also wins the cargo capacity comparison with 33.5 cubic feet of luggage behind the rear seat and 63.5 cubic feet with the seat folded flat.
Photo by Jaguar
Trim Levels and Pricing
The 2018 Audi Q5 is offered in three trim levels: Premium (starting at $41,500); Premium Plus ($45,500); and Prestige ($50,800). The SQ5 comes in two trim levels: Premium Plus ($54,300); and Prestige ($58,500). Each Q5 and SQ5 comes with a four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and a 12-month/10,000-mile no-charge first scheduled maintenance program.
Jaguar offers seven versions of the 2018 F-PACE: base ($42,065), Premium ($44,775), Prestige ($49,125), R-Sport ($54,175), S ($59,775), Portfolio ($62,000), and the top-of-the-line SVR ($79,990). Every Jaguar comes with a five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty: five years/60,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance, and five years/unlimited miles of Jaguar InControl Remote & Protect.
Photo by Jaguar
Conclusion: Which is Best?
If you’re seriously considering purchasing either an Audi Q5 or Jaguar F-PACE, you’ve done something right along the way and it’s time to reward yourself. You might want to broaden your consideration to include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Porsche Macan, Lexus RX, Infiniti QX50, Mercedes-Benz GLC Class, and BMW X3.
But if you’ve narrowed it down to the Q5 and F-PACE, you’re awaiting a definitive recommendation: Even though you’ll have to lay out a little bit more money for a comparably equipped vehicle, open your wallet wide and buy a 2018 Jaguar F-PACE. You’ll be getting a more exclusive vehicle that represents the latest and greatest that Jaguar can accomplish. You’ll appreciate the extra interior space, along with the peace of mind that comes with a longer factory warranty and the convenience of complimentary scheduled maintenance over that time period.
Jaguar F-PACE
Photo by Jaguar