The Audi Q5 is a compact luxury crossover SUV available since the 2009 model year.
Audi Q5 Concept and Introduction
The initial concept behind the Q5 first debuted at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2-door convertible with a 3.0L turbodiesel engine producing 237 horsepower and 369 lb ft of torque. Then at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show and the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, the production version of the Audi Q5 was shown. Aiming to meet market demand for smaller but still luxurious SUVs, the Q5 was just behind the Q7 for overall size and performance, yet on a more compact and more efficient platform.
Engine Choices and Performance
As with many Audi vehicles, there were a variety of engine choices to choose from, including the 3.0L V-6 turbodiesel Quattro with 237 horsepower and 369 lb ft of torque shown in the concept car, but also two 2.0L inline-4 engines, one turbodiesel with 141 horsepower and 236 lb ft of torque, and one gasoline producing up to 222 horsepower and 258 lb ft of torque. Some markets, including the United States, Canada, and Brazil received a larger 3.2L gasoline option on some Quattro models. It boosted performance up to 243 horsepower and 243 lb ft of torque. A 2.0L TFSI hybrid option became available in 2011 for select markets, using a 1.3 kWh battery pack and a combined performance of 242 horsepower and 354 lb ft of torque. Those looking for a more powerful version would be happy in 2013, when a 3.0L TFSI supercharged V-6 was released with a very respectable 268 horsepower and 236 lb ft of torque. For a compact SUV, these figures are able to provide more than enough pep to stay up with traffic. The smaller 2.0L engines were paired to a 6-speed manual, while the 3.0L and 3.2L gasoline options came with a 6-speed or 7-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, and the 3.0L TDI came with a 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission.
Features and Available Options
Audi did not shy away from including the luxury amenities that are synonymous with its name, including a Harman/Becker produced multimedia interface with augmented-reality-like navigation, Bluetooth communication, and USB storage media entertainment. In 2012, a small redesign included performance upgrades to most engine types, a redesigned light configuration, and upgraded infotainment system interface. The Audi SQ5 was released in 2013, pushing the 3.0L twin-turbodiesel V-6 up to 309 horsepower and 479 lb ft of torque through its 8-speed transmission, delivering incredible performance for those who wanted it.
Second Generation Updates
The second generation Audi Q5 was released in 2018 for North America and production shifted to the Audi Mexico plant in the state of Puebla. It came with Quattro as standard and a 2.0L TFSI gasoline engine with 252 horsepower and 273 lb ft of torque. The 3.0L engine was dropped from the lineup, unless you went with the SQ5 version. Audi continued updates to the exterior styling, showing off a slightly more aggressive look in the front end with a highly distinguishable Audi look. The interior updates also continued, pushing for more driver assistant features like park assist and rear safety pre-sense system. A Q5 plug-in hybrid was released in 2020 with a 14.1 kWh battery pack and capable of producing 362 horsepower and 369 lb ft of torque. The 0 to 60 mph time dropped down the 5.0 seconds, shaving off nearly a full second from the standard Q5 and showing off the incredible acceleration that comes with electric power. The Audi Q5 has proven to be a popular vehicle, with over 100,000 units sold annually from 2009 to 2011, and over 200,000 units per year since then. 2016 to 2019 saw nearly 300,000 units annually.