Audi Q5

8:06am Friday 19th December 2008

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Audi’s Q5 is about to fill a gap in the firm’s model range, writes Motoring Editor STEVE NELSON.

THE arrival of the Q5 this month was long overdue for Audi.

Those looking to downsize from a large 4x4 or move up from a saloon to a mid-sized SUV had in the past been left to look elsewhere among the premium brands.

Land Rover’s Freelander 2 and to a lesser extent the BMW X3 have ruled the roost for several years now, with the Honda CRV, Nissan X Trail and Ford Kuga also competing strongly for a slice of custom.

In November, Volvo entered the fray with the excellent XC60, and now Audi has delivered its Christmas present, the Q5.

There’s no radical styling to speak of, but the Q5 does look good, an Audi family member through and through and a lot less intimidating and more manageable than the gargantuan Q7, whose mere dimensions would have put off many a buyer looking for a SUV bearing four rings on the grille.

Using the platforms of Audi’s A4 and A5 saloons, the Q5 offers the quattro all-wheel drive system and greater ground clearance, but is not intended as a proper 4x4 alternative to the Freelander. Rather, you should view it as an alternative to an estate car.

Many of us, it seems, are taken with the typical SUV characteristics of a high driving position and improved load-carrying and towing capabilities, and the Q5 scores well in these three areas.

Anyone who has driven an Audi saloon will feel right at home behind the wheel because the cabin is virtually the same as that found in the A4 and A5 – which means terrific build quality and an unrivalled ambience.

It’s fair to say that the Q5 isn’t a radical-looking car.

Standard equipment is high, with the SE model providing a solid introduction to the range. Leather seating and ten-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels are standard fit, there’s climate control, light and rain sensors, fog lamps, rear parking sensors, an electric parking brake, electric mirrors and windows, CD stereo and colour display built in to the fascia.

Additional optional gadgets include a few flavours of satellite navigation, with one incorporating hard disc storage for music files, side and lane assists, a panoramic sunroof, a Bluetooth connection and enhanced mapping data, a sliding rear seat so you alter the passenger/load ratio to suit and various clever methods of securing the load in the boot.

Incidentally, boasting a total load capacity of 1,560 litres (only 100 less than the A6 Avant), the Q5 is no lightweight.

The Q5 drives more-or-less like a regular car, with the driving position certain to provide more confidence behind the wheel.

There’s a choice of 2.0-litre petrol plus a 2.0 and 3.0-litre diesel pairing. All work very well in their own right, with the 2.0-litre, 168bhp TDI diesel expected to steal the majority of the sales. The 3.0 TDI is a proverbial rocketship – quite rightly so with 237bhp – while the 208bhp 2.0 TFSI petrol is quiet, powerful and surprisingly economical.

For now, the 2.0 TDI will be offered with a conventional six-speed manual gearbox. The other two variants come with a seven-speed DSG gearbox. Like a conventional auto but smarter and quicker to shift gears, smooth progress is guaranteed. Later the 2.0-litre petrol model will also be offered with a manual gearbox.

Audi’s Q5 might not be a revolutionary step forward, but the German firm’s engineers and stylists have done an excellent job constructing a car that delivers a rounded driving and ownership experience.

And the trade guide CAP Monitor reckons only the Volvo XC60 will match it for residual values.

The Q5 is also statement of confidence. It is the 29th model range for the Audi brand, with a target of 40 models by 2015 and the promise of a “barrage” of cars next year to combat the downturn.

Range at a glance

Prices from £28,530 to £36,750

Model: 2.0 TDI (diesel)

Performance: Maximum speed 127mph,

0-62mph 9.5 seconds.

Economy: 42.1mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 175g/km.

Model: 3.0 TDI

Performance: Maximum speed 139mph,

0-62mph 6.5 seconds

Economy: 37.6mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 199g/km

Model: 2.0 TFSI (petrol)

Performance: Maximum speed 138mph;

0-62mph 7.2 seconds

Economy: 33.2mpg combined

C02 emissions: 197g/km