Used Audi Q5 (Mk2, 2017-2024) review and buyer’s guide
A full used buyer’s guide on the Audi Q5 covering the Mk2 that was on sale between 2017 and 2024
Verdict
There’s no denying that the all-new Audi Q5 that’s about to hit UK roads is a mightily impressive car, but its arrival doesn’t make its predecessor any less desirable. Indeed, for many, the Mk2 has all of the technology you could ever need and more; and with superb low-mileage second-generation Q5s available for less than £25,000, it’s excellent value. With a choice of really good petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains to choose from, and plenty available on Audi’s Approved Used scheme, you can’t really go wrong, as long as you buy the right engine for your needs.
When the original Q5 was launched in 2008, buyers faced long waiting lists and Audi’s first take on the mid-sized SUV formula continued to be a smash hit for its eight-year life.
That first Q5 was so popular and so accomplished that the firm had its work cut out creating a sequel, yet it turned out to be even better.
When the Q5 Mk2 was unveiled in 2016, it looked more modern, and was safer and more refined, while also being better to drive. An all-new third-generation Q5 is about to hit UK roads, featuring even more technology, but that doesn’t stop the Mk2 from being a brilliant used buy.
History
The Q5 Mk2 reached UK showrooms in April 2017 with 248bhp 2.0 TFSI petrol or 187bhp 2.0 TDI diesel engines, both with quattro four-wheel drive. Within weeks, there was also a 349bhp SQ5, with a 3.0 TFSI petrol engine. In spring 2019, the SQ5 was relaunched with a 342bhp,
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3.0-litre V6 diesel, then in June 2019 Audi launched its first ever plug-in hybrids, the 50 and 55 TFSIe quattro.
When the Q5 was facelifted in summer 2020 it brought new infotainment, LED headlights, digital instruments and sat-nav as standard. The SQ5 wasn’t updated until spring 2021, just before the Q5 Sportback was introduced, with a more rakish coupé-like rear end.
On the road
For decades, Audi has focused on building cars that are easy to drive quickly, but not much fun. That’s how it is with the Q5, which even in SQ5 form isn’t engaging. Buy lower down the range and you get smaller wheels with more compliant suspension, giving greater comfort – you might find a Q5 on 21-inch wheels uncomfortably firm.
Whichever you buy, it’ll be refined, and the standard-fit automatic gearbox is smooth and slick.
Which should I buy?
Audi didn’t produce any weak variations on the Q5 theme. All models have plenty of power and equipment, with trim levels changing as the car aged. Pre-facelift, there was a choice of SE, Sport and S line, with the SE having a having a DAB radio, 10-speaker stereo, front and rear parking sensors, heated leather seats and three-zone climate control, plus 18-inch alloy wheels and xenon headlights. To this Sport trim added upgraded infotainment and LED interior lighting, while the S line came with 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, a subtle bodykit, plus leather and Alcantara sport seats.
Alternatives to the Audi Q5
There are plenty of medium-sized SUVs, including premium contenders. Among them are the Jaguar F-Pace and the Mercedes GLC.
The former is decent to drive and comes with some great engines, while the latter has a high-tech interior and some impressive powertrains. The BMW X3 also has some efficient engines and an excellent interior, while the Lexus NX is incredibly refined and reliable. Don’t overlook the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, either, which is entertaining to drive and looks great, but isn’t as practical as some rivals. The class leader for dynamics is the Porsche Macan, which also has a glorious cabin – or there’s the Volvo XC60, which is comfortable, stylish and very safe, but costly to run.
What to look for
Auto only
Although a manual gearbox was offered with the Q5 Mk1, the Mk2 came only with automatic transmissions, plus quattro four-wheel drive.
On the pull
There aren’t many caravans that you can’t tow with an early Q5 Mk2, which was rated at up to 2,400kg capacity. Most later Q5s are restricted to 2,000kg though.
Plug-in power
The plug-in hybrids are claimed to be capable of up to 188mpg and 26 miles of electric range. At lower speeds, the latter is possible; expect around 45mpg in reality.
Common faults
Electrical glitches are the most frequent; check the infotainment and climate control in particular. Elsewhere, worn ball joints aren’t unusual in the front suspension, but they’re not especially expensive to fix.
Interior
Audi has long produced some of the best interiors in the business, in terms of quality, fit and finish, and ergonomics too. The Q5 is no exception, with premium materials, clear instruments, and an intuitive touchscreen. Better still, there are separate controls to adjust the climate control.
The good news continues when it comes to cabin space, because there’s plenty of head and legroom for four adults; you can get three adults in the back seat if you need to. Even better, this space doesn’t come at the expense of boot capacity, which stands at 550 litres. Find a car with the optional sliding rear seat (standard on plug-in hybrids) and you’ll have up to 60 litres more at your disposal.
Prices
Until 2019 most Q5s had a diesel engine, but petrol became more popular from 2020 when the first plug-in hybrids were registered.
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Running costs
There are fixed and variable (Flexible) service regimes; the former is set at every 12 months or 9,000 miles, while the latter stretches this to two years or 18,600 miles. On the fixed option, services alternate between Minor and Major; Flexible requires a Major every time. A Major service costs £270 for diesels (£298 for petrols and hybrids); the Major is £490 or £424.
All engines have a cambelt, which should be replaced every 130,000 miles or five years, costing £550. Some Q5s are in insurance group 25 but most are group 32 or higher and the SQ5 goes up to group 45. Fuel economy ranges from around 30mpg for 3.0-litre petrol to 50mpg for the 2.0 TDI. You can expect as much as 40mpg from the 2.0 TFSI on a run.
Recalls
Audi has recalled the Q5 Mk2 a total of 11 times so far, the first in 2018 because some early cars had faulty airbags. Three brake-related recalls followed, in June and October 2018, then April 2019. The first two were because of sub-standard brake pistons; the third was master cylinder glitches.
Three separate recalls came between July and October 2019, because of wheelarch liners becoming detached, then in 2020 there were three more campaigns, because of faulty brake calipers, poorly made starter-alternators, and problematic front-seat back rests. The most recent came in 2021, because of sub-standard rear axle retaining nuts.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
The last time the Q5 Mk2 appeared in a Driver Power new-car survey was in 2020, when it came 46th out of 75. The only top-10 score was a fifth for child-friendly features; next best were smartphone connectivity (18th) and all-round visibility (19th).
Front-seat comfort (72nd), servicing costs (74th) and steering responsiveness (64th) were very disappointing though, while 51st for reliability left plenty of room for improvement.
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Used Audi Q5s for sale
2015 Audi
Q5
109,764 milesManualDiesel2.0L
Cash £7,495
2017 Audi
Q5
100,621 milesManualDiesel2.0L
Cash £9,999
2015 Audi
Q5
104,300 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,200
2015 Audi
Q5
95,400 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,250
2017 Audi
Q5
124,500 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,895
2017 Audi
Q5
113,550 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,995
2015 Audi
Q5
82,476 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £11,050
2018 Audi
Q5
151,000 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £11,190
2016 Audi
Q5
105,297 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £12,250
Audi Q5 (2017-2024) review: What we said
Extracts from our 2024 in-depth review of the Audi Q5 Mk2...
Despite only being in its second generation, the Audi Q5 has firmly established itself as one of the most popular premium SUVs on the market – it's a very solid rival for the likes of the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC.
Sharing chassis parts with the Audi A4 and larger Audi Q7, the Q5 is a known entity. It offers a comfortable, refined driving experience but doesn’t quite match the X3 or Jaguar F-Pace for driver involvement. It compensates for this with a supremely well-finished cabin, though, and bags of safety technology and hi-tech equipment, including some of the best infotainment packages available on any car.
About the Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is one of the most popular premium SUVs for sale today, and should be on your shortlist if you're looking to buy or lease a classy family 4x4. The second-generation Q5 arrived in 2016, with a facelifted model in 2020 bringing further styling and tech tweaks. Sitting alongside the conventional Q5 is the coupe-SUV styled Sportback model, both of which are available in Sport, S line and Black Edition trim levels.
The Audi Q5 is right in the mix of the premium SUV class. Its main rivals are the BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, Volvo XC60 and Mercedes GLC, while other cars worth considering include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Lexus NX and Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Where the Audi Q5 impresses is with its interior quality. Like all Audis, there's a solidity and premium feel that puts it above its main rivals. And with all cars getting sat-nav, LED interior lighting, leather seats (heated up front), three-zone climate control, Audi's MMI infotainment system and Virtual Cockpit Plus digital driver’s display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and an electronically opening boot, so you're not short of standard kit. There's still an extensive options list to add even more equipment, although that can bump up prices further.
The regular Q5 (both the SUV and Sportback) is limited to either a 2.0-litre petrol engine, badged 45 TFSI quattro, or a 2.0-litre diesel unit labelled 40 TDI quattro. Those with deeper pockets can opt for the plug-in hybrid Q5 50 TFSI e, which offers a pure-electric driving range of up to 38 miles. All cars utilise a seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox.
Anyone looking for a six-cylinder Q5 is out of luck, because the SQ5 is no longer offered in the UK. Instead, you’ll need to look towards the hotter versions of the BMW X3, or the performance-orientated 400 Sport Jaguar F-Pace, or the Mercedes-AMG GLC for something similar with a bigger engine.
Overall, the Audi Q5 feels like a premium product, but despite the tweaks to this facelifted second-generation car, it doesn't really stand out in any particular area to put it at the front of the hugely competitive premium SUV pack. Since its launch, both the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and BMW X3 have received a facelift and there’s also an all-new Mercedes GLC to contend with.
Engines, performance and drive
The Audi Q5 focuses on being safe, composed and comfortable to drive. The entry-level Sport has ‘dynamic’ suspension, providing the most compliant set-up. The S line trim has firmer ‘sports’, which is fine for most UK roads, provided you stick with the smallest 19-inch wheels. The largest 21-inch wheels available as an option on Black Edition models lead to the ride feeling unsettled at speed and tends to thud over potholes. It can’t match the ride quality of a similarly specified Mercedes GLC.
The handling of the Q5 is predictable, making this an easy car to drive quickly that is happy to change direction when thrown into corners. What it is not, however, is overly thrilling. That’s because the steering, in particular, is short on feedback; it’s easy enough to trust and accurate enough for you to confidently place the Q5 into a corner. But it doesn’t give you much of a sensation of what the front wheels are doing and how they interact with the road surface below.
The roughest surfaces encountered by the average Q5 are likely to be a particularly dusty corner of a Waitrose car park, but should the driver get desperately lost and end up on a gravel track, then the car should be able to get you through because all models come with quattro four-wheel drive. It’s not exactly a Land Rover Discovery Sport in terms of off-road prowess, but it’s capable enough for most situations.
As with lots of Audis, the Q5 has a wide variety of driving settings available through its ‘Drive Select’ button. This allows you to select different modes that affect everything from the throttle response and stability control system, to how the gearbox responds and the amount of steering weight. We found ourselves flicking between ‘Comfort’ and ‘Dynamic’ settings, and leaving ‘Efficiency’ alone more often than not. The ‘Efficiency’ setting stymies the throttle response to eke out better fuel economy. It is also possible to mix your favourite settings from key elements of the car and store these under an ‘Individual’ preset to save you having to go back and forth between modes.
The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is excellent, with rapid, smooth shifts and software that does a decent job of kicking down when necessary. You can always override the system, too, by flicking paddles behind the steering wheel to shift manually – although they’re not as nice to use as the aluminium ones in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
The Q5 is quiet on the move, with the plug-in hybrid models delivering a smooth transition from electric power to firing up the combustion engine. Select hybrid mode, and the Q5 will err towards utilising its battery power, although it will cross over to the petrol engine under stronger acceleration.
0-62mph acceleration and top speed
The 2020 facelift introduced mild-hybrid technology for the standard Q5 petrol and diesel versions, bringing improvements in power, performance and overall efficiency.
The entry-level 45 TFSI 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit now produces 261bhp (up from 247bhp), while the 40 TDI 2.0-litre oil-burner delivers 201bhp (up from 187bhp). That’s a 14bhp increase over the (pre-facelift) diesel model, and it includes a 12-volt mild-hybrid system, which uses a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG) to deliver a little extra power and torque to assist with pulling away. The diesel is our pick of the range, because it's punchy enough, efficient and reasonably refined – managing the 0-62mph sprint in 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 137mph.
For those interested in petrol power, the 45 TFSI manages the 0-62mph sprint in 6.1 seconds, and will do 149mph flat out.
Company car users – and private owners looking for plug-in hybrid flexibility – will be best served by the TFSI e models. There’s plenty of performance on tap from the 295bhp 50 TFSI e, with 0-62mph arriving in just 6.1 seconds, and reached a maximum speed of 148mph.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
There’s a 90kg weight-saving for this second-generation Audi Q5 over the previous model, which helped deliver improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The other highlight that boosts efficiency is the quattro 'ultra' on-demand four-wheel drive system – which means it stays in a more efficient front-wheel drive mode until the system detects you need the extra traction of four-wheel drive in slippery conditions and engages the rear wheels to help out and get you out of trouble.
Mild-hybrid tech is fitted to both petrol and diesel Q5 models, while the 2.0-litre TDI engine now features a lighter aluminium crankcase and a lighter crankshaft, shaving 22.5kg of weight off the engine.
Audi claims the 40 TDI is capable of 44.1mpg on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions from 167g/km, while the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol returns up to 33.6mpg, with CO2 emissions from 190g/km.
Low running costs are the order of the day with the 50 TFSI e plug-in hybrid. The 50 TFSI e returns between 156.9–188.3mpg, depending on specification (the Sportback PHEV offers up to 176.6mpg), all the while emitting just 35 to 40g/km of CO2 (again, the Sportback PHEV fares slightly worse with 36 to 41g/km). Of course, you'll have to keep the battery regularly topped up to achieve anywhere near this fuel economy figure, or the 38 miles of pure- electric driving range the Q5 PHEV offers.
Interior, design and technology
The Audi Q5 is well resolved, with decent proportions, and the 2020 facelift offered only a few minor tweaks to the already classy exterior. These included revised LED headlamps, a reshaped radiator grille, and a restyled front bumper with larger air intakes. Audi has also fitted a pair of reprofiled side skirts, while at the rear, there's some updated trim.
Audi also offers a few trim-specific exterior differences for the Q5. For example, the Sport model has a chrome grille surround and silver skid plates, while the S line variant features a honeycomb grille and chrome strip for the rear diffuser. Audi has also added a pair of new paint finishes to the Q5’s colour palette – District Green and Ultra Blue.
Inside, the Q5 builds on the dashboard architecture that we’ve seen on the A4 by using a similar design, featuring even higher-quality materials. You’ll have to poke around pretty hard before you start finding any unpleasant plastics; everything that’s visible or regularly touched looks and feels superb.
A 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen dominates the dashboard, while a storage compartment has replaced the previous Q5’s centre console rotary control knob. It’s an ergonomic set-up but doesn’t look as sleek as the same screen integrated into the dash on Audi’s newer models like the Q4 e-tron.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
Audis no longer come with a trackpad and control wheel to operate the MMI Navigation system, and the set-up in the Q5 is mostly controlled via the touchscreen – voice activation is also included. The display offers a clear layout with useful shortcut buttons, and decent graphics, although the mapping looks a little dated.
The touchscreen is used for almost everything, and responds to your inputs with a click each time you touch it. The system is easy to navigate and offers lots of information, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with a three-year connected services subscription.
Also included is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit 10.25-inch digital dash, which still delivers a hi-tech edge to the interior and impressive functionality. We appreciate that the climate controls (which are laid out below the central touchscreen) are still physical controls, which is a real bonus, because it makes it easy to adjust the temperature while driving.
DAB radio and Bluetooth are standard, along with two USB ports for charging up your devices. For around £1,900 you can add Audi’s ‘Technology Pack’, which consists of LED headlights, LED interior ambient lighting, an upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system, wireless charging, park assist and a rear USB charging port.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
If you’re wondering whether the Audi Q5 is big enough to accommodate four adults and their luggage, let us set your mind at rest: there’s decent space inside for those grown-ups, and the boot is just about big enough for three big suitcases and a couple of overnight bags.
The plug-in hybrid versions feature a flexible rear seat system that can alter the seat base fore and aft, and adjust the seat back angle to prioritise either cabin space or the boot capacity. The key benefit is that you can squeeze another 60 litres of boot space on top of the standard 550 litres. It’s available as a reasonably priced £360 option on the regular petrol and diesel model and is worthwhile specifying.
That aside, it’s hard to fault the package; the view out of the driver’s seat is excellent, it’s reasonably easy to place all four corners of the car in tighter manoeuvres, and there’s even some clever tech that knows when you’ve attached a roof box and adjusts the stability control systems accordingly to reflect the fact that you’ve got some extra weight higher up than normal.
Size
The Q5 is about par for the course in the premium SUV segment. Its length and width – 4.66 metres and 1.89 metres – are within a few millimetres of the BMW X3’s and Mercedes GLC’s dimensions. The Audi’s roofline does sit a little lower than the BMW’s, though, at 1.66 metres.
Perhaps more significantly, the second generation of the Q5 gained a few millimetres in wheelbase, so it’s now 2.82 metres. That’s still far from the longest in the class, but it does give the Q5 a fighting chance against the likes of the GLC when it comes to cabin space, particularly rear legroom.
Leg room, head room and passenger space
Four adults will be extremely comfortable in the Q5. There’s bags of shoulder space and headroom up front, and the tapering roofline doesn’t manage to make it cramped for six-footers in the back. There’s really enough space, in fact, for the Q5 to cope with five adults on more than just a short journey; that’s a decent effort in this class. Despite the sloping roofline of the Sportback coupe-SUV model, it’s still perfectly fine for adults.
Getting in and out of the front seats is easy, thanks to the raised ride height you typically get in this type of SUV. Adults can slide in and out of the rear seats with relative ease, although the thick C-pillar means taller passengers may have to duck just a little to avoid bumping their head.
Audi offers a pair of ISOFIX points in the outermost rear seats, but there’s no real scope for this car to accommodate three child seats across the second row. This isn’t unusual in the class, though.
Boot Space
The Q5’s 550-litre boot is large enough to hold three decent-sized suitcases, with a couple of overnight bags squeezed in around them. But it’s not quite up to the class best in terms of capacity. By comparison, Jaguar’s F-Pace has a whopping 650 litres on offer, the new Mercedes GLC has up to 620 litres and the BMW X3 has 550 litres with its (fixed) rear seats in place.
Fold down the rear seats completely, and the Q5’s capacity extends to 1,550 litres, which is 190 litres down on the Jaguar’s.
However, it's worth noting that there’s a 14.4kWh (useable) battery under the plug-in hybrid Q5’s boot floor, which eats up a lot of boot space. With the rear seats in place, the Q5 PHEV (pictured below) offers 465 litres of cargo space, and 1,405 litres with the sliding 60:40-split rear bench down. There’s no under-floor storage either, so the charging cable also takes up some of the boot.
There are a couple of hanging hooks at the side of the Q5’s boot, and Audi offers a luggage net that does a decent job of keeping things clamped down to the floor on twistier roads.
The boot aperture is excellent, with a nice, wide opening – although there’s quite a high lip to lift items over. The tailgate operates electrically on all models; it’s activated by a button on the boot lid or the key fob, although there’s an option that allows you to perform the same function by waving your foot below the rear bumper.
Towing
Those thinking of using the Audi Q5 to tow will welcome the 2,400kg, which should be more than enough to pull a caravan or some form of hobby vehicle. This doesn’t change between petrol, diesel, or body styles.
There is a slight reduction for the plug-in hybrid, but 2,000kg is still competitive.
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