Luxury SUVs are quite popular among Indians; be it popularity or sales, they are always at the top which makes them quite profitable for luxury carmakers. Some of the cars are Volvo XC60, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, and Audi Q5 which lead the market. Now, Audi Q5 wasn’t on sale for some time as the powertrain it had wasn’t compliant with the BS6 emission norms. But now, as VW-Skoda-Audi has dropped diesel in India (not abroad though), it has come with a petrol engine and a lot more. Let’s find out how the Q5 survives in this hot SUV Indian Market.

Exterior

Audi Q5 has always looked resplendent and alluring on the streets. Now in 2021, many other SUVs look stupendous like the XC60, and X3 so it’s quite difficult for Audi to make the look Q5 a notch better. The new Q5 gets a larger grill which is surrounded by Brushed Aluminum (plenty of it in the exterior) and piano-black accents that make it look quite smart. Also, the new headlamps which are quite similar to the new 2021 A4 launched in April look beautiful when lit up. The lower bumper has chrome strips around the fog lamp housings which does give it an elegant appeal. Overall, the face of the Q5 looks more elegant than its predecessor which had a sportier look. Coming to the sides, there aren’t many changes except the alloys which are now 19-inch silver ones compared to the earlier 18 inches. The design, however, isn’t appealing and doesn’t go well with the premium design of the Q5. The window line is decorated with a chrome strip that complements well with its elegant stance. The rear gets the taillamps updated that look smashing and I think Audi makes some of the best lights in the business. The LED strips when lit up, look typical Audi, however, it misses on the Dynamic swipe indicator that I think looks quite cool. There is a brushed aluminum strip running between the lights that look good, but I think it should get a chrome strip that would have elevated the rear appeal. Overall, it’s a well-turned-out design and looks quite smart.

Interior

Audi has known for making the best interiors with top-class quality and fit finish. Be it the newer cars launched like A4, E-Tron, A6, A8, and Q8 or even the older ones like Q7, older Q5, and A3, they have been the benchmark of interior quality. The new Q5 gets a new interior which is redesigned and new materials have been added up. First up, there is a floating touchscreen which I think doesn’t go well with the flow of the cabin and looks more like an afterthought. The quality of the cabin feels premium and there is an ample amount of soft-touch plastics that give it a better feel. But I think it doesn’t wow everyone like the A4 and A6’s interior with its design and quality. There are many hard plastics on the lower parts of door pads, glove box, and rear AC vents which look out of place in a 65-70 lakh rupees car. Even the plastics on the upper dashboard feel pretty average which isn’t expected from an Audi. There is now a piano black inlet that replaces the wooden one on its predecessor. In the center area, you get a brushed aluminum to surround the smart-looking gear lever which looks premium and feels good to operate. The switch gear feels quite premium and tactile; be it on the steering, climate control, or the touchscreen Audi MMI it has that well-damped feel. The space offered on the Q5 is the same that it got in its predecessor as they haven’t made any changes to the platform or structure. There is a sense of space whenever you’ll enter the cabin and as far as the backseat is concerned, it has good under-thigh support, ample knee room, and legroom. The headroom is quite generous which is commendable as there is the panoramic sunroof. Even the front seats are quite plush and feel comfortable to sit on. Overall, it’s a spacious cabin but the quality isn’t what I expected from an Audi.

Features

The Audi Q5 is a luxury SUV and we do expect to get a lot of features. In the exterior part, it gets LED adaptive headlamps, LED tail lamps, an electric tailgate, a shark fin antenna, Audi Logo projection, keyless entry, and a huge panoramic sunroof. The interior gets a new 10.1-inch Audi MMI, which feels quite primitive compared to the BMW’s or Mercedes’ I-drive or MBUX systems. But it gets the job done like it gets a lot of connectivity options and connected car tech which is now a norm for a luxury SUV. It gets a wireless charger along with a Phone box which improves the signal strength of the mobile phone that’s a nice touch. Then, it gets a three-zone climate control system, electric parking brake, and electric seat adjustments for both the front passengers along with memory functions. However, it doesn’t get cooling or heating of seats which is shocking at this price. Audi has added its Virtual Cockpit which updated graphics that look crisp and vivid. The Q5 gets voice commands which control all the commands related to the audio system and climate control and that’s a good feature. The audio system of the Q5 is a highlight as it gets a 19-speaker 750 W Bang and Olufsen sound system which offers stellar sound quality. The bass and the notes are quite clear and enjoyable. It has some more important features like a wireless charger, car statistics, autonomous parking, ambient lighting, and many more.

Performance

The new Q5 is powered by a 2.0 TFSI motor which is the same one found in Octavia vRS, and in a lower state of tune in Octavia, Superb, Tiguan Allspace, that produces 249 hp and 370 Nm mated to 7 speed DSG (DCT) is lower than before due to BS6 norms. The real-life performance is phenomenal. There is absolutely no turbo lag and the Q5 offers stellar performance which makes it one of the best petrol engines in the segment. Even though the car produces a lot of power and torque, it doesn’t feel jerky and clunky while moving at a slow speed in city traffic conditions and drives smoothly like a proper luxury SUV. The 7-speed DCT feels effortless and changes gears in a snappy way, but isn’t in the same league as BMW’s and Mercedes’s torque converter. There are drive modes that alter the power, steering, and AC performance and I must say that they are useful at times. In dynamic mode, the steering gets heavy and the engine becomes rev-happy. Also, the Q5 gets a Quattro All-wheel drive system which not only offers a good amount of traction but also, lends the Q5 respectable off-roading capabilities.

Ride and Handling

The Quattro all-wheel-drive system also reduces the body roll which is found in SUVs thus, improving the driving dynamics. The driving dynamics of the new Q5 are tuned more for comfort than for spirited performance. The steering is quite light and the chassis remains stable even at high speeds. The suspension is well-tuned for Indian road conditions that tackle bumps and potholes in a plush way which lends the Q5 a calm and comfortable ride. It doesn’t let the occupant feel about it even though the tire size is now 19 inches from the previous 18 inches. The handling feels predictable and you will have the sense of confidence of pushing it around the corners, but it misses out on the agility which the BMW X3 offers.