Audi Q5 review

Our opinion on the Audi Q5

If you’re after a comfortable, refined, spacious, tech-filled and sophisticated-looking premium mid-size SUV, then the latest Audi Q5 delivers on all those fronts. This is a soothing car to drive, and ideal for long motorway journeys, although its hybrid technology also makes it surprisingly well suited to traversing town centres. But while the interior looks fantastic, the quality could be better in places, and key rivals are more practical.

We much prefer the diesel engine over the noisy, lacklustre petrol engine that chips away at the Q5’s otherwise impressive levels of refinement. However, there are plug-in hybrid versions coming later, and we can see them becoming our pick of the range.

About the Audi Q5

The Audi Q5 was the brand’s biggest seller globally in 2024 – and by a long way, with nearly 300,000 sold, despite the outgoing model having been launched in 2016 and last updated in 2020. Now, the all-new, third-generation premium mid-size SUV builds upon the massive success of the first two iterations. Naturally, it sticks to their popular formula, but with some extra style, a more tech-filled interior and hybrid technology as standard on every model.

Of course, other key players in this class have been refreshed over the past few years, so this Audi’s rivals include refreshed iterations of the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC and Lexus NX, while the Volvo XC60 kicked off 2025 with an extensive facelift.

Buyers can get a mild-hybrid TFSI petrol and TDI diesel engine in three trim levels – Sport, S Line and Edition 1 – while the range-topping SQ5 Edition 1 features a twin-turbo V6 (also with mild-hybrid tech) and only comes in the top specification. The same is true for the more rakish Q5 Sportback line-up, which model-for-model costs £2,500 more than the equivalent, regular SUV.

Plug-in hybrid powertrains will join the Q5 line-up in the second half of 2025, and will offer more than 50 miles of pure-electric range, according to Audi. Plus, every Q5 comes with quattro all-wheel drive as standard.

Prices for the Audi Q5 start from just under £51,000, which is squarely in between the X3 that starts at under £50k and the GLC, priced from nearly £53k. However, the NX, a three-time Auto Express award winner, undercuts them all by starting from nearly £44k.

All versions can be specified with the Sound and Vision pack for a little over £2,000, which adds a configurable head-up display and a Bang & Olufsen stereo. Optional adaptive air suspension and a panoramic sunroof can be added for around £2,000, each. Alternatively, the SQ5 has both of these luxuries fitted standard.

Standard equipment with Sport trim includes 19-inch alloy wheels, an 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit display, a 14.5-inch central OLED touchscreen, heated leather seats, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a powered tailgate, full LED lights at the front and rear, and a full suite of safety kit including a 360-degree parking system.

Upgrading to S Line trim costs around £3,000 over the equivalent Sport model, and you get the usual S line styling treatment, including unique bumpers, grille and exterior trim, 20-inch wheels, sports suspension, privacy glass and special red badges, while inside there’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel, different fabrics, and S logos on the headrests.

Edition 1 goes all out with a set of 21-inch wheels, matrix LED lights with customisable signatures and lots of black exterior detailing such as the roof rails, grille surround and air intakes. Inside, there’s a mix of Dinamica microfibre material and leather, plus an additional 10.9-inch display for the front-seat passenger that can be used to stream content on the move without distracting the driver.

The Mk3 Audi Q5 sits on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), which it shares with the latest Audi A5, and the brand claims the latest iteration of its top-selling SUV “achieves a noticeable increase in comfort” thanks to its “optimised suspension and steering.”

We can’t say definitively how much refinement or ride comfort has improved on the Q5 at this stage, because the international launch for the car took place in Spain – where the sun is almost always shining and the roads are generally a lot smoother than ours. Plus, all the cars we tested rode on the optional adaptive air suspension. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait long to see how the standard-fit steel spring set-up handles some good old British potholes.

As well as the new underpinnings, every Mk3 Q5 features hybrid assistance of some sort. The 2.0-litre TFSI petrol and TDI diesel engines, plus the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol in the spicier SQ5, are all equipped with Audi’s latest 48-volt ‘MHEV plus’ mild-hybrid system.

It uses an electric motor capable of producing 24bhp and 230Nm of torque, and is powered by a 1.7kWh battery. The system not only provides a small boost in performance and efficiency, but also allows for short bursts of pure-electric driving, the ability to coast with the engine off, and it can even recuperate up to 25kW of energy under braking.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

The entry-level TFSI 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine produces 201bhp and 340Nm of torque, which Audi says is enough to propel the Q5 to 62mph in a respectable 7.2 seconds. However, the acceleration feels a lot slower than that in the real world, and the engine seems underpowered too. Put your foot down to overtake or join the motorway, and the motor sounds thrashy and stressed. Luckily, the noise becomes faint once you’re up to cruising speed.

In our opinion, the TDI 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel is a much better engine for the Q5. It sounds like a typical diesel, yet at the same time less strained, plus the mild-hybrid system means you can glide around with the engine off around town, giving no hints that there’s a diesel engine under the bonnet.

The Q5 TDI delivers the same 201bhp, but 400Nm of torque, and that extra grunt over the 2.0 TFSI petrol (up from 340Nm) makes the diesel feel much quicker in the real world – despite the fact that, on paper, the diesel is 0.2 seconds slower from 0-62mph.

Both engines are paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that shifts smoothly.

The throaty 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 in the SQ5 produces 362bhp and 550Nm of torque for 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. Power delivery is smooth, and you feel all that torque when you accelerate. But more impressive to us was the howling note when you put the hammer down, with the occasional pop and crackle when you lift off the throttle.

Town driving, visibility and parking

The ‘MHEV plus’ technology shines around town, when the Q5 can silently coast along with the engine off, and can trick you into thinking you’re driving a plug-in hybrid or even an electric car at times. The regenerative braking system also gradually slows the car down, but doesn’t offer one-pedal driving like some electric cars.

The Q5’s progressive steering system is great at low speeds around town, making manoeuvring this 4.7-metre-long SUV easier than you might expect. Generously sized windows all around provide a great view out, while the standard-fit 360-degree camera system can come in handy in tight situations.

B-road driving and handling

The Audi Q5 is very much focused on comfort, rather than driving dynamics or thrills. If they’re a priority for you, then the BMW X3 is more deserving of your attention. The Q5 does manage to stay composed on twisty roads, and is predictable for the most part. Right up until the nose runs wide when the car corners very hard, which happened more than once during our testing.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

At higher speeds, the progressive steering becomes slower and helps the Q5 feel more stable as you cruise along on the motorway. A noticeable amount of road noise makes its way into the cabin, but that’s about the only intrusion. The ride is very comfortable, though again our test cars were riding on air suspension and smooth Spanish tarmac, which definitely worked in the Q5’s favour.

Every Audi Q5 features hybrid technology. For the moment, it’s only mild-hybrid assistance, with Audi’s latest ‘MHEV plus’ 48-volt system allowing for short bursts of pure-electric driving at low speeds – around town, for instance – helping boost fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions compared with non-electrified engines.

Audi says the 2.0-litre TFSI mild-hybrid petrol engine in the Q5 can return up to 40.4mpg. During the international launch for the car, which included a fair amount of driving on twisty back roads, we managed to average 32.1mpg.

Naturally, the 2.0-litre TDI mild-hybrid diesel engine should be more frugal, with the brand claiming it’ll average 47.1mpg. We’ve not tested this version long enough to get a real-world efficiency figure, but we’ll update this section once we do.

The final engine option for now is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre mild-hybrid V6 found exclusively in the SQ5. Supposedly, it’ll return up to 34mpg, however, after our testing, the trip computer showed just 22.4mpg.

Plug-in hybrid, or TFSIe, versions of the Q5 will be available later this year, featuring a 25.9kWh battery that will offer more than 50 miles of pure-electric driving range, we’ve been told. However, fuel efficiency stats for the upcoming PHEV versions are yet to be announced.

Insurance groups

Insurance costs for the Q5 might be a little higher than they would be for its rivals. The petrol 2.0 TFSI Sport starts in group 37, while the diesel 2.0 TDI Sport is in group 38. Meanwhile, the SQ5 is in group 45.

Those looking for less expensive insurance will need to look towards the Lexus NX or BMW X3, both of which start in group 32.

Tax 

Given that prices for the Audi Q5 start from over £50,000, it means every model is subject to an additional surcharge on annual vehicle excise duty (VED), which is applied from the second time the vehicle is taxed until it is six years old.

Depending on the exact trim level, petrol and diesel Q5s fall into either the 36 or 37 per cent Benefit-in-kind tax bands for company car users. The forthcoming plug-in hybrid versions will attract much lower ratings, possibly as low as eight per cent.

Depreciation

According to our latest expert data, the Audi Q5 will retain between 55-57 per cent of its original value after three years of ownership and 36,000 miles. However, that’s the standard SUV, while the more expensive Q5 Sportback is expected to hold onto 47-50 per cent of its list price.

For comparison, the BMW X3 is predicted to retain between 53-59 per cent, while the Mercedes GLC is predicted to retain 40-59 per cent, with AMG versions and the GLC Coupe set to lose the most value.

While the design of the BMW X3 is more divisive than ever these days, the Audi Q5 has stuck with a sophisticated, quite dynamic yet understated look. There are more than a few new styling details, such as the wide single-frame grille with the brand’s recently refreshed, 2D four-ring badge, plus slim LED headlights and a sizeable pair of air intakes on either side of the bumper.

At the rear, the Q5 features a full-length light bar and a set of customisable LED tail-lights, which are designed to emphasise the car’s width. There’s also a third brake light in the roof-mounted spoiler with a “mirror” function, meaning it projects onto the rear window for increased visibility. Alloy wheel sizes range from 19 to 21 inches.

Interior and dashboard design

The Q5 features the same tech-centric interior design as the closely related A5 saloon and estate, as well as the all-electric Audi A6 e-tron and Audi Q6 e-tron. The focal point is what Audi calls the ‘Digital Stage’, which is a curved panel that incorporates the 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit driver’s display and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen found in every model.

Range-topping models also feature a separate 10.9-inch passenger screen, which is integrated into the dashboard and allows whoever is riding shotgun to control the media, navigation and even stream content, supposedly without distracting the driver.

We’ve never seen the point of these passenger screens, and the Q5 does nothing to convince us that these extra screens are anything but a gimmick. If you really need something to occupy your passengers on long journeys, just buy them an iPad.

Entry-level Sport models feature a round four-spoke steering wheel with silver accents, while S Line and Edition 1 trim add a sportier-looking, and slightly nicer, three-spoke one with a flat top and bottom. Both feature haptic feedback panels, rather than physical buttons, which look sleek and modern, but proved very annoying during our testing because we often had the radio suddenly come on after we merely grazed one of the buttons.

Materials and build quality

The Q5’s interior looks impressive and premium, with squidgy materials on the dashboard and an ambient lighting strip stretching across it that extends into the doors. We really liked the cream upholstery in our test car, which made the cabin feel even more spacious. Other models we drove featured ‘Dinamica’ upholstery and fabric on lots of surfaces. It’s made of roughly 50 per cent recycled polyester, but gives the look and feel of suede.

Overall, the interior feels solidly constructed, but on closer inspection, you quickly notice the amount of plastic in the Q5’s interior, and some do feel cheap. For instance, there are about three or four different plastic colours and finishes on the doors alone. As always, the piano black plastic on the centre console looks good when it’s clean, but will likely pick up dust, fingerprints and scratches over time.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment 

Every Q5 gets an 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit driver’s display and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, which are both high-resolution OLED panels like the best TVs. They’re incredibly sharp, responsive and simply impressive to behold, as the screens deliver stupendous black levels.

The very slick infotainment system is powered by Android Automotive, and can receive over-the-air updates from Audi. Owners can also add apps, including YouTube and Spotify, but the staple wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard.

There are loads of menus and sub-menus for you to adjust various functions, right down to the front and rear lighting signature. Navigating them can be very distracting on the go, but thankfully, there are some on-screen shortcut buttons, and the climate controls are permanently displayed along the bottom of the touchscreen.

There are two proper shortcut buttons on the centre console, one to switch drive modes, while the other, much more useful one opens up a customisable menu with toggle switches to deactivate key driver-assist functions.

It’s disappointing that the Q5’s driver’s display doesn’t offer a full-screen map view, because this used to be a standout feature of Audi’s Virtual Cockpit displays. The brand believes the central screen is now big enough that you don’t need that anymore, but it’d be nice to still have the option.

Finally, like a lot of brands are doing these days, Audi has integrated the hot-topic artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT into its “Hey Audi” virtual assistant. It can perform about 800 different functions, though ironically, despite a dozen or so attempts, we learned one thing: the virtual assistant can’t tell you what those functions are. functions are.

The latest Audi Q5 has a more athletic design than its predecessor, but buyers still have the option of a traditional, boxy SUV or the more rakish, coupe-inspired Sportback bodystyle. We’ve tested both versions, and as you might expect, there is marginally less headroom in the back of the Q5 Sportback due to its sloping roofline, but anyone around six feet tall should still be very comfortable.

If you’re considering the Audi Q5 for your next family SUV, it’s definitely big enough to accommodate four adults and all their luggage. Plus, if you’ve got small children, there are three sets of ISOFIX child-seat mounting points – one on the front passenger seat, and another two on the back row.

Dimensions and size

The Audi Q5 has grown slightly for this latest iteration. It’s 35mm longer for a start, measuring 4,717mm from nose to tail, and has a slightly longer wheelbase of 2,828mm. The latest model is also slightly wider at 1,900mm, but just as tall as before, at 1,662mm. But while the Mk3 Q5 is bigger than its predecessor, the BMW X3 is bigger still, and has a longer wheelbase.

Driving position, seats & space in the front

The Q5 offers a suitably tall driving position, with lots of adjustability for both the driver’s seat and steering wheel. The seats also feel big and very comfortable, while the cabin as a whole feels wide and spacious. The huge windows help with that, as does the low centre console that also features a cooled charging tray, two fairly small cup-holders and a pair of USB-C charging ports.

Seats & space in the back

On the positive side, legroom is adequate for six-foot-tall adults, and headroom is generous too. However, the large transmission tunnel takes up a lot of foot space, meaning you will struggle to seat three adults across the back row. Those in the back of the Q5 get their own climate controls and USB-C charging ports, including a 100W socket that’s powerful enough to charge laptops.

On all but the base model, the seats can be reclined or slid forward depending on whether you need to prioritise passenger comfort or luggage capacity. If you’ve got a young family instead, the two sets of ISOFIX child-seat-mounting points in the back have black plastic covers that make them easy to access.

Boot space 

Boot space has actually been reduced for the latest Audi Q5, dropping from 550 to 520 litres. That’s on par with the Lexus NX, but the latest BMW X3 has a 570-litre boot, while buyers can cram 620 litres worth of stuff into the Mercedes GLC.

As we mentioned, if you opt for S Line or Edition 1 trim, the Q5’s back seats can slide forward to create more boot space. There’s also no load lip for the boot, but there is enough space underneath the floor to store the parcel shelf, which is rather handy.

Folding down the rear seats takes but a second using handles located inside the boot, and this expands the luggage capacity to 1,473 litres (1,446 SQ5) and creates an almost flat surface for larger items.

The Q5 Sportback doesn’t sacrifice too much boot space for the sake of its stylish, sloping roofline, with 515 litres on offer. This expands to 1,415 litres with the back seats folded down, or 1,388 litres in the SQ5.

Towing

All versions of the Audi Q5 have a maximum braked towing capacity of 2,400kg, and if you want Audi to fit a towbar to your Q5, it’ll cost over £1,000 for a mechanically swivelling towbar. This option also includes a trailer assist function in the infotainment system to help with reversing with a trailer or caravan attached.

The Mk3 Audi Q5 received the maximum five stars out of five crash safety score from industry experts Euro NCAP, which is what you’d expect of a premium large SUV designed for family car duties. However, protection for the chest of rear seat passengers and its performance in the side pole test were both described as adequate rather than good. Those looking for an even safer large SUV may want to consider a Mazda CX-80, which scored better in all categories.

The Q5 comes with a suite of advanced driver-assistance and safety features, including a 360-degree parking camera system, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, cross-traffic alert, swerve assist, handsfree parking system, lane-departure warning, and an advanced driver-attention and fatigue monitoring. It is a shame that in order to get a blindspot monitoring system, you have to go for the top-of-the-range Edition 1 trim, because this can’t be added separately to less expensive trims.

The Audi Q5 didn’t make it onto our most recent list of the best cars to own, which is based on the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but the Audi A1 and previous generations of Audi A4 and Audi A5 were among the top 50 cars to own.

However, Audi as a brand didn’t fare well at all in Driver Power, and finished 27th (out of 32) in the best car manufacturer rankings, making it the worst performing premium brand. Mercedes didn’t do a lot better, finishing 25th, but BMW claimed 14th spot and Lexus came 12th.

• Best buy: Audi Q5 2.0 TDI S Line

Due to the 2.0-litre petrol being a bit unrefined and not particularly efficient, we’d suggest that the 2.0-litre TDI diesel is the pick of the range at the moment – at least until the plug-in hybrid version arrives with ultra-low emissions that benefit those paying company car tax. The SQ5 is fine, but it is thirstier still, and isn’t really as fun to drive as its main competition. The entry-level Sport trim is well equipped, but S Line is more desirable and has the strongest resale values out of the Q5 range, making it our pick.

Audi has fixed and flexible servicing schedules that differ slightly. The brand recommends the flexible option if you drive longer distances, typically on motorways, and this includes an oil service every year/9,300 miles, plus an inspection service every two years/18,600 miles. The fixed schedule is better for those who cover fewer miles, and spend more time in town, with Audi recommending drivers bring their car in for a service every two years/18,600 miles.

The Audi Q5 comes as standard with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first). That’s adequate by today’s standards. The BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC also get three years of coverage, but with no mileage limits for that time. Meanwhile, the Lexus NX gets a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, but drivers receive a further 12 months’ cover each time the car is serviced at a Lexus Service Centre – up to a total of 10 years or 100,000 miles.

At least Audi offers extended warranty packages to its customers, and on the Q5 you can get a four-year/75,000-mile warranty for £605, or coverage for up to five years/90,000 miles for £1,415.

You can spec your ideal Audi Q5 now or look for used models with our Find A Car service.

Alternatives

The Audi Q5 has several rivals in the premium mid-size SUV segment, the biggest being the BMW X3 – although our current class favourite is the Lexus NX, which has won the Auto Express Premium Mid-Size SUV of the Year award three times on the trot. There’s also the Mercedes GLC, Volvo XC60 and Alfa Romeo Stelvio to consider. The Porsche Macan, too, if your budget stretches far enough.

Audi Q5 pictures

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