Audi Q5 review (2025 - 2025)
Audi Q5 cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Sharp styling
Practical interior with lots of space
Polished driving experience
Cons
Expensive to buy
Complex infotainment system
Average warranty coverage
The CarGurus verdict
The Audi Q5 has always been a fairly predictable kind of car, and we mean that in a good way. Its practicality is predictably good; it looks predictably smart and stylish; and it's predictably polished to drive. The latest model (predictably perhaps) does nothing to change that.
It might be expensive to buy, and rival brands from China might offer more equipment as standard as well as a lower price, but there's no disputing the fact that the Q5 is a smart overall package. We'd prefer it if the interior tech was a bit simpler to operate, but as an overall offering the Q5 remains rightly very desirable.
What is the Audi Q5?
Think of a premium brand family SUV and the Audi Q5 might well come to mind. It has long offered the upmarket image, smart styling, powerful yet efficient engines, upmarket interior, and outright practicality that draws buyers to these kinds of car, and has thus unsurprisingly been a sales hit.
This latest model marks the third generation, and is offered in standard five-seater SUV bodystyle, as well as with a more coupe-like Sportback rear end. No seven-seater version of the Q5 is available, nor is there a fully electric model. Power comes from either a 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, or a 2.0-litre TDI diesel, both of which produce 201bhp, both of which feature Audi's 48-volt mild hybrid system, and both of which are all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid model, badged the e-hybrid offers an all-electric range of around 60 miles.
Rivals include the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Volvo XC60, as well as a whole host of new Chinese-built SUVs that include the Jaecoo 7 and Omoda 9.
How practical is it?
The Q5 has long been a very practical kind of family SUV, and this latest version benefits from a longer wheelbase to create even more interior space. As such, even taller passengers will be comfortable in the outer rear seats, and benefit from backrests that recline in three different positions. The middle seat is narrower and there's a large transmission tunnel in the floor that robs foot space, but the Q5 is still a sizeable step up from a regular family car. Another neat trick is that in S line models and above you can slide the rear seats forwards and backwards in a 60:40 split, allowing you to trade legroom for additional boot space.
On that front, the Q5's boot capacity is 520 litres (515 litres for the Sportback), with a flat load lip and a small amount of additional storage under the boot floor. The seat backs fold in a 40:20:40 split, and go pretty much flat to the floor to create a larger boot space (1,415 litres for the Q5, 1,473 litres for the Q5 Sportback) if needed.
Interior storage is plentiful, with a large glovebox, a big cubby under the centre armrest, two cupholders, large door bins, and a pad to store your phone complete with wireless charging.
The driving position in the Q5 is very comfortable, with lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, as well as excellent, supportive seats. Visibility out of the standard Q5 is excellent in every direction. We are yet to try the Sportback but wonder if the sloping roofline at the rear of the car might cause a blindspot.
What's it like to drive?
We've tried the diesel version of the latest Q5, which uses a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre engine that produces 201bhp and is paired with Audi's advanced MHEV 48V mild hybrid system. This means it has a 1.7kWh battery that allows the car to run with the engine off for very short distances, and has improved stop-start functionality. It's the same drivetrain that we've tried in the new A5, and if anything it's even better in the Q5, because the bigger car does a better job of masking the whine from the hybrid system.
Performance from the diesel engine is entirely in keeping with what you'd hope for from a vehicle in this class, which is to say the Q5 TDI offers punchy, satisfying performance. Getting from 0-62mph takes 7.4 seconds, but really it's the in-gear pull that impresses in daily driving, with a solid and sustained shove when called upon. The seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox shifts smoothly when left to its own devices, or can be controlled via paddles on the back of the steering wheel.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine with its identical 201bhp is marginally quicker in the 0-62mph sprint at 7.2 seconds, while the range topping SQ5 offers a thumping 362bhp to get that time down to just 4.5 seconds.
With the caveat that we've so far only tried it on the optional air suspension, the Q5's ride and handling is polished and satisfying, if not particularly exciting. As has traditionally been the case, a BMW feels more responsive through a set of corners, but the Q5 certainly isn't poor in this regard, with nicely weighted steering and no shortage of grip. Our test car rode on 20-inch wheels and featured that air suspension, a combination that gives a very cosseting yet well controlled ride. Noise levels from tyres, wind and engine are very well controlled, making the Q5 an excellent car for munching lots of motorway miles, and the driver assistance systems are well enough tuned that you rarely feel the need to deactivate them.
All of which highlights a level of polish that is currently still lacking from a lot of the new breed of Chinese SUVs that threaten to match or beat the Q5 on space, as well as offering more equipment and being sold at a more competitive price. Or, put another way, while the Q5 is expensive, it does still feel worth it.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
The Q5's interior is a slick, hi-tech affair. Interior materials and build quality might not be quite to the impeccable standard you'd expect, but it still feels pretty glitzy overall.
The central infotainment touchscreen houses the car's main controls (well, outside of the steering wheel and pedals), including the heating (no!) and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (yes!). There's no doubting the quality of the graphics in this display, but the menus can be confusing to navigate, and even seemingly simple actions (for example, adjusting the fan speed for the air-conditioning) means taking your eyes off the road.
The dials are another digital display, this time measuring 11.9 inches and similarly snazzy in appearance (both screens actually sit behind the same curved glass panel). Unfortunately, they are also similarly complicated to configure, and contribute to a tech setup that is arguably a bit too distracting.
If that's still not enough screens, Audi offers a further 10.9-inch display that sits above the glovebox for the front seat passenger to use. We've found its functionality is actually quite limited, however.
In terms of trims, the Q5 and Q5 Sportback range are much better equipped as standard than you might expect. The range kicks off with Sport trim, which offers heated sports seats, three-zone climate control, 19-inch alloy wheels with comfort suspension, LED headlights, a 10-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, and sensors and a reversing camera to help with parking.
S line (expected to be the most popular trim) adds electric adjustment to the seats and steering wheel, as well as sportier styling, S sport suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels. You also get the sliding mechanism for the rear seats.
Go for the top-spec Edition 1 trim and you get digital key functionality that allows you to unlock and start the Q5 with your smartphone or smartwatch, the extra display screen for the passenger, 21-inch alloy wheels, and Matrix LED headlights.
The high-performance SQ5 offers its own trim levels to reflect its elevated position within the Q5 lineup.
Audi Q5 running costs
No version of the Q5 is cheap to buy, with the range starting at around £50,000. Go for a Sportback model, and you can add an extra £2,500 for the sportier styling. So in any case you're going to be lumped with the luxury car tax rate, adding hundreds of pounds per year to the standard rate of tax between years two and six of the car's life.
In more positive news, the Q5 should hold onto its value pretty well, which should help to keep monthly finance costs in check.
Fuel economy is respectable given the size and performance of the vehicle. Go for a petrol Q5 and the official WLTP figures put it at 37-40mpg (expect a bit less in normal driving), while the diesel manages 44-47mpg in the same WLTP tests (we saw 43mpg in our tests).
The e-hybrid plug-in hybrid version of the Q5 could potentially be very cheap to run if you can charge at home on a competitive tariff and do most of your driving using the 60-odd miles battery range.
The Q5 sits in insurance groups 37-45 (38-47 for the Sportback), reflecting its high value. By way of comparison, BMW X3 insurance starts from group 32, topping out at 42 for the high performance M50 version.
Audi Q5 reliability
The latest Q5 sits on a new platform and is powered by Audi's latest generation of engines. While that's good news for those who like to see progress from one generation of car to the next, it does mean there's very little to go on in terms of reliability data for this generation of Q5.
We can, however, look at the previous generation, which finished fifth in the large SUV class of the 2024 What Car? Reliability survey when fitted with a petrol or hybrid powertrain, or 12th as a diesel. Given there were only 15 cars in the class in total, the performance of the diesel model is pretty poor. Audi as a brand meanwhile finished 24th of the 31 carmakers included, which again is somewhat disappointing.
The same can be said of the Q5's standard warranty, which runs to three years or 60,000 miles. That's a way behind the likes of Kia or Hyundai, as well as the influx of Chinese brands that hope to steal customers from Audi. In Audi's defence, it does offer an extended warranty to five years and 90,000 miles, but you need to pay around £1,400 for the privilege.
- While well equipped as standard, the Q5 still lags behind newer Chinese entrants to the market when it comes to no-cost luxury features. Brands such as Omoda, for example, include a panoramic sunroof as standard, where adding one to your Q5 will cost £1,600.
- The plug-in hybrid version of the Q5, the e-hybrid, has an electric range of up to 62 miles, as well as 295bhp, allowing it to get from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds.
- This latest Q5 is the first SUV to use Audi's new PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) platform, whereas its electric models use PPE (Premium Platform Electric). As such, no fully electric version of the Q5 is set to be offered - for that, buyers should look to the Q6 E-Tron instead.
- The best all-rounder: We'd be inclined to stick with the entry-level Sport trim with the 2.0 TFSI petrol engine. You still get all the important equipment, strong performance from that petrol engine, close to 40mpg fuel economy, and the softer comfort suspension.
- For lots of motorway miles: Again we'd stick with the Sport trim for the softer suspension tune, but switch to diesel power for the superior fuel economy at motorway cruising speeds (think 45-47mpg).
- For company car drivers: Honestly, the fully electric Q6 E-Tron might make more sense as company wheels, but if it is going to be a Q5 then the e-hybrid plug-in hybrid model is going to make the most financial sense.
- If you want to tow: Both the petrol and diesel Q5 can tow up to 2,400kg. However, we'd lean towards the diesel as being the better option for heavier loads due to its extra mid-range pulling power.
- If you want something sporty: For truly impressive performance you're going to want the SQ5, but with prices starting at around £74,000 it's a serious proposition. Going for a Q5 with the 2.0-litre petrol engine in S line trim gives you much of the SQ5's visual appeal with still decent performance, and a saving of over £20,000. Opting for the Sportback version of the Q5 won't make any difference to its performance, but that swoopier roofline might appeal.
