2026 Audi Q5 vs 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

A base-model Range Rover Sport costs about the same as a mid-tier trim of any other midsize luxury SUV. Land Rover plays in the big leagues, which require a minimum of $85,000 or a lease payment approaching $2,000 per month. Even with such immense outlays, the Range Rover Sport is Land Rover's second most-popular model in the U.S. and far surpasses the Velar, the Evoque, and the Discovery. This is the lens from which we evaluate the Range Rover Sport. The particular 2026 model we tested—the SV Carbon—is also the fastest, most extreme vehicle the company has ever made, providing further context for its roughly $200,000 MSRP. At that price, the choices narrow to a new Porsche Cayenne Turbo, or a lightly-used Aston Martin DBX or Lamborghini Urus.

Verdict: Anywhere it goes, the Range Rover Sport is at the top of its class.

A year into its third generation, the Audi Q5 comes out swinging with screens, screens, and more screens in an attempt to hold its position as one of the bestselling compact luxury SUVs in the U.S. Audi customers and car enthusiasts, however, have panned the company's shift to a derivative exterior design and subpar interior materials while prices keep ratcheting higher. With thousands of test miles logged in Q5 models dating back to the first generation, we came to this Q5 review with an open yet highly critical mind, especially considering our Prestige test car’s roughly $65,000 asking price.

Verdict: Competent, not compelling, the Q5 meets expectations without setting the bar like it did in previous generations.