Car: Audi Q5 3.0 TDI
Prices: £34,645-£36,750 – on the road
Insurance Group: 17
Emissions: 199g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 6.5s / top speed 139mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 30.7mpg / (extra urban) 42.8mpg / (combined) 37.6mpg
Safety: ESP, ABS, Twin front, side and curtain airbags
Dimensions: length/width/height 4630/1880/1650mm
LAUNCH CONTROL
Our Rating: 7.6 / 10
Can a compact 4x4 really entertain on the tarmac? Steve Walker tries the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI to find out.
We’re used to judging the roadgoing attributes of compact 4x4 vehicles by some fairly lax standards. The reasoning goes that such vehicles can be forgiven a lot because of their high centre of gravity, weighty 4x4 mechanicals and rugged off-road suspension. That’s why we’re often told that a product feels quick ‘for a 4x4’ or handles neatly ‘for a 4x4’. With its Q5, Audi set out to do things differently. It wanted a small off roader that was great on the road, full stop. Did it manage it? If any car can provide the answer, it’s the mighty Q5 3.0 TDI.
It’s true that the features which give a 4x4 its off-road ability tend to serve as a hindrance to handling and performance on tarmac. Given the fact that most 4x4s are used exclusively on the road, this would appear to be a good argument for not buying one in the first place but there are other advantages. People like the high driving position, easy access and outdoor image and they’ll happily put up with vague steering, a choppy ride and lacklustre body control to get them. With its Q5, Audi has attempted to mix the best bits of a compact 4x4 with hatchback handling - a great idea in theory but a tough one to execute in practice.
The Q5 3.0 TDI immediately feels like it’s got a lot of engine. The V6 powerplant has 237bhp at its disposal and that’s some serious clout in a vehicle of the Q5’s size but the crucial figure is the 368Nm of torque that the engine generates from 1,500rpm up to 3,000rpm. When overtaking or accelerating up to motorway speed this torque makes the Q5 seem brutally quick and a 0-60mph sprint time of 6.5s bears this out. This Audi 4x4 is quicker in a straight line than a Golf GTI and as quick as a BMW 330i Coupe. Happily, the Q5 can handle all this power and feels composed and controllable even when you let it off the leash. The ride is on the firm side but there’s a mountain of grip and very little of the swaying and lurching that some 4x4s indulge in when they’re pitched into a corner.
The task of marshalling the power and torque from this advanced diesel engine falls upon the S-Tronic seven-speed dual clutch gearbox that’s standard on the 3.0 TDI Q5. This transmission is teetering on the cutting edge of gearbox technology with its twin clutch system and clever electronics predicting and engaging the next gear prior to the driver selecting it with the wheel-mounted paddle shifters. It makes for a lightening fast and buttery-smooth transition between ratios, whether you’re flipping the paddles in manual mode or letting the gearbox take care of the whole process. As well as the greater security of four driven wheels, the Q5 also uses an advanced ESP stability control system that can even sense when a roof rack is fitted and compensates for the vehicle’s higher centre of gravity by intervening earlier.
The Q5 rides on a lightweight suspension system predominately built of aluminium. The multi-link design front and rear plays a major role in achieving the Q5’s composure and a sporty feel on the road, as do the dimensions which are markedly un-SUV. The vehicle is 4,630mm long but only 1,650mm tall, giving it a sleek, ground-hugging stance and bringing the centre of gravity closer to terra firma than in the majority of the Q5’s rivals. This low profile look is evidenced by a drag coefficient of just 0.33cd.
The Q5 might not be as bold or brash externally as we’ve come to expect in the SUV sector but inside, it aims to replicate the interior versatility of its most sizable rivals. Audi’s cabin design and build quality remains tough to fault and the Q5 also includes some clever features that make the whole thing more practical to use on a daily basis. The rear seat backs can be reclined to increase comfort and the whole of the back bench can be folded into the floor at a stroke by means of a lever in the boot. Luggage space is 540 litres but once those seats are stowed, 1,560 litres is opened up.
The 3.0-litre TDI engine sits atop the Q5 range and isn
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