Audi Q5 History
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The Audi Q5 is a compact luxury crossover vehicles--like a sport-utility vehicle, but based on running gear from cars, instead of trucks. Though it does share mechanicals with vehicles like the Audi A5/S5 and the Audi A4, the Q5 does offer a good dose of off-road capability thanks to Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system.
The Q5 has its rivals in the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLK and BMW X3, while the Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h are just a bit larger. There's a single configuration for all Q5 utes sold in the U.S.: a five-door wagon with a V-6 engine, an automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive.
The Q5 arrived in U.S. showrooms in late 2009 as a 2009 model, and was left virtually unchanged for the 2010 model year. That's generally a good thing, since the basic Q5 has a smart mix of luxury and performance off the bat. The heart of the performance package is the Q5's 3.2-liter, 270-horsepower V-6, here teamed up with a six-speed automatic with manual gear selection and all-wheel drive. It's a powerful engine but has a little more volume and vibration than expected. Gearchanges are smooth enough, and Audi estimates a 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds. The Q5's chief dynamic liability is its fairly stiff ride and its pedestrian fuel economy, 18/23 mpg. However, it will tow 4,400 pounds and has nearly 8 inches of ground clearance, so mild off-roading isn't entirely out of the question.
The Q5 earns a high safety score from TheCarConnection, thanks to an array of equipment including front, side and curtain airbags; stability and traction control; and parking sensors and a rearview camera. The Q5 also has received strong crash-test scores from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, like many vehicles returning unchanged for the 2010 model year, the Q5 has lost its IIHS "Top Safety Pick" status, due to changes in the metrics applied by the IIHS itself. (In short, a new roof-crush score is now part of the equation--and the Q5 hasn't been tested to see if it meets that new standard.)
Audi has talked about bringing diesel and hybrid variants of the Q5 to the American market. The diesel version would be an easy transatlantic journey, since the powertrain's already offered in other markets. But while Audi works on experimental hybrid systems, it has walked back a planned 2011 introduction of a Q5 Hybrid, and no firm plans for a future model year introduction have been announced.
