Audi's quest to overtake its German rivals gets a boost with this small-but-perfectly-formed soft-roader.
Price and equipment
The 2.0 TFSI joins a 2.0 TDI model in kicking off the Q5 range from circa-$60,000. More expensive versions are powered either by a 3.2-litre V6 petrol or 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel.
Standard equipment on the base petrol includes 17-inch alloys, cruise control, leather-trimmed seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, foglights, rear parking sensors, hill-descent control, and LED daytime running lights. There's only a space-saver spare tyre, however, despite the Q5's off-road pretensions.
Manually adjustable front seats are also disappointing for a luxury soft-roader and electrically adjustable pews ($2210) were among a vast number of options that pushed the price of our test car well beyond $90,000.
The Q5 is good value compared with the identically powered A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI Quattro, which, although slightly better equipped, costs about $15,000 more because it doesn't benefit from the lower import tariff for 4WDs.
Under the bonnet
The 2.0 TFSI is powered by the Volkswagen/Audi Group's newish 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, mated to one transmission only - a seven-speed twin-clutch auto that sends power to all four wheels.
On paper, 155kW may seem insufficient for motivating a vehicle that weighs 1740kg, but the engine delivers 350Nm of torque from just 1500rpm (even lower than the 2.0-litre diesel version) all the way to 4200rpm. With peak power taking over just 100 revs later and continuing to 6000rpm, the refined and raspy engine is satisfyingly flexible and capable.
Turbo lag seems more noticeable in the Q5 compared with the identically powered but 200kg-lighter A4 sedan, though the engine becomes more responsive when selecting Dynamic from the three modes on the optional Drive Select system that varies steering/suspension/transmission settings.
The automated gearbox contributes to respectable acceleration (0-100kmh in a claimed 7.2 seconds) and fuel consumption (8.5L/100km official use) but hesitates when it comes to quick take-offs and features a Manual mode that often overrides the driver's selections.
How it drives
The Drive team's experience of A4s with and without Audi's optional ($3050) Drive Select is that the car's ride and steering are better without this variable steering and suspension system. And it seems it will be a case of deja vu with the A4-based Q5.
There's always a firmness to the Q5's ride, and whether the driver selects Comfort, Auto or Dynamic modes, the suspension - although never crashy - rarely feels relaxed regardless of surface quality.
