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Audi Q5 car review

04/12/08

Price27,070-�£36,750
We like...The way it looks and drives
We don't...High prices for extras

It's pitched against fine competitors. All the same, this new compact off-roader is among the best of its kindAs car makers go, you wouldn’t pick Audi as a risk-taker. But it’s made a gamble with the Q5, which enters a market segment chock-ful of good cars.

The Q5 is pitched against the Land Rover Freelander, Volvo’s new XC60, the BMW X3 and more. And, because the Q5 is pricey, Audi has raised the stakes. But somehow we feel sure that this newcomer will help it romp towards the bank. Because, quite simply, it’s a great car.

From the start, it looks terrific: like a shrunk-to-fit version of its big brother, the Q7. But while the 7 looks heavy around its haunches, the 5 looks slimmer and right. There’s nothing about its looks that draws attention but the corporate nose, lights and grille look at home up front and make it unmistakeably an Audi.

Inside, too, the cabin’ll be familiar to anyone who’s spent time in an A3 or A4, all sober black plastic finished in an expensive-look grain, chromed touches and textured metals. The radio, sat-nav and other minor controls work from a screen in the centre of the dash, controlled by a dial and buttons sited between the two front seats. It means that there’s a lot going on but it’s easy enough to navigate.

Audi Q5 Audi Q5 It’s a very handy car, too. The Q5 uses the same under-structure as the A4 and S5, which means there’s good space in the back for three, making it a good five-seater. You can also opt for rear seats that slide to and fro, to tailor space between passengers and luggage, while the front seat also folds forward to accommodate extra-long loads. What’s more, this Audi has neat levers just inside the tailgate which, when pulled, flip the rear seats flat.

So far, so good. But it’s on the road that the Q5 really earns its money. Where we found the Q7 to feel oversized and a tough vague, the little Audi feels really up for it. Pick the one with the 211bhp turbocharged petrol motor and it feels close to a sports coupe, so responsive and accurate is the steering. The suspension hooks the car up with the road well, softening bumps but still letting you know that they’re there. The Q5 feels taut and corners flatly but there’s still enough ‘give’ in its set-up to take you comfortably across rough ground or down a steep, muddy slope.

Audi Q5 Audi Q5 For us, that 2.0 turbo petrol is the one to have, but if diesel’s a must you pick between a 2.0 turbo motor developing 170bhp, or a 3.0 V6 turbo pushing out 238bhp. The smaller engine feels quick enough but stepping into the 3.0 diesel confirms that it’s outright quick, giving a cheering burble as it gathers pace. It dsn’t have the sweetness of the 2.0 petrol, but it’s quicker and more economical. Tailpipe emissions are only a couple of g/km apart, at 197 and 199g/km of CO2 respectively.

Because the Q5 is so new, you won’t see used ones for some while. But we’d expect it to lose value relatively slowly from new, keeping prices for second-hand ones high.

Would we buy one? Definitely. The only hesitation we’d have would be over which trim level to go for. Having plumped for the petrol turbo, we’d probably pick the mid-level SE model. The cheapest Standard model looks a touch bare and while the top-flight S-line cars look tempting, the prices are too much for us. We’d also try not to spend too freely from the menu of options, which can all too easily add thousands to the order price.

Is it the best you can buy? Well, it’s certainly the classiest, beating BMW’s X3 by some distance. For us, Land Rover’s Freelander remains the best all-rounder here, just. But the Q5’s so good that we can see it luring plenty of drivers from their BMW 3-series and Audi A4s, swelling the off-roading ranks.