Test: Audi Q5 Sportback

The Audi Q5 Sportback is a striking newcomer. It is an SUV coupe according to the classic recipe. The rear window is therefore considerably flatter, the roofline drops soon after the B-pillar and the side window ends in a point. It is obvious that the descending carriage of the Audi costs space. On paper, however, that sacrifice is not that bad. Audi gives a capacity of 455 liters, which makes the car hardly inferior to a regular plug-in Q5. It is noticeable that the Audi has no compartment under the floor, so that the charging cables always swing through the room in a separate bag.
On the back seat, the difference is very noticeable with a regular Q5. The Sportback offers less space between the crown and the headliner and the small, sloping side windows make the difference feel even greater. Logical, but whoever chooses a Sportback will not care. Audi also deserves credit for the rear seat itself, because it is in all cases slidable and also folds from the luggage compartment.

Bigger battery

The ‘coupé SUV’, as models such as the Audi Q5 Sportback are also called, are not only receiving positive reactions on the internet and on the street. At the same time, it has long been proven that buyers love it and are even willing to pay extra for it. Compared to a comparable, regular Q5, the Sportback is €2,200 more expensive. In the case of the 50 TFSIe, the 299 hp ‘entry-level’, that yields a starting price of just under 72 mille.
The plug-in hybrid variants of the Audi Q5 have recently undergone an update and can now also accommodate about 18 kWh of electricity. This will get you further than before. The Audi has a two-liter four-cylinder turbo engine in the nose. The electric motor of the Audi is placed between the engine and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, whereby the forces are ‘just’ divided mechanically between the front and rear axle
What is striking is that in many cases the Audi switches on the fuel engine immediately after driving off, resulting in a very unpleasant shock. Remarkable, especially since we did not notice this in an earlier test with a plug Q5. Once the jolt has passed, the Audi drivetrain is smooth and quiet. The German is clearly geared to comfort, so the question is how often you use it in practice. A strong point of the Audi is that it can determine how much braking is done ‘on the engine’ based on the circumstances. With a vehicle in front or a tight bend on the way, the car slows down more than if there is all the space, which works pleasantly in practice. You do have to pay extra for a package of assistance systems with adaptive cruise control and active lane assistant, but that then works fine. Air suspension is also available at an additional cost. Our test car was equipped with that, which is highly recommended. This creates a soothing rest in the carriage and a level of comfort is reached that is simply unattainable with traditional coil springs.

Cold and business

The interior of the Audi is sleek and businesslike, but also a bit chilly and unimaginative. The finish is neat, but the Q5 interior is far from cozy and never gives the feeling that you are really being pampered. The button that we have to miss in the Audi is the combination of rotary knob and touchpad for the MMI multimedia system. That dial was certainly a godsend on the road. In addition, the screen is just too high and too far away to be a pleasant touchscreen, although its layout and speed are otherwise good. Fortunately, we still find a button cluster for climate control. It is very unfortunate that Audi has not seized the opportunity to abolish the MMI buttons to design a new center console. There is now plenty of space for cup holders that are not hidden under the armrest, but that opportunity is not being used. Audi’s digital instrumentation is top notch. You can do everything from a complete trip overview to the map and a combination of both. That is actually standard on the sporty decorated S-Edition and therefore has a true exceptional position. Our test sample received almost 20 thousand options in options, but it still has to do with manually adjustable front seats. Of course, that’s a choice, but it does say a lot about Audi’s pricing policy.