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All Things to All People
If you're looking for a definition of what Audi is about, you don't have to look much further than the 2009 Audi Q5. Of course, if you're looking for some kind of premium flagship, then the Audi guys will wave you over to the midengine R8 sports car or perhaps the S5 coupe or even the Q7 V10 turbodiesel sport-utility.
These are fine pieces, sparkling evidence of Audi's ability to think laterally and develop examples of unexpectedly useful technology, a tradition that began with the inline-5 engine, moved on into all-wheel drive and has since popularized everything from direct fuel injection to LED running lights. For all this, though, Audi's strength continues to be simple transportation, vehicles that take you down the road and deliver you safely. You know, sensible stuff.
And the 2009 Audi Q5 expresses these sensible values. It's stylish, luxurious and powerful, yet this is an Audi that's content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz or even a Porsche.
All Things to All People
At its entry-level price of $37,200, the Q5 is a rival to the Infiniti EX35 and the Lexus RX 350. Add all the convenience features on the options list and the $49,000 Q5 Prestige ranks with the way the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK are usually equipped. And thanks to electronics that help configure the Q5's power, handling and control feel for the sporting driver, this Audi also tries to deliver the personalized performance of the new coupe-style crossovers like the BMW X6 and forthcoming Acura ZDX. The Audi Q5 makes the idea of being all things to all people into something good.
Scaled up from the platform of the Audi A4 sedan, the Q5 measures 182 inches overall, 74.8 inches wide and 65.2 inches high. It's a couple inches longer than a BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, roughly the same size as an Infiniti EX35 and Volvo XC60, and a handful of inches shorter than a Lexus RX 350.
Of all its competition, the 2009 Audi Q5's 110.5-inch wheelbase is the longest, which helps maximize interior passenger volume. Indeed, the Q5 affords 101.5 cubic feet of living space, with 29.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second seat and 67.3 cubic feet with the second seat folded. In comparison, the Lexus RX 350 has 100.9 cubic feet of interior passenger space, 40 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second seat and 80.3 cubic feet of capacity when the second seat is folded.
Full Story and Video: Edmunds Inside Line - 2009 Audi Q5 Prestige Full Test and Video
M
If you're looking for a definition of what Audi is about, you don't have to look much further than the 2009 Audi Q5. Of course, if you're looking for some kind of premium flagship, then the Audi guys will wave you over to the midengine R8 sports car or perhaps the S5 coupe or even the Q7 V10 turbodiesel sport-utility.
These are fine pieces, sparkling evidence of Audi's ability to think laterally and develop examples of unexpectedly useful technology, a tradition that began with the inline-5 engine, moved on into all-wheel drive and has since popularized everything from direct fuel injection to LED running lights. For all this, though, Audi's strength continues to be simple transportation, vehicles that take you down the road and deliver you safely. You know, sensible stuff.
And the 2009 Audi Q5 expresses these sensible values. It's stylish, luxurious and powerful, yet this is an Audi that's content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz or even a Porsche.
All Things to All People
At its entry-level price of $37,200, the Q5 is a rival to the Infiniti EX35 and the Lexus RX 350. Add all the convenience features on the options list and the $49,000 Q5 Prestige ranks with the way the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK are usually equipped. And thanks to electronics that help configure the Q5's power, handling and control feel for the sporting driver, this Audi also tries to deliver the personalized performance of the new coupe-style crossovers like the BMW X6 and forthcoming Acura ZDX. The Audi Q5 makes the idea of being all things to all people into something good.
Scaled up from the platform of the Audi A4 sedan, the Q5 measures 182 inches overall, 74.8 inches wide and 65.2 inches high. It's a couple inches longer than a BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, roughly the same size as an Infiniti EX35 and Volvo XC60, and a handful of inches shorter than a Lexus RX 350.
Of all its competition, the 2009 Audi Q5's 110.5-inch wheelbase is the longest, which helps maximize interior passenger volume. Indeed, the Q5 affords 101.5 cubic feet of living space, with 29.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second seat and 67.3 cubic feet with the second seat folded. In comparison, the Lexus RX 350 has 100.9 cubic feet of interior passenger space, 40 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the second seat and 80.3 cubic feet of capacity when the second seat is folded.
Full Story and Video: Edmunds Inside Line - 2009 Audi Q5 Prestige Full Test and Video
M
