Audi Q5 (2025 - ) review

On paper, the cheapest Q5 to run is the e-hybrid because the WLTP test decrees that it'll return up to 156mpg, and an electric-only range of 62 miles. It'll do nothing like that in real life, of course, but those numbers do mean that company car tax and VED are both on the low side. Figure on half that electric distance and a third of the fuel efficiency claim. As ever, if it's straight-up real-world efficiency you're after, get the diesel. You'll get 50mpg on average and closer to 60mpg on a long motorway run. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is quite a bit thirstier in real-world conditions — figure on about 30mpg — while the SQ5 driver will be lucky to break 25mpg. All Q5s will cost a small fortune to tax (PHEVs aside) thanks to high emissions and price tags starting above £40,000.

Audis certainly have the potential to be very reliable indeed, and there’s nothing in the Q5 — the new mild-hybrid system apart — that hasn’t been well proven in other Volkswagen Group cars. However, Audi hasn’t done so well of late in customer satisfaction and reliability surveys, and it seems to most often be the infotainment systems at the heart of complaints. The Q5 gets the same infotainment setup as in the Q6 e-tron and the new A5, so it remains to be seen how dependable and user-friendly it turns out to be in the long run.

The new Audi Q5 ought to be very safe, as it carries over the old Q5’s platform and adds more in the way of electronic supports for the driver. These include the likes of the Adaptive Driving Assistant plus, which uses high-resolution map data and swarm data from other vehicles contributing to the cloud to assist with acceleration, maintaining speed and distance, as well as lane guidance. But as with many of the Q5’s safety systems, it’s on the options list, which seems pretty stingy.

Audi was once the champion of high-quality car cabins, but while it has recently been caught up with by the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Lexus there’s no doubt that this interior is one of Audi’s superior efforts. The big curved instrument and infotainment screens look exceptionally slick, and the seats are covered in a lovely, recycled material called Kaskade, which feels like the halfway point between wool and suede. Certainly, the whole cabin looks and feels more high-grade than the latest BMW X3's, although the (optional) extra touchscreen in front of the passenger’s seat seems a bit superfluous. Nonetheless, the screens look really impressive and the central infotainment screen is very easy to use - mainly because it's so big that there's space for all the main functions, so you're not constantly menu-digging. Space in the back is only OK, rather than generous, but it’s adjustable with a sliding back bench seat - by up to 100mm to make more space for passengers or luggage. Up front, there’s useful storage under the armrest, but the door bins are rather small. At least those in the rear get handy seat-back net pockets, and the backs of the front seats are scooped out to provide a little extra knee room. The 520-litre boot is fine, and competitive with other cars in this class, and the Q5 Sportback's rear space is a mere five litres less, which is impressive given how much more "sporty" it looks. Audi has made space under the boot floor for you to stash the retracting luggage cover when you don’t need it. Folding down the back seats opens up 1,437 litres of space, although the seatbacks don’t fold entirely flat.

It's no longer the case that Audis get a pitiful level of equipment unless you pay for a higher-spec level or optional extras. Standard equipment for the Q5 Sport grade (that’s the most affordable one) includes 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, heated front sports seats, active LED headlights with high-beam assist, electric rear hatch, three-zone climate control, the huge twinned curved screens, a 360-degree parking camera system and keyless ignition. Upgrading to the S line adds 20-inch alloys, sports suspension and a sportier three-spoke steering wheel. Top-spec Edition 1 models get 21-inch alloys, Matrix LED lights, red brake calipers and a ‘top-view’ parking camera system.

Inevitably, the 2.0-litre TDI diesel, 2.0-litre TFSI petrol and even the 369-horsepower SQ5 can’t measure up to instant-on performance of modern electric cars, but they’re all engines with at least decent oomph, and in the case of the SQ5 and its 4.5-second 0-62mph time, genuinely thrilling performance. The diesel is probably the best middle ground for now, with decent performance aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an electric motor. It's faster to get to 62mph than the 2.0 petrol. The SQ5’s V6 engine has a sharp metallic bark from the exhausts every time you use the gearshift paddles for the seven-speed automatic gearbox, and sufficient thrust to keep things interesting on a twisty mountain road. The most sensible choice is the plug-in hybrid, not only because it's cheap to tax as a company car, but because if you keep it topped up with charge it could feasibly never dip into its fuel tank. Nice.