Q5 [Official] The new Audi Q5

[dtd]

Thanks mate. Congratulations on your upcoming purchase! None of them are bad cars, all are great, so I'm sure you'll be happy whichever one you end up in.

Thanks. Mr. Mercedes, it would be my first German car, my choice will be between the C or the new Q5. But my significant other will be the main driver, and I would be the weekend one. Anyway, the MY 2018 C will have a 9 speed transission, I just don't know if I should wait for that. Anyway, Consumers Report, favors the Audi, and my cousin from France also recommends Audi.
dtd

 

[Centurion]

On what basis is your preference for the Mercedes drivetrain based Luw?

Compared the with equivalent drivetrain by BMW or Audi. The Mercedes one is noticeable smoother and quieter with the BMW 20d engine noisier than a canal boat. It's barely improved in the new 5 series and won't be the engine of choice if I buy a BMW again.

Hi Mr Mercedes,
For the interior, I like the design of the C better than the A4 (MY 2017).I think it is elegant and simple. Other than that, in general, I think Audi at some angle, it is more like a dress up of Volkswagen. Don't get me wrong, I have never owned a German car, so I don't want to say things that I don't know much about. But, just by the looks, I still think MB is better looking.However, the MY 2018 Q5 looks real good with the 3D grille, just like the Q7. I'm torn between that Q5 and the GLC. The current Q5 can't beat the GLC, just my opinion.
dtd

I understand what you are saying about the new Audi interiors. Despite the high quality fit and finish they can come across as lacking in emotion and personality. After all, we buy cars with our hearts not just the head. However customising the leather and inlays makes a bit of a difference.

Do give the new Q5 a try before you make a decision. It's a great car.

 

[slicknick]

I understand what you are saying about the new Audi interiors. Despite the high quality fit and finish they can come across as lacking in emotion and personality. After all, we buy cars with our hearts not just the head.

This is true, any Audi seem to offer a better environment to sit in than competitors offered by BMW or Merc...That said, it just somehow feels more sanitized and somehow lacks the desired "sense of occasion" compared to any of its competitors, and any car in the Audi product range, from the A1 all the way to the R8 V10 plus seems to have this problem with their interiors.

However customising the leather and inlays makes a bit of a difference.

Safe bet to avoid all-black trim & upholstery whichever Audi you opt to buy really, makes it look less dull for sure

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Audi appeals to the "technoids". And this characteristic may affix Audi interiors with a perceived sterility.

Personally, I like Audi interiors and I perceive them as being quite timeless. Perhaps they lack the cosseting coziness of current generously spec'd M-B interiors. To me, BMW appears to be somewhere in between the other two "major Germans".

 

[martinbo]

The Q5's facia - which is absolutely NOT a copy-paste of the A4's - is resoundingly more sophisticated and, judging by the A4's interior, also likely to be better built than the GLC's - which absolutely IS a copy-paste from the C-Class.

 

[braaf]

The Q5's facia - which is absolutely NOT a copy-paste of the A4's - is resoundingly more sophisticated and, judging by the A4's interior, also likely to be better built than the GLC's - which absolutely IS a copy-paste from the C-Class.

Couldn't have said it any better. Plus the only impressive section in the Merc interiors are the radio and climate control section minus piano black trim. The rest depends on which car you're climbing into.

 

[slicknick]

[QUOTE="braaf, post: 831681, member: 16941"Plus the only impressive section in the Merc interiors are the radio and climate control section minus piano black trim. The rest depends on which car you're climbing into.[/QUOTE]

With the exception of the S-Class / S-Class Coupe, I tend to agree... Merc interiors are quite spec-selective...But then, this is also the case with BMW IMO

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Audi appeals to the "technoids". And this characteristic may affix Audi interiors with a perceived sterility.

Personally, I like Audi interiors and I perceive them as being quite timeless. Perhaps they lack the cosseting coziness of current generously spec'd M-B interiors. To me, BMW appears to be somewhere in between the other two "major Germans".

Agreed completely. I like the the clinical precision and sterility of Audi interiors. The look and feel appeals to the OCD in me. The tactile perfection of all the buttons and knobs and the millimeter perfect alignment of trim pieces are details to be appreciated. But the sensuality and beauty of the new Mercedes interiors also call to me on a different level. And I guess BMW melding the two worlds is why I appreciate them as well. The new 5-series nails this blend with precision when specified correctly. It's finally moved the game on for BMW interiors.

 

[dtd]

Compared the with equivalent drivetrain by BMW or Audi. The Mercedes one is noticeable smoother and quieter with the BMW 20d engine noisier than a canal boat. It's barely improved in the new 5 series and won't be the engine of choice if I buy a BMW again.


I understand what you are saying about the new Audi interiors. Despite the high quality fit and finish they can come across as lacking in emotion and personality. After all, we buy cars with our hearts not just the head. However customising the leather and inlays makes a bit of a difference.

Do give the new Q5 a try before you make a decision. It's a great car.

I sure will.
dtd

 

[dtd]

The Q5's facia - which is absolutely NOT a copy-paste of the A4's - is resoundingly more sophisticated and, judging by the A4's interior, also likely to be better built than the GLC's - which absolutely IS a copy-paste from the C-Class.

The new q5 facia, is most likely cut and paste from the Q7. Its interior is cut and paste from the A4. That's what I mean.
dtd

 

[martinbo]

The new q5 facia, is most likely cut and paste from the Q7. Its interior is cut and paste from the A4. That's what I mean.
dtd

Still not sure that I'm following but I can assure you that - at a detail level - the Q5's facia, roof, seats and door panels are all different from both the A4 and Q7. Just go and post some pics here.

 

[dtd]

Still not sure that I'm following but I can assure you that - at a detail level - the Q5's facia, roof, seats and door panels are all different from both the A4 and Q7. Just go and post some pics here.

Oh I have not seen the new Q5 in person yet. But the dash board layout from the picture is very much the same as the A4. Of cousre, the dimension could be slightly different. The seats could be different too. i just test drove the MB C class and GLC. The dash boards are the same.
dtd

 

[martinbo]

But the dash board layout from the picture is very much the same as the A4.

Stop typing and prove it. Post a picture of the A4 dashboard and a picture of the Q5 dashboard.

 

[dtd]

Stop typing and prove it. Post a picture of the A4 dashboard and a picture of the Q5 dashboard.

Come on Martinbo, you are the editor here, you already see the pictures of MY2017 A4 and MY2018 Q5. Why do I have to post more pictures? I tested the 2017 A4 and will test the 2018 Q5 when it becomes available ( the end of the month perhaps). I have no doubt about the latest German cars. They are excellent. That's why Lexus , Infiniti and Acura have hard time to keep up.
dtd

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

dtd I think Martinbo is taking issue with your statement that the dashboard of the A4 and Q5 are the same. While they share components and are obviously from the same family, they are not the same and have numerous differences, some major and some subtle. Audi has not taken the A4 dashboard and shoehorned it into the Q5, unlike the C-class and GLC which are 95% the same.

The Q5 dashboard is far nicer IMO. It's not victim of the silly dust collecting vent that stretches the entire length of the dashboard. The layering effect is also more attractive and makes the A4 look a little one dimensional. The door panels and transmission tunnel are also far more robust looking in appearance and well suited to an SUV.

 

[dtd]

dtd I think Martinbo is taking issue with your statement that the dashboard of the A4 and Q5 are the same. While they share components and are obviously from the same family, they are not the same and have numerous differences, some major and some subtle. Audi has not taken the A4 dashboard and shoehorned it into the Q5, unlike the C-class and GLC which are 95% the same.

The Q5 dashboard is far nicer IMO. It's not victim of the silly dust collecting vent that stretches the entire length of the dashboard. The layering effect is also more attractive and makes the A4 look a little one dimensional. The door panels and transmission tunnel are also far more robust looking in appearance and well suited to an SUV.

Mr.Mercedes, you are right. I did not look carefully. They are not exactly the same. For some reason, I will test drive the new Q5 and find out more.
Martinbo, I should calibrate my words. They have the same layout but not 100% cut and paste.
dtd

 

[martinbo]

Martinbo, I should calibrate my words. They have the same layout but not 100% cut and paste.

Don't bother with semantics. The fact is there to see: the A5 and Q5 have dashboards that are NOT THE SAME. That's all there is to the discussion.

 

[Centurion]

dtd I think Martinbo is taking issue with your statement that the dashboard of the A4 and Q5 are the same. While they share components and are obviously from the same family, they are not the same and have numerous differences, some major and some subtle. Audi has not taken the A4 dashboard and shoehorned it into the Q5, unlike the C-class and GLC which are 95% the same.

The Q5 dashboard is far nicer IMO. It's not victim of the silly dust collecting vent that stretches the entire length of the dashboard. The layering effect is also more attractive and makes the A4 look a little one dimensional. The door panels and transmission tunnel are also far more robust looking in appearance and well suited to an SUV.

Nice one. Even I hadn't appreciated all those differences between the interiors.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I checked out the New Q5 yesterday. They only had one model at the dealership and it's doing the rounds between all the local dealerships. Exterior wise the vehicle looked far crisper and fresher than I expected. Clearly an evolution, but definitely distinguishable from the previous Q5. It's probably not as pretty as the GLC, nor as evocative as I find the Macan, but it's technical crispness is certainly appealing.

The new Q5 is a class act.

Martin have you sat in the Q5 in persons? I think you might come away slightly disappointed, as I did. The styling looks great. Again the techinicalility of the design and crispness of the detailing is the appeal. It's an entirely different proposition to the emotive GLC. I don't think one is better than the other, they're just very different. Where the Q5 did dissapoint was the slightly messy door panels. But the absolutely worst aspect of it was all of the plastics below the horizontal trim element that runs the length of the dashboard. It is very cheap, scratchy and hollow feeling stuff and I just can't fathom how no review so far has drawn issue with it. Car wow for example has bitched and complained about one small hard piece of plastic that shrouds the rear seat air vents in recent Mercedes, but they have failed to notice this plastic that covers at least 30% of the Q5's dashboard. Go figure.

The plastic in the Audi covers the entire glovebox, surrounds of the climate control system and transmission tunnel. You don't see any evidence of this sort of cheapness in the A3 interior, so why is it present on the Q5? Audi has IMO once again pulled a B8 A4 on us. They have everyone besotted with the design of the interior and the impeccable fit, that they fail to notice one big quality shortcoming.

I just don't understand why manufacturers continue to think that as long as the top half of the dash is nice and spongy feeling, they can get away with sub par quality on the lower half. The aforementioned areas are some of the biggest touch points of the interior that you come into contact with on a daily basis. No one sits there and rubs the top part of their dashboard on a daily basis.

Either I have issues, or journalists are just blind. It is a glaring quality issue in what is an otherwise typical Audi brilliant interior with some of the finest detailing and fit and finish you will find at the price point.

 

[Centurion]

Martin have you sat in the Q5 in persons? I think you might come away slightly disappointed, as I did. The styling looks great. Again the techinicalility of the design and crispness of the detailing is the appeal. It's an entirely different proposition to the emotive GLC. I don't think one is better than the other, they're just very different. Where the Q5 did dissapoint was the slightly messy door panels. But the absolutely worst aspect of it was all of the plastics below the horizontal trim element that runs the length of the dashboard. It is very cheap, scratchy and hollow feeling stuff and I just can't fathom how no review so far has drawn issue with it. Car wow for example has bitched and complained about one small hard piece of plastic that shrouds the rear seat air vents in recent Mercedes, but they have failed to notice this plastic that covers at least 30% of the Q5's dashboard. Go figure.

The plastic in the Audi covers the entire glovebox, surrounds of the climate control system and transmission tunnel. You don't see any evidence of this sort of cheapness in the A3 interior, so why is it present on the Q5? Audi has IMO once again pulled a B8 A4 on us. They have everyone besotted with the design of the interior and the impeccable fit, that they fail to notice one big quality shortcoming.

I just don't understand why manufacturers continue to think that as long as the top half of the dash is nice and spongy feeling, they can get away with sub par quality on the lower half. The aforementioned areas are some of the biggest touch points of the interior that you come into contact with on a daily basis. No one sits there and rubs the top part of their dashboard on a daily basis.

Either I have issues, or journalists are just blind. It is a glaring quality issue in what is an otherwise typical Audi brilliant interior with some of the finest detailing and fit and finish you will find at the price point.

Sacrilege! How dare you disagree with the unanimous praise of the benevolent Q5 interior..........J/K

Well spotted. I didn't noticed. Perhaps VAG have conceded that it's the least touched part of an interior, as you would likely only touch HVAC buttons rather than the plastic surround. Either way, it's not an excuse. Interestingly, AutoBild docked off a few points for the Q5's quality because of the plastic driver side bin beneath the light switch.

Wait until you sit in the new XC60. Even the top dash is hard plastic and the glovebox door an utterly disgrace cost cutting measure.

In the Q7, the lower dash and HVAC surround is an inlay.