New Audi Q5 revealed with 361bhp SQ5 to top the range

Audi has revealed the third-generation Audi Q5, and with it a new SQ5 performance SUV. Off the back of the newly-unveiled Audi A5 range and revolutionised all-electric Audi A6 E-Tron, the Q5 is another new-generation model from Ingolstadt and follows Audi’s ‘odds stay ICE, evens go all-electric’ naming strategy.

In the words of Audi Chairman Gernot Döllner, the Q5 is the firm's ‘most important SUV model in the midsize class for more than 15 years’, and it caters for customers that aren’t quite ready to go electric. If you want an EV, the Q6 e-tron is ready and waiting but for those unconvinced, the Q5 is a conventionally-powered alternative.

Like the A5, the Q5 sports Audi’s latest design cues and tech advancements inside and out. That means the new corporate nose with a revised ‘single-frame’ grille, configurable LED lights at the front and a width-spanning light bar at the back with configurable OLED technology. The trademark Audi ‘S’ quad exhaust tips are present and correct on the SQ5.

The Q5 and SQ5 are the first SUVs in Audi’s lineup to use the Premium Platform Combustion architecture. This is the platform that underpins the new A5 range and will feature a similar selection of cleaner, electrified MHEV powertrains. Plug-in variants will arrive later down the line, too.

Full UK specs are due in October, but for now, Audi has detailed what the range will look like elsewhere in Europe. At the beginning of the line-up there’s a 2-litre mild-hybrid petrol good for 201bhp and 250lb ft of torque. A 2-litre TDI is also available, with an identical 201bhp figure but a healthier 295lb ft. 

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All engines in the range come with Audi’s 48-volt Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle plus technology. The system uses an onboard generator to add up to 23bhp for short periods, fill torque gaps in the engine and also intermittently relieve engine load to reduce fuel consumption. On the other hand, it can also save on conventional brake usage thanks to up to 25kW of regenerative braking, feeding into the 1.7kWh battery. The air conditioning is also now totally driven by the electrical system, allowing for longer engine-off time even in adverse conditions.

Even the SQ5, which has had everything from a supercharged petrol V6 to a diesel engine in the past, gets enhanced mild hybridity. Power from the 3-litre V6 stands at 361bhp while torque is 404lb ft. There are no official performance figures yet but with an extra 25bhp on tap, expect the 0-62mph sprint to take less than 5sec on the way to a 155mph limited top speed.

Audi says the new Q5 and SQ5 will offer ‘largely neutral handling’ with a ‘more agile front axle’. Passive damping and steel suspension come as standard, while the SQ5 will come with air suspension with adaptive damping control. Audi claims there will be a much more noticeable difference between the comfort and sport modes compared to the outgoing car. Like the A5 and S5, the Q5 and SQ5 will get an updated progressive-rate steering system. All Q5 variants are expected to feature quattro all-wheel drive.

In spite of only now seeing the inside of the Q5 and SQ5 for the first time, this cabin is largely familiar. That’s because in both design and technology, it's a variation on what we’ve already seen in the A5 and S5, as well as the Q6 e-tron. That means it gets what Audi calls a ‘Digital Stage’ with two screens set within a ‘floating’ curved panel. The driver gets a 11.9-inch virtual cockpit display, while the central infotainment screen is a 14.9-inch MMI touchscreen. There’s also the option of a 10.9-inch passenger screen and a head-up display. 

The biggest visual difference between the Q5 family and the A5 family inside is where the centre console rises to meet the underside of the dashboard, thanks to the taller cabin of the Q5.

Full UK specs and pricing aren’t due until October, though we expect prices for the SQ5 to start comfortably north of £70,000, ahead of the rest of the range in the £50-£60k bracket.