Audi SQ5 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC

Based on the redesigned 2025 Audi Q5, the SQ5 is a compact luxury crossover SUV that features styling, equipment, and mechanical upgrades to deliver a sporty, luxurious, and fun-to-drive experience. It comes in standard or Sportback body styles, the latter equipped with a racy roofline that doesn’t compromise passenger and cargo space as much as you expect. Upgrades with this redesign include a new vehicle architecture, more power, added practicality, and next-generation technology.

Verdict: Choosing a sport-tuned SUV over a sport-tuned sedan typically means making a dynamic compromise. The added weight and higher centre of gravity can make an SUV less enjoyable when the road turns twisty. With the 2025 Audi SQ5, that’s not the case. We like it more than the Audi S5 Sportback that shares its Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture.

The handsome Mercedes-Benz GLC compact SUV continues into the 2025 model year with a few revisions and a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant. The GLC shows us that a simple yet measured approach makes it a strong candidate up against compact luxury SUVs from Audi, BMW, Genesis, Lexus, Porsche, and Volvo. This review covers the non-AMG GLC models, while AMG GLC models are reviewed separately.

Verdict: The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC-class is a handsome and compelling new car fit for most duties