Reference Auto

Smooth and quiet – providing you choose the right model



Whether you’re pottering around town or out on the motorway, the Q5 is a civilised place to be. There’s a bit of wind noise from around its large wing mirrors, but this isn’t loud enough to be a problem, and engine noise is well muted.

We would avoid the S-line spec cars, because these come with big wheels and stiff suspension that don’t soak up bumps all that well. However, the softer SE models are cosseting enough.

There are plenty of ways to adjust the Q5’s driving position, too, which means you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting comfortable.

Simple enough to use, but looks a bit plain



The Q5's dashboard features well-weighted control knobs and slick switches. And while the layout forces you to take your eyes off the road for longer than you have to in the BMW X3, it's more intuitive than the Volvo XC60's.

The interior feels well built, too, and most of the materials are of high quality. But the design looks rather plain, and it’s disappointing to find a swathe of scratchy plastic on the lower half of each door panel.

Easy to drive
Visibility is tricky



The Q5’s massive wing mirrors provide an excellent rear view, but they leave you with big forward blind spots when approaching pedestrian crossings and roundabouts.
Thick pillars between the windscreen and front side windows can also make seeing out a chore. And the Q5 has a featureless, sloping bonnet that can leave you struggling to tell where the front corners of the car are.
Given these failings, it's disappointing that front parking sensors aren't standard, although you can add them as an optional extra.
What you can’t do is specify entry-level versions with an automatic gearbox, whereas you can with the BMW X3 and the Volvo XC60. That said, an auto 'box is available across the rest of the range.
At least the Q5 is relatively easy to control. The steering is light and easy, even at parking speeds, and the pedals are precise and forgiving.

Fun to drive
Safe, but bland



Turn the Q5 into a corner at speed, and while the body does lean over more than it would in a BMW X3, it still feels controlled and predictable.
You’ll also find plenty of traction thanks to the standard four-wheel drive, allowing you to power out of corners with ease, and at the limit of grip, the Q5 pushes its nose wide safely and predictably.
But as composed as it is, the Q5 isn’t really much fun. It barely responds to changes in throttle position through a bend, and there’s little-to-no feedback about what’s going on up front through the steering.
You’ll find the BMW X3 a much more endearing companion on a twisty piece of road.
There is a high-performance version of the Q5, called the SQ5, which is tremendously fast thanks to its hugely powerful twin-turbo diesel engine. However, like the standard Q5, it’s not particularly involving in the corners.

Reliability
Fares well in customer satisfaction surveys
The Q5 looks to be one of the more reliable premium 4x4s out there. It came 29th out of 109 cars in the 2014 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey, beating its main rival, the BMW X3, which came 50th.
That said, the BMW comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, whereas the Audi’s three-year warranty is limited to 60,000 miles, which seems a little churlish.
You'll also find some much cheaper models of 4x4 from less prestigious manufacturers which performed better than the Q5 in the survey - and which have much longer warranties.

Fuel economy
No economical front-wheel-drive version available



The Audi Q5 is one of the least efficient 4x4s of its size. That’s partly due to the fact there’s no fuel-saving front-wheel-drive versions on offer, but even four-wheel-drive BMW X3s perform far better in official fuel economy tests.
True, four-wheel-drive versions of the Volvo XC60 are broadly on a par with the Q5. But unlike Audi, Volvo does offer the option of front-wheel drive, and in this form, the XC60 delivers some of the best fuel economy figures in the class.
The Range Rover Evoque is another rival that's available with the option of front-wheel drive. And even if you decide four-wheel drive is a must, the Evoque is more frugal than the Q5 as long as you stick with a manual gearbox.

Affordability
Pricey to buy and costly to run
If you want to lease a Q5, you’ll be pleased to know that it works out cheaper than the BMW X3. However, you can lease a Range Rover Evoque or a Volvo XC60 more cheaply still.
Any of those three rivals will be cheaper to run than the Q5, too, as they can be had with lower carbon dioxide emissions.
The Q5 is an especially expensive car to pick as a company car, because its high emissions combine with a high P11D value to incur rather a lot of tax.
If you’re buying outright, you’ll find purchase prices to be higher than the Q5’s rivals’, though the gap isn’t vast. You are, however, more likely to get a bigger discount on an XC60 than you are from an Audi dealer.
The only saving grace is that you shouldn’t lose too much of the money you do spend when the time comes to sell your Q5.

Safety
Falls down on pedestrian protection



The Q5 is generally a safe car. It achieved the maximum five stars in the benchmark Euro NCAP crash tests, with an impressive score of 92 per cent for adult occupant protection.
Child protection was almost as good, at 84 per cent, but where the Q5 really fell down was its pedestrian protection; here it scored just 32 per cent.
Nevertheless, the Q5 does come with plenty of airbags, and lots of electronic equipment designed to help prevent you from skidding in a straight line or in bends, or rolling over.

Standard spec
Comes with plenty of equipment as standard



The entry-level Q5 is the SE model, which comes with three-zone climate control (driver, front passenger and rear passenger compartment), a digital radio, cruise control, leather upholstery, rear parking sensors, automatic headlamps and wipers, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Upgrade to the S line trim, and you also get Xenon headlamps, LED rear lamps, electrically adjustable sports seats, 19-inch wheels, and a sporty-looking bodykit.
S line Plus then adds satnav, front parking sensors, a powered tailgate, 20-inch wheels, and metallic paint.
On the whole, the Q5 is fractionally better equipped than most of its rivals, including the BMW X3. It’s worth perusing the brochure to check what you’re getting, though, because although the X3 misses out on some of the Audi’s standard features, it gets some of its own that you might prefer.