Audi Q5

Audi Q5 (2011)

General information

What happens when you take a successful formula from a larger car model, repackage it and retune it for a smaller one? In the case of Audi’s lineup, you get a very well-crafted Q5. A smaller version of the Q7 in terms carrying an all-wheel drive wagon from the A4, this model has been designed well.

In keeping with the Audi style, the Q5 is a very pleasant amalgamation of their safety credentials, graceful styling, well designed interior, and an economy the class can’t beat. With four variants available (2 petrol, 2 diesel), the 2.0 litre Turbocharged Diesel Injection (TDI) leads the pack in the value offering and its green quotient.

Interior

The one thing Audi has gotten pat down is their interior design. The marriage of color tones and superior quality materials is beautiful to behold. In competition with the BMW X3, the Q5 boasts of higher luggage capacity even though the size limitations are apparent. They have managed to counter this constraint with an innovative seat folding system that provides almost the entire floor behind the front seats as an almost flat area.

Specifications

Peaking at a very modest 125 kW, the 2.0 TDI gets its spirit instead from the 350 Nm as the peak torque. The 7 speed dual clutch gearbox featured in the Q5s functions less like an automated manual and more like a conventional torque converter, but proves to be more fuel efficient. With seven gears to use, the gearshifts have been tuned to be faultlessly smooth and the rations well-spaced. The most fuel efficient version of the Q5 scores at 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres, with the least efficient variant – the 3.2 litre petrol V6 – testing at 9.3.

Driving experience

Audi has managed to progress their technology to the limit where you start wondering if having the rougher, less technologically advanced feel is better. Smooth as butter on a warm day, the ride quality feels a little too smooth to give you a feel of the road. Though this might be preferred by some, ardent enthusiasts of driving will not be pleased. The fault though lies only in a minor erring on the one side by Audi. However, the suppressed noise levels are a big boon. On the whole, it is a great ride if you desire a futuristic smoothness, but it lacks the rawness in it steering that some might desire.

Ups and Downs

Apart from the appeal of the Audi brand, the price tag of the Q5 is not justified. You can get a more spacious ride that even features greater off-road capability for much lesser than its cost. At the risk of sounding repetitive, another feature they could improve upon significantly is to transmit a better feel of the road to the steering wheel.