Test drive Audi Q5
The new crossover rides smoothly, and in comfort mode it relaxes even more, in an American way, but does not lose precision. All thanks to the air suspension available for the first time on the Audi Q5
The signature tornado line on the sidewall is curved in the manner of the Audi A5 coupe. The new Q5 crossover seems to be trying to be like a sports car. And at the same time, in the spirit of contradiction, he knows how to raise the body to an off-road height. And how does the new all-wheel drive system, accustomed to economy, fit into all this?
For nine years of production, the Audi Q5 has sold more than 1,5 million, and at the end of the conveyor life it sold even better than at the beginning. After such success, nothing much could have been changed. Indeed, the new Q5 is similar to the previous one and has grown quite a bit in size, and the distance between the axles has grown by only a centimeter.
However, there are many nuances in the design of the new crossover. In addition to the aforementioned tornado line that curves over the wheel arches, the Q5 and A5 have a characteristic kink at the junction of the C-pillar and the roof. There is a convex step under the glass of the tailgate, which gives the silhouette of the car three-volume. This moves the cab forward and visually relieves the stern. A massive faceted grille frame and a convex rear bumper with wide strips of LEDs are related to the flagship Q7 crossover, but the primary off-road signs are not so pronounced in the Q5.
Squat, sleek, with big wheels - the new Q5 doesn't look brutal even in the base trim with practical black body kit. What to say about the versions of Design-line and S-line, in which the plastic linings for the arches and the bottom of the bumpers are painted in body color.
After solving the design puzzles, the interior will seem too simple. The virtual tidy and the free-standing display tablet are familiar from all new Audi, but there are no vents along the entire length of the front panel. The top of the dashboard is soft, the wooden inserts are massive, the details are out of sight made of hard plastic. And all together - at a high quality level. There is still no hint of the touchscreen revolution of the flagship A8 here. The multimedia system is controlled by a puck and a touchpad, even the climate control keys are disguised as real ones, but as soon as you put your finger to them, a prompt appears on the display.
The front has become more spacious - primarily due to the trimmed "cheekbones" of the center console. The visibility has been improved thanks to the side mirrors that have been relocated to the door - the pillar bases are now not so thick. The second row has its own climate zone. There was a lot of space in the back before, but the passenger in the middle will have to ride the high central tunnel. In addition, it is now possible to slide the seats longitudinally, which allows the boot volume to be increased from 550 liters to 610 liters.
The body has become lighter, but there is still little aluminum in its design. Under the hood is the familiar two-liter turbo engine that, according to the engineers, no longer consumes oil. It has become more powerful and at the same time more economical, since at low loads it works according to the Miller cycle. The motor is docked with the uncontested "robot" with wet clutches - the S tronic has become even lighter and more compact.
The all-wheel drive system is completely new and wears the ultra prefix. Essentially, Audi has gone from permanent to plug-in drive like most crossovers. Most of the traction goes to the front wheels. Interestingly, other SUVs with a longitudinal arrangement of the motor have the front axle connected, and the rear axle is the leading one. Q5 is an exception to the rule. In addition, the ultra cunning mechanics not only controls the clutch package, but also, with the help of a second, cam clutch, opens the axle shafts, stopping the propeller shaft. This, as well as the lighter weight compared to the classic "torso", make the crossover economical. But the benefit is only 0,3 liters.
Dieselgate is still a buzzword and environmental regulations are getting stricter. So Audi engineers were puzzled for a reason. And they ended up with one of the neat technical gizmos that the Germans love to create - also a reason for pride. At the same time, there was a lot of talk about a new miracle ring gear differential, which at one time was equipped with powerful versions of Audi. Something about this invention is no longer remembered.
An ordinary consumer will not feel a trick, especially since there are no diagrams showing the distribution of the moment along the axes. Unless a quattro graduate will be upset that the car is reluctant to skid as before and has changed its rear-wheel drive habits to neutral behavior. A more powerful engine and a lower mass affected the dynamics - the Q5 is struggling to keep within the speed limits allowed in Sweden and Finland.
The crossover rides smoothly, and in the comfortable mode it relaxes even more, in an American way, but does not lose accuracy. All thanks to the air suspension available for the first time on the Audi Q5. This option no longer seems unique: it is offered by its main competitors - the Mercedes-Benz GLC, the new Volvo XC60 and the larger Range Rover Velar.
The Audi crossover also knows how to change the position of the body, for example, at high speed, it quietly squats by one and a half centimeters. I pressed the offroad button - and the standard ground clearance of 186 mm is increased by another 20 millimeters. If necessary, an additional "off-road lift" is available - the body, swinging, crawls another 25 mm up. In total, 227 mm comes out - more than enough for a crossover. All the more so for the Q5, which doesn't tend to look like an SUV.
The extreme SQ5 was criticized by many for its rigidity, but now it is lacking even in the most dynamic mode. The driving character of the car differs little from the temper of the usual "Ku-fifth" on air suspension. And it seems that the whole difference is in the larger wheels.
Another new and notable feature is the turbine instead of the drive supercharger. The torque has grown from 470 to 500 Nm and is now available in full and almost immediately. Power remained the same - 354 hp, and the acceleration time decreased by a tenth of a second - to 5,4 s to 100 km per hour. But the SQ5 was taught to save money: the V6 engine at partial loads turns on the Miller cycle, and the "automatic" - neutral.
The cost savings are small, and therefore, in order to avoid the wrath of environmentalists, the SQ5 drives incognito. You can distinguish it from a regular crossover only by the red calipers, and the brand nameplates are too invisible. The exhaust pipes are generally fake - the pipes are brought down under the bumper. But connoisseurs will secretly rejoice - here, instead of Ultra, the good old Torsen, which transfers more traction to the rear axle by default.
The Audi Q5 is a global car, and Audi was guided by the principle of "do no harm" when creating a new generation car. Moreover, it must correspond not only to European, but also Asian and American tastes. Therefore, the Q5 should not be pretentious and too technological. It is difficult to say something for China, but in Russia cars with air suspension should be liked by their smooth running. While we can buy either a gasoline crossover with derated up to 249 hp. "Turbo four" for 38 dollars.
| A type | Crossover | Crossover |
| dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4663/1893/1659 | 4671/1893/1635 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 1985 | 2824 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 186-227 | 186-227 |
| Cargo space, l | 550-1550 | 550-1550 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1795 | 1870 |
| Gross vehicle weight, kg | 2400 | 2400 |
| engine's type | Petrol, 4-cylinder turbocharged | Turbocharged petrol V6 |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 2967 | 2995 |
| Max. power, h.p. (at rpm) | 249/5000-6000 | 354/5400-6400 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 370/1600-4500 | 500/1370-4500 |
| Drive type, transmission | Full, 7RKP | Full, 8АКП |
| Max. speed km / h | 237 | 250 |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 6,3 | 5,4 |
| Fuel consumption, l / 100 km | 6,8 | 8,3 |
| Price from, USD | 38 500 | 53 000 |
