Diesel’s not dead: new Audi Q5 slips in just under £50k
Petrol, diesel or hot S model? Audi’s mid-size SUV is available to order now, with a plug-in hybrid due later
The third-generation Audi Q5 is available to order now priced from a whisker under £50k. Petrol and diesel powertrains are offered across three trim lines – Sport, S line and Edition 1 – plus there’s a standalone V6-powered SQ5.
Based on the Volkswagen Group’s new Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, the Q5 launches just behind its biggest rival, the BMW X3, which we drove last week. The Audi is fractionally more expensive in its base form, and quite substantially so the further up the range you climb. That aforementioned SQ5 is priced from £74,400; a comparable X3 M50 starts from £66,980.
The entry-level Audi Q5 TFSI uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine with 201bhp and 340Nm of torque and costs from £49,950. It’ll do 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and Audi claims up to 40.9mpg depending on specification. All models get a seven-speed S tronic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive.
For an extra £1,650, you can spec the firm’s familiar 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, again with MHEV tech, an auto box and all-wheel drive. It gets the same 201bhp but a little more torque (400Nm); 0-62mph takes 7.4 seconds and Audi says the most efficient models will do up to 47.9mpg.
Topping the range is the SQ5, which uses a 362bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged MHEV petrol engine. Only available in flashy Edition 1 guise for the time being, it costs from £74,400. It too uses a seven-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive, for a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds. The SQ5’s top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
Audi says the new Q5 is “extensively equipped in all its forms”, with all versions boasting at least 19-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate and full LED lights front and rear. As previously seen on the e-tron GT and Q8 e-tron, Audi offers an over-the-air (OTA) Matrix LED upgrade, which can be switched on and off, on demand, for a fee.
Inside, Sport models get heated leather seats, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting and dual screens for the instruments and infotainment. As is now expected at this price point, there is a full suite of safety kit including camera-based traffic-sign recognition, lane-departure warning and a 360-degree parking system.
Step up to S line (from £52,550) for an extra £2,600 and you get special red badges, 20-inch wheels, privacy glass and all the usual S line styling trinkets, including a unique grille, bumpers and trim. Inside, there’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel, different fabrics, and S logos on the headrests.
Edition 1 (from £56,750) jumps another inch on wheel size and adds plenty of black detailing – including for the Audi rings, roof rails and tailpipes. Owners also get the Matrix lights as standard, and can activate bespoke light signatures from the car’s infotainment system. The cabin is upgraded with a mix of Dinamica microfibre material and leather, while the front-seat passenger gets an additional 10.9-inch screen, allowing them to stream content on the move – all without distracting the driver.
All versions can be specified with the Sound and Vision pack for £2,195, which brings luxuries like a configurable head-up display and a Bang & Olufsen stereo.
The SQ5, despite being labelled as an ‘Edition 1’ car, gets unique elements such as black 21-inch wheels, adaptive air-suspension and a panoramic roof. There’s perforated Nappa leather inside, plus heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. The Bang & Olufsen stereo and head-up display from the Sound and Vision pack are included as standard.
All models are available to order now, with first deliveries scheduled for April next year. A plug-in hybrid Audi Q5 TFSIe will join the range later, alongside a sleeker Q5 Sportback model.
Would you pick the Audi Q5 over the new BMW X3? Let us know in the comments section...
