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2009 Audi Q5 Review

September 30, 2009

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

When I first saw the interior, I actually said, ‘Ooooohhhh
MotherProof

content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz
Edmunds

It's a very pleasant place to be
Automobile Magazine

The 2009 Audi Q5 is more subtly good-looking than most sedans; its softly sculptured lines use height and stance to convey all the right SUV messages.

“I’m going to go ahead and say it: The Q5 is super cute,” comments the reviewer at MotherProof. “It’s so good-looking that it robbed me of my dignity; I couldn’t help but squeal and say things best represented by teenagers’ texting (OMG i <3 it!).” In the eyes of the Automobile Magazine reviewer, “the Q5 is a very handsome, even pretty, vehicle, with good proportions and exquisite detailing in items like the LED headlights and taillamps.”

Car and Driver says the Audi Q5 arrived fashionably late to the German automakers sports sedan showdown, but Audi’s timing “means that the late-arriving Q5 is formed from Audi’s newest architecture, which also underpins the latest A4 sedan as well as the A5 and S5 coupes.” Motor Trend says the 2009 Q5 is “Built on the new A4 platform but [is] longer, wider, and, of course, taller than the sedan; the Q5's dimensions are at or near top of class in every dimension except height.

Edmunds says the new Q5 is “stylish, luxurious and powerful, yet this is an Audi that's content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz or even a Porsche.”

Audi’s traditionally well-executed cabins make sense of what could be a lot of little buttons. Framing them in metallic trim, applying wood (like the maple in the vehicle tested by TheCarConnection.com), and matching leathers and plastics closely gives the somewhat cluttered dash a unified, rich look.

MotherProof is, again, very favorable about the Audi’s interior aesthetics: “The Q5’s interior is pure luxury. In my test car, the seats were a rich-looking, creamy Cardamom color, and the dash was trimmed in blond maple wood. It was gorgeous. When I first saw the interior, I actually said, ‘Ooooohhhh,’ in front of the delivery guy. It’s that pretty.” ConsumerGuide concurs, saying, “The cabin is dressed in standard leather and wood trim and imparts an overall classy air. Materials quality, design, and workmanship are top-notch.”

The compliments don’t end there; Automobile Magazine also gushes about the Q5’s interior: “As in all contemporary Audi models, the Q5's interior is beautifully rendered in quality plastics, supple leather, and precisely engineered controls. It's a very pleasant place to be.”

According to Edmunds, the Q5 is “182 inches overall, 74.8 inches wide and 65.2 inches high. It's a couple inches longer than a BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, roughly the same size as an Infiniti EX35 and Volvo XC60, and a handful of inches shorter than a Lexus RX 350.”

Automobile Magazine comments that while Audis are common in Spain, “people on the streets of Valencia took favorable notice of the Q5. We expect that Americans will like it, as well.”

Conclusion

The 2009 Audi Q5 sets itself apart from blocky SUVs with a fast wagon roofline and a charming, chock-filled cabin.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:When I first saw the interior, I actually said, ‘OoooohhhhMotherProofcontent to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-BenzEdmundsIt's a very pleasant place to beAutomobile Magazine The 2009 Audi Q5 is more subtly good-looking than most sedans; its softly sculptured lines use height and stance to convey all the right SUV messages. “I’m going to go ahead and say it: The Q5 is super cute,” comments the reviewer at MotherProof. “It’s so good-looking that it robbed me of my dignity; I couldn’t help but squeal and say things best represented by teenagers’ texting (OMG i <3 it!).” In the eyes of the Automobile Magazine reviewer, “the Q5 is a very handsome, even pretty, vehicle, with good proportions and exquisite detailing in items like the LED headlights and taillamps.” Car and Driver says the Audi Q5 arrived fashionably late to the German automakers sports sedan showdown, but Audi’s timing “means that the late-arriving Q5 is formed from Audi’s newest architecture, which also underpins the latest A4 sedan as well as the A5 and S5 coupes.” Motor Trend says the 2009 Q5 is “Built on the new A4 platform but [is] longer, wider, and, of course, taller than the sedan; the Q5's dimensions are at or near top of class in every dimension except height. Edmunds says the new Q5 is “stylish, luxurious and powerful, yet this is an Audi that's content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz or even a Porsche.” Audi’s traditionally well-executed cabins make sense of what could be a lot of little buttons. Framing them in metallic trim, applying wood (like the maple in the vehicle tested by TheCarConnection.com), and matching leathers and plastics closely gives the somewhat cluttered dash a unified, rich look. MotherProof is, again, very favorable about the Audi’s interior aesthetics: “The Q5’s interior is pure luxury. In my test car, the seats were a rich-looking, creamy Cardamom color, and the dash was trimmed in blond maple wood. It was gorgeous. When I first saw the interior, I actually said, ‘Ooooohhhh,’ in front of the delivery guy. It’s that pretty.” ConsumerGuide concurs, saying, “The cabin is dressed in standard leather and wood trim and imparts an overall classy air. Materials quality, design, and workmanship are top-notch.” The compliments don’t end there; Automobile Magazine also gushes about the Q5’s interior: “As in all contemporary Audi models, the Q5's interior is beautifully rendered in quality plastics, supple leather, and precisely engineered controls. It's a very pleasant place to be.” According to Edmunds, the Q5 is “182 inches overall, 74.8 inches wide and 65.2 inches high. It's a couple inches longer than a BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, roughly the same size as an Infiniti EX35 and Volvo XC60, and a handful of inches shorter than a Lexus RX 350.” Automobile Magazine comments that while Audis are common in Spain, “people on the streets of Valencia took favorable notice of the Q5. We expect that Americans will like it, as well.” ConclusionThe 2009 Audi Q5 sets itself apart from blocky SUVs with a fast wagon roofline and a charming, chock-filled cabin. 2009 AUDI Q5 STYLING | [8 out of 10] MotherProof: “When I first saw the interior, I actually said, ‘Ooooohhhh’” Edmunds: “content to be itself, rather than striving to be an alternative to a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz” Automobile Magazine: “It's a very pleasant place to be” The 2009 ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

Three distinct groups of competitors emerge for the 2009 Audi Q5. The first group comprises its fellow travelers from Germany and Great Britain; the Mercedes-Benz GLK wears angular clothes and bakes in off-roading, four-wheel drive, and a big V-6, with diesel power on the way. The BMW X3 is the senior officer in the class and is substantially improved in ride and handling in 2008. Land Rover’s LR2 is a square-jawed niche player in the group, with true four-wheeling bred in its blocky silhouette. The next pair, the Acura RDX and Infiniti EX35, share Japanese heritage, but feel radically different. The RDX’s pulsing turbocharged four-cylinder seems at odds with its mission, while the EX35’s teensy cargo area leads to questions about its SUV classification. Lastly, the soft and comfy SUVs in this group include the Lexus RX, a luxury favorite with little driving feel and a hybrid model; the new Volvo XC60, a sleek and fairly quick-footed SUV with a marvelous interior; and the Cadillac SRX, a new entry in this size class with crisp styling and good on-road maneuvers.

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See the Audi Q5 in Other Years:

2011 | 2010 | 2009

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