The job of an SUV is actually both a simple and difficult one. In theory, it should cover both sports and utility aspects in one vehicle but often times the balance isn’t quite right, you end up with a car that leans too far either way. Over time though, a few nameplates have established themselves as leaders when it comes to walking this tightrope. Chances are, you’ve probably got a shortlist in mind and while I’m not a betting man, I would wager that the Audi Q5 is on most people’s list as a go-to luxury SUV.
The Q5 has been so successful in fact that it is Audi’s best selling car here in New Zealand with more than 3,000 units delivered to date. It seems to be right at home here, a country where its commuting ability is almost as important as its capability to be a weekend warrior, to carry the family/dogs/surfboards and whatever else you’re into. While the regular Q5 does a fine job of the above tasks, we are also a nation that has a fondness for Audi Sport and from its stables comes the SQ5. Given the success that the car has seen in New Zealand, there’s a lot riding on this new model.
As changing vehicle safety standards demand the constant growth of new cars so too are manufacturers playing this game. The new Q5 hasn’t been immune to this either, you notice its growth in size particularly in tightly packed underground parking garages. What used to be a medium sized vehicle is getting closer to the larger end of that scale. However, an inherent strength of the SQ5 particularly has been in its sporty appeal so Audi have let the car grow in length and in width but not in height where it is actually shorter than the outgoing model, helping it retain said appeal. Still, it’s no small fry, measuring in at 4.72m long, 1.9m wide and 1.67m tall.
It’s not just the dimensions that have changed drastically since the last generation but the design itself. Where its predecessors almost looked like evolutions of each other, this Q5 looks to be a different breed entirely. The headlights for one have been squinted to match the rest of Audi’s lineup, particular those cars built on the PPC or ‘Premium Platform Combustion’ layout, you’ll notice quite a resemblance to the new S5 where design is concerned. And while there have been significant changes as above, the colour palette remains similar to what has been popular amongst New Zealand buyers over the years. Unfortunately, it is mostly made up of the “German Rainbow” which comprises of a series of greys, whites and blacks. However, ‘District Green’ sits alongside ‘Ultra Blue Metallic’ and ‘Sakhir Gold’ as shining lights in this sea of blandness, with the form being the shade that our review model SQ5 came painted in. It was also one that I drove on the local launch earlier this year!
Honestly, despite the Q5’s success in New Zealand, it’s rare enough to see another ‘District Green’ one on the road, although I coincidentally did but the driver of the other vehicle either chose to willfully ignore my friendly wave or was not entirely aware of their surrounding environment.
Turns out that particular ‘District Green’ Q5 driver could learn plenty then from this new generation Q5/SQ5 as Audi have worked very hard on what they call ‘Car to X’ which describes how the car interacts with its wider environment. The biggest talking point of which comes in the form of its taillights which will turn into warning triangles if the vehicle behind you is approaching too quickly. Similarly, the taillights will activate a unique sequence to warn oncoming cyclists or pedestrians if the driver/occupant is reaching for the door handle. Intelligent stuff indeed!
When the headlights/taillights are not preventing road accidents, they can also be customized through numerous different pre-set designs, a feature that is a direct result of using Matrix LEDs at the front and OLED units at the rear. The SQ5 model notably includes unique Audi Sport lighting signatures to distinguish it from the regular Q5. Although you’d have to be an eagle eyed chap to spot the difference since part of this new generation’s styling has meant losing the Audi Sport badge from the nose. Turn the car around though and the badging is still prominently present here as is a set of quad exhaust pipes to unleash its power on the other unsuspecting parents doing the school run. And while its aggressive lines, gloss black plastic trim and Audi Sport badges might give away the savagery hiding under the bonnet, the interior is a safe oasis from this.
There’s a few common themes here both inside and out that consistently identify this car as a modern Audi Sport product. For one, there’s the use of shiny piano black plastic which has unfortunately been applied to rather high traffic zones on the interior, peep the steering mounted controls and mirror switches as well as the centre console. If you wear rings or a timepiece, you better watch yourself (see what I did there)!
That aside, while the exterior features plenty in the way of technology, the interior is much the same. A one piece infotainment and gauge cluster unit surrounds the driver, providing a truly wraparound experience. The screens are nice and large, note the inclusion of a third one as well for the passenger, as if there wasn’t enough digital real estate already. The ‘Head-Up Display’ has been dynamically improved to the point where the infotainment features can be controlled through the steering buttons while viewed on the HUD. The ‘Audi assistant’ now features AI support and is “deeply incorporated into the vehicle” so it can be more helpful than ever before. I don’t know about you though but I want less of this stuff in an Audi Sport car, not more. At the same time, I fully understand that I’m not the target market for a vehicle like this where this level of technology has become the norm in the segment. That being said, the screens now feature a 60Hz refresh rate, making them nearly TV quality, the perfect opportunity to catch up on the Tarmac Life TV Show then!
However, fear not because this is still very much a premium SUV even without the screens. The SQ5 features massaging seats, Dinamica inserts, leather upholstery and a powerful 3D Bang & Olufsen audio system to boot. Room inside is aplenty too with the dual sunroofs going some way to help with this perception. While all of that is very nice and indeed it is, this is an Audi Sport product so there’s performance credentials here to test!
By now, it’s no secret that the SQ5 has been quite a powerhouse within the Audi SUV range and this generation is no difference. Built on the ‘PPC’ platform, the engine is now more frugal than ever yet power has not been sacrificed. A 3L turbo V6 puts out 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque in this particular model. This is topped up with Audi’s new ‘MHEV plus’ technology, a 48V system can punch out up to 230Nm of torque and 18kW of power briefly. That boost of power will allow this family friendly vehicle to do the 0-100 spring in 4.5s, it is mighty quick but somehow efficient with a claimed figure of 7.6L/100km, although I achieved 9.5L/100km during my real world test.
On the performance front though, the powertrain is extremely entertaining, it’s noisy in ‘comfort mode’ but the audio output amps up once you start to use its sportier settings. Not just that, the responsiveness of the engine is excellent even if you just want to tear away from the lights. Bear in mind that there is longevity of power at play here so you can very quick end up in license losing territory if you aren’t careful. Air suspension on this SQ5 also means that its height and firmness can be drastically changed depending on the ‘drive select mode’ that you are using. While I got to test out the SQ5’s dynamic capabilities on the launch, I also got to use ‘offroad’ which is territory that most Q5’s won’t be familiar with. The SQ5 in particular could lift itself and clear taller obstacles while quattro proved itself to have more than just a performance bend. With all of that being said, all credit to the Q5 S-line because that is also an extremely impressive vehicle, dynamically speaking. Whichever variant you choose, make sure you get familiar with turning off the lane keep assist feature though as it does not like racing lines or deviations from the centre of the road for that matter.
The Verdict
Why a green screen then? Well it’s a multipurpose tool for the world of cinematography and photography like an SUV is for the world of cars. That and it had the word green in it, just like the shade of the aforementioned SQ5. Speaking of which, the SQ5 delivered exactly what one would want from such a vehicle, it has some big shoes to fill after all! This new generation car is comfortable, spacious and quick, all an improvement over the outgoing model. However, it’s biggest downside comes in the technology, it’s not bad or anything, there’s just appears to be an overwhelming amount of it.
2025 Audi SQ5: 4/5
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Car courtesy of Audi New Zealand and EMD. Words and photos by Matthew D’Souza.
