One of the attributes buyers of four-wheel drive vehicles want is all-round ability, but that doesn’t mean a car can't be stylish too. This is the Audi Q5 Sportback and, it must be said, it is very good-looking from every angle.
The important thing is, this car retains the reassuringly robust foundations of a sport utility vehicle underneath that fine exterior. The new Q5 Sportback will appeal to customers who appreciate the family-friendly utility and sophisticated technology of the standard Q5 but also admire the distinctive design reminiscent of sports cars. Form and function.
The Outside
The Q5 Sportback has real presence: Large air inlets sit below the headlights with their distinctive daytime running light signature feature LED technology. Matrix LED units are optional on higher level models. The continuous, sweeping shoulder line emphasises the wheels, and the side sill trim on the doors suggests solidity. The cabin glass extends low over the body and begins its downward slope early so that the third side window tapers sharply to the rear. The whole culminating in the sloping rear window and the seemingly high-mounted rear bumper. It’s a dynamic shape.
The Inside
A standard-fit powered tailgate reveals a luggage compartment with a volume of 510 litres, which increases to 1,480 litres when the rear seats are folded down. On some models the rear bench can slide forward too. The long wheelbase facilitates ample room for five in the cabin, the focal point of which is the cleanly styled two-section dashboard with its free-standing 10” screen. The MMI display enables the introduction of full touch-screen functionality for the monitor, as well as a ‘greatly enhanced natural language voice control system’, in the company’s words.
This latest system is able to access information from the cloud to inform its responses, and can be activated by either pressing a button on the steering wheel or by saying “Hey Audi.” Sitting alone and talking to a car is a personal choice, obviously.
The brilliant Virtual Cockpit has a panoramic 12.3” display, standard across the range, as are MMI Navigation Plus and ‘Audi Connect’ internet connectivity. High-resolution satellite images from Google Earth deliver lane-by-lane information on traffic flow and traffic forecasts in real time, as well as providing alerts for upcoming hazards such as slippery roads and fog. There’s much more besides. Ask us here at MHH International for more details.
The Power
Two powerful 2.0L four-cylinder engines – a turbo-diesel and a turbo-petrol both deliver 201bhp (204PS) while the potent SQ5 Sportback powers down the road thanks to a 342bhp (347PS) twin-turbo V6 TDI. Plug-in hybrid TFSIe variants with a choice of two outputs will follow at a later date.
The engines are combined with a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission, while the V6 TDI in the SQ5 Sportback works with an eight-speed tiptronic. All versions naturally come with quattro all-wheel-drive, with some variants featuring an on-demand system that can disengage the rear axle in everyday driving conditions for maximum efficiency, and reconnect it predictively within fractions of a second when more grip is required.
To further boost economy a mild-hybrid system employing a belt alternator starter also stores electrical energy generated during braking in a lithium ion battery. With its help the Q5 Sportback and SQ5 Sportback can coast with the engine idling or completely shut down, and are thus able to reap the benefit of start-stop technology by disengaging their engines during deceleration at a higher speed of 13mph and below, restarting unobtrusively.
The Audi Q5 Sportback updates this popular mid-size SUV with the very latest in technology and design. It is supremely comfortable on long journeys yet long-legged enough to eat up the miles. This car is a winner; there’s no doubt. Piqued your interest? Contact us here at MHH International.
