Audi Q5 vs Kia EV9

Summary: Arriving midway through the model year, the 2025 Audi Q5 compact SUV marks the first redesign of the German luxury brand’s bestselling model since the 2018 model year. That redesign brings Audi’s current design language and tech suite, helping the Q5 keep pace with more recently updated rivals such as the BMW X3, Lexus NX, and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Verdict: There’s plenty to like about the new Q5, but it’s far from being the definitive small luxury SUV.

With the Kia EV9, the Korean automaker innovates in more ways than one. It’s not only a new vehicle, or even only a new electric vehicle (EV). It also introduces a new business model that allows owners to continue to customize their vehicle long after they’ve left the dealership. And yet, while it breaks new ground, the EV9 manages to provide a refreshingly familiar driving experience.

It looks like Kia’s got a winner on its hands. Well-appointed, comfortably sized, and offered at a price point fit to embarrass its luxury-brand rivals, the EV9 is a compelling package. Add to that its intuitive driving feel and its potential for later-term customization, and this just may be the ambassador vehicle it takes to bring the EV-wary over to the green side.