Overview
Stylish and small, the Audi Q5 is a luxury SUV from 2022. The Q5 is decent to drive and appeals to a range of customers. It comes with standard all-wheel drive and is available with a turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine or a substantially more potent plug-in hybrid powertrain. It is an improvement above the base Q3 but isn't as pricey or difficult to drive as the larger three-row Q7. The Acura RDX, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC are significant competitors.
What Has Changed For 2022?
Every new Q5 will feature a sharper S line style for 2022, and the 55 TFSI e plug-in hybrid will have a more potent battery that will extend its electric-only driving range to 23 miles (up from 19 miles in 2021). You may easily consume less gas by frequently pinning this Q5 to charge.
A new base engine is now available; Audi names it the 40 TFSI. Just 201 horsepower is a little underpowered for a luxury SUV, but it helps keep the Q5 more reasonably priced. However, it is less potent than the standard engine from last year.
Audi also provides a brand-new Traffic Light Information system for the 2022 Q5 in a few specific cities. It anticipates when traffic lights will turn green using vehicle-to-infrastructure technology, allowing drivers to spend less time stuck in gridlock. This year, the infotainment system gets better voice control regardless of where you live.
Audi Q5: Interior And Comfort
Whether you're in the front or back seat of the Q5, the cabin is roomy and convenient to get in and out of thanks to the well-designed door apertures. We particularly appreciate the commanding driving position, which offers superb peripheral vision. One drawback is that sometimes it feels like the door-mounted armrest is too far away to offer the proper support.
The standard 10.1-inch touchscreen is attractive, but it is attached to the dashboard's top like an afterthought tablet. Additionally, there is no dial or touchpad controller, so you must poke and swipe instead, which needs a longer reach the further back the seat is positioned. Some of our staff members miss the console-mounted control knob that was easy to reach on the Q5 from the previous generation.
Audi Q5: Connectivity
Even the cheapest Q5 buyers will like the user-friendly infotainment system that is shown on a 10.1-inch dashtop screen. The base Q5 comes equipped with the majority of the anticipated infotainment capabilities, including a Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto functionality.
If you upgrade to the Premium Plus or Prestige trims, things get much more fascinating since they have what Audi calls the Virtual Cockpit, a changeable digital gauge cluster. The 12.3-inch display offers a wide view of the navigation map in addition to selected media, phone controls, a trip computer, a speedometer, a tachometer, or a combination of these.
Audi Q5: Engine And Performance
The 2022 Audi Q5 40 comes standard with an all-wheel-drive system called Quattro, a 201-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The 45 model increases horsepower to 261, which is an improvement. The turbo four is smooth, quiet, and melodic, and it has sufficient power to propel the Q5 45 through traffic or down a freeway onramp.
The Q5 45 produced a quick 5.5-second sprint to 60 mph at our test track. In our testing, the plug-in hybrid model's electric motor increased output to a combined 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, enabling it to reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the performance-oriented SQ5 Sportback.
No matter the route or driving conditions, the luxury compact crossover's suspension is well-damped and gives off a stable sense. Even over rough surfaces, the ride is controlled and comfortable, whether or not the optional adaptive suspension is used.
Although the steering is precise and lightly weighted, there is little obvious front-wheel sensation. The steering seems heavier but still fake in the dynamic drive mode. The Q5 will handle a winding two-lane pretty well, but a Porsche Macan will demonstrate a far faster time.
Audi Q5: Pricing
With an MSRP of $44,100, the base 2022 Audi Q5 Premium is slightly more expensive than the class average. The Q5 Premium Plus starts at $49,100 with the standard powertrain, and the Q5 Prestige costs $54,800. With its base engine, the Q5 Sportback is available in three trim levels, with costs ranging from $48,400 to $57,100.
Starting prices for the 2022 Q5 Plug-In Hybrid range from $52,900 to $62,350. The performance-focused SQ5 is priced from $53,900 to $63,300. The SQ5's MSRP for Sportback models ranges from $57,300 to $65,700.
Which One To Purchase?
The numbers 40, 45, and 55 are used by Audi to differentiate between the Q5's available plug-in hybrid and conventional turbo four-cylinder engines. You may select between the standard Q5 and the Q5 Sportback, which resembles a coupe, but we advise sticking with the mid-range 45 versions.
The Premium Plus trim, which is in the middle of the range, has the best features-to-price ratio and includes Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital gauge display as standard equipment.