Audi expands its eco-friendly range with two new Mild Hybrid versions for the Q5

Audi demonstrated some time ago its clear intention to offer a greener range of vehicles, something it achieved through one of its star products, the Q5. The four-ring SUV was launched last year to receive a plug-in hybrid variant which, besides being more committed to caring for the environment, offered performance that could leave us speechless. Now, the Q5 range continues along this new path, as demonstrated by the new Q5 35 TDI and Q5 40 TDI, engines that are backed by Mild Hybrid technology.

Indeed, Audi wants to show that diesel can also be a fuel that helps improve the pollution situation we are currently experiencing. To do so, the engineers at the German brand have opted to use the already well-known Mild Hybrid system, or light hybridisation, to put it simply.

This solution is based on combining a combustion engine with a small electric motor capable of replacing the main one in certain situations. In this way, not only are CO2 emissions reduced, but also consumption, two aspects that are very beneficial for both the planet and our wallets. But, of course, there is much more behind this innovative system that Audi is using extensively.

We find a 12-volt alternating current system in the case of four-cylinder engines -such as these two new options within the Q5 range- or 48 volts for six or more-cylinder powertrains. This small generator is associated with a lithium-ion battery that does not require external charging, since it is powered by the vehicle’s own kinetic energy when we brake.

In this way, the Q5 35 TDI produces 163 CV, a power output managed solely through an S tronic automatic gearbox. It is capable of reaching 100 km/h in 9 seconds and a top speed of 213 km/h, figures that are backed by the DGT’s ECO label, a coveted badge that, until not long ago, was out of reach for a diesel vehicle.

The 40 TDI quattro produces 204 CV and 400 Nm of torque, a figure made possible by the additional 14 CV provided by the mild-hybrid system. If we opt for the more modest version, we will have to pay €45,050, a figure that rises to €52,070 if our choice is the more exuberant Q5 40 TDI.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverAudi Q528 versions · from 63,000 €