Is the Audi Q5 more reliable than the Acura ZDX?

No. The Acura ZDX leads by a large gap. It has 4 recalls over two model years, while the Q5 has 49 over nine. The Q5 also has more serious reports, such as engine fire, sudden shutdowns, and broken rear springs. The ZDX's record is short, so treat it with some caution.

Which has more recalls, the Q5 or the ZDX?

The Audi Q5 has far more. Federal recall records list 49 for the Q5 across model years 2018 to 2026 and 4 for the ZDX across 2024 and 2025. The Q5 has had more years on the road, which adds to its total, but the gap is still wide.

Does the ZDX get more complaints than the Q5?

Per car sold, yes. The ZDX has 73.6 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 10.4 for the Q5. The Q5 has more complaints in total, 471 against 45. ZDX owners mostly report braking faults and false emergency braking that dealers often cannot reproduce.

What are the biggest problems with the Audi Q5?

Electrical failures lead, with 110 complaints. Owners describe the SUV stopping on a freeway and refusing to move, and plug-in Q5 e owners waiting on a battery recall repair with no parts. Rear coil springs also break, mostly between 46,000 and 62,000 miles, with repairs starting around $720.

Is the Acura ZDX safe to drive given the braking complaints?

Braking is the ZDX's top complaint area, with 13 reports. Drivers describe a pedal sinking, late stops, and sudden hard braking with nothing ahead. Dealers often find no stored codes. Test the brakes in reverse and at low speed, and confirm all recall work is done before you buy.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Acura ZDX

Excellent

Audi Q5

Good

The Acura ZDX beats the Audi Q5 on reliability by a large margin, mainly because the Q5 has far more recalls and more serious failures. The ZDX has only two model years behind it, though, and its owners file complaints at a much higher rate per car sold.

How Do the Acura ZDX and Audi Q5 Generations Compare?

Any ZDX you find used is either a first-generation car or a second-generation one. The first generation, called the YB1, sold in the US from 2010 to 2013 and got a facelift in 2013, its final year on the market. The second generation covers 2024 and 2025. Those two newest years have had little time on the road, so their record of complaints and recalls is short. Their complaint rate per car sold is already high, so check each car's recall status before buying.

Verdict

The Acura ZDX is more reliable than the Audi Q5, scoring 82/100 vs 69/100.

A large gap favors the Acura ZDX. Federal recall records show 4 recalls across its two model years, against 49 for the Audi Q5 across nine. The Q5 also carries the more serious list of faults: an engine fire on a freeway, full electrical shutdowns, and rear springs that break without warning. The ZDX has real braking and false-stop problems, but its record is short, so its standing rests on little history.

Key Differences

1Audi Q5 has 63.2 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Acura ZDX has 45 fewer total recalls
3Acura ZDX scores 13 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Acura ZDX

—

1Audi Q5

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5: Which Is More Reliable?

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Acura ZDX	Audi Q5
Reliability Score	82/100	69/100
Years Tracked	2	9
Total Recalls	4	49
Complaints per 10k Sold	73.6	10.4
Year Wins	2	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Acura ZDX and Audi Q5?

Loss of power and sudden shutdowns define the Q5 complaints. Owners describe an engine fire, a full electronics shutdown that takes out power steering and brakes, and rear coil springs that snap with no warning light. Steering and power train each carry crash-linked reports. ZDX complaints center on braking: a pedal that sinks, hard stops with nothing ahead, and reverse braking that sets the parking brake. Dealers often cannot reproduce these faults. Its only crash-linked report involves a car that rolled backward after the driver selected Park and got out.

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5 common problem areas comparison
Component	Acura ZDX	Audi Q5
SERVICE BRAKES	21.3High	0.4Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	11.5Above Avg	2.4Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	13.1Above Avg	0.4Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	11.5Above Avg	0.3Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	4.9Average	—None
POWER TRAIN	3.3Average	0.6Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.7Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.5Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.3Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.2Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5 Reliability Compare by Year?

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Acura ZDX	Audi Q5	Edge
2025	88/1000R / 0C	76/1000R / 15C	Acura ZDX
2024	76/1004R / 45C	70/1005R / 26C	Acura ZDX

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Acura ZDX scored 76/100 and the 2024 Audi Q5 scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Acura ZDX vs the Audi Q5?

Pick the ZDX if you want fewer recalls and a cleaner record of serious failures. Expect to deal with brake and driver-assist glitches. Test the brakes in reverse and at low speed, and ask the dealer about open recall work. Only 2024 and 2025 are available in the second generation, so choose on condition and service history, not on a favored year. Pick the Q5 only if you can verify its history and prefer its size or driving feel. Avoid 2018 and 2021, the weakest years. Skip the plug-in hybrid Q5 e if the battery recall repair is still open, since owners say dealers have no parts and no timeline. On a Q5 near 46,000 to 62,000 miles, ask whether the rear springs were inspected, because breaks cluster there and a repair starts at about $720. Also ask whether the gateway module was ever replaced.

Acura ZDX vs Audi Q5: Common Questions

Is the Audi Q5 more reliable than the Acura ZDX?: No. The Acura ZDX leads by a large gap. It has 4 recalls over two model years, while the Q5 has 49 over nine. The Q5 also has more serious reports, such as engine fire, sudden shutdowns, and broken rear springs. The ZDX's record is short, so treat it with some caution.
Which has more recalls, the Q5 or the ZDX?: The Audi Q5 has far more. Federal recall records list 49 for the Q5 across model years 2018 to 2026 and 4 for the ZDX across 2024 and 2025. The Q5 has had more years on the road, which adds to its total, but the gap is still wide.
Does the ZDX get more complaints than the Q5?: Per car sold, yes. The ZDX has 73.6 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 10.4 for the Q5. The Q5 has more complaints in total, 471 against 45. ZDX owners mostly report braking faults and false emergency braking that dealers often cannot reproduce.
What are the biggest problems with the Audi Q5?: Electrical failures lead, with 110 complaints. Owners describe the SUV stopping on a freeway and refusing to move, and plug-in Q5 e owners waiting on a battery recall repair with no parts. Rear coil springs also break, mostly between 46,000 and 62,000 miles, with repairs starting around $720.
Is the Acura ZDX safe to drive given the braking complaints?: Braking is the ZDX's top complaint area, with 13 reports. Drivers describe a pedal sinking, late stops, and sudden hard braking with nothing ahead. Dealers often find no stored codes. Test the brakes in reverse and at low speed, and confirm all recall work is done before you buy.

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How we score the Acura ZDX and Audi Q5

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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