Review and opinion: Audi Q5 Sportback, a sporty SUV for everyday use

Before the Audi Q5 was launched, I had always thought that one of the best cars in the range in this size and price category was the Audi A4 Avant… or even the corresponding allroad version.

But the Audi Q5 arrived bringing what all SUVs offer. It combined the advantages of an estate like the aforementioned A4 Avant with even greater versatility than the A4 allroad, thanks to its body shape and greater ground clearance. And it did so while offering the advantages of an SUV body in terms of ease of getting in and out of the cabin and an elevated driving position, as well as a sliding rear bench to configure the available space depending on whether you prioritise passenger comfort or luggage.

The success of CUVs, the new SUVs with coupé bodywork

The share of SUV sales was growing in every market segment, and the Audi Q5 kept evolving aesthetically, receiving the latest driver assistance systems, multimedia systems, connectivity and engines from the brand with the four rings. Even plug-in hybrid versions arrived, and they were very well received.

It only lacked a Sportback or CUV bodywork variant, which is how these SUVs with a coupé-style line are known. A category that already accounts for 19% of total SUV sales in the premium segment… and the figure keeps rising. Just to give one example, in the Q3 range the Q3 Sportback version makes up no less than 57% of sales, and rises to 51% in the case of the e-tron Sportback.

And judging by the order books so far, the third member of the Sportback family among Audi’s SUVs is heading the same way: the Q5 Sportback already accounts for 43% of orders, with the plug-in hybrid versions also attracting a notable 20% of requests compared with the other powertrains.

Audi Q5 Sportback: exterior and interior design

Outside, the new Audi Q5 Sportback barely changes the dimensions of the version it derives from: 7 mm more in length, reaching 4.69 metres, and just 2 mm lower, while keeping the same width and wheelbase. The drag coefficient is also retained, at 0.30.

One of the main differences is linked to equipment: while the Q5 can be specified in base, advanced, S line and black line trims, the Q5 Sportback starts directly with the advanced trim, with everything that entails. There are some differences in the grille, the air intakes and the rear bumper design, but the “essence” of this body style is the sloping roofline, which gives it a more dynamic silhouette.

Audi offers the Q5 Sportback with up to 12 body colours and various customisation options, notably wheels and interior materials. An interior that, incidentally, is no different from the Audi Q5 in design or materials when comparing equivalent trims. Best of all, besides the quality of finish and attention to detail we have come to expect from Audi, the Sportback does not entail a major sacrifice in practicality.

It loses some boot space, but the 510 litres (455 litres in the plug-in hybrid versions) is still a very good figure. And that loss is partly offset by the standard split rear bench, which gains 60 litres of luggage space in its most forward position, or gains legroom for rear passengers, who will travel more comfortably. In addition, the backrest can be adjusted for recline.

The loss of headroom in the rear seats is hardly significant, and access to and exit from these seats is not critically affected by the steeper roofline. Rearward visibility from the driver’s seat does get worse, due to the more sloping rear window and the design of the third side window. But nothing that would in any way affect driving or prevent manoeuvring with reasonable comfort.

Audi Q5 vs Audi Q5 Sportback: how much does the coupé cost and what do you get?

Knowing that if the Sportback’s coupé line appeals to you much more than that of the “regular” Q5, you won’t be paying an excessive toll in practicality or versatility, how much does it cost in “money” to opt for the Sportback? Well, for the same engine and equipment, the Sportback costs about 3,000 euros extra. Bear in mind that the engine offering is the same, as are the trim lines and equipment. The Sportback comes standard with the aforementioned plus rear bench, and a suspension setup with a slightly more dynamic focus.

But be aware that, as we have mentioned, the Q5 Sportback has no base versions; it starts from the advanced trim. This means the entry price of the Q5 Sportback starts at 55,810 euros, which is what the 35 TDI Advanced with 163 CV costs. In the Q5 range you can get a base-trim version with this same engine from 49,210 euros.

Since we’re on the subject of prices, the 40 TDI quattro with 204 CV starts at 60,320 euros, and the 45 TFSI quattro with 265 CV starts at 67,500 euros. We’ll talk about the hybrid versions and the SQ5 TDI later.

If the question is whether it’s worth paying 3,000 euros more for the “coupé”, at this price level, given how little is lost from a practical standpoint and what it adds in aesthetics and dynamics, my answer would be yes.

Equipment of the Audi Q5 Sportback

It’s a shame this version isn’t also offered with base trim, which would allow access to the Q5 Sportback from around 52,000 euros. But there is a reason for it. Most customers end up moving up to the Advanced trim, which pays off, because everything you get extra in equipment represents considerable savings compared with optioning those items separately.

Here is what the entry-level Q5 Sportback includes, already in advanced trim: among other things, the advanced line design details, 18″ wheels, MMI Navigation plus, digital instrumentation Audi virtual cockpit plus, three-zone climate control, electric tailgate, cruise control, Audi drive select, Audi phone box, mobile phone interface, Audi parking System plus…

And don’t forget this: the S line versions cost 2,500 euros more than the advanced, but they add an undeniable touch of style inside and out, with the S line styling, the honeycomb-structure grille, a specific sporty diffuser, the fantastic Matrix LED headlights (when you test them at night it becomes day), 19-inch alloy wheels and sporty front seats.

Personally I would pay for the S line, but not for the Black Line, which adds another 3,200 euros for the black styling pack, 20-inch wheels, darkened rear glass, mixed cloth and leather upholstery and black roof rails.

Petrol and diesel MHEV engines with ECO label

The engine offering for the Sportback is the same as for the Audi Q5. The entry engine is the 2.0 TDI with 163 CV and 370 Nm, with front-wheel drive. It is followed by the 40 TDI, with 204 CV and 400 Nm of torque, and the 2.0 TFSI with 265 CV and 370 Nm, the latter two available only with quattro all-wheel drive. All come standard with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and Mild Hybrid MHEV technology, which earns them the ECO label from the DGT.

The choice is easy: the basic TDI engine moves the Audi Q5 adequately and achieves very low consumption, around 7 l/100 km. It remains an engine that stands out for its smoothness and pleasant driving among the turbodiesels in its class. You should only consider paying the roughly 4,500 euros difference over the 40 TDI if you value having quattro all-wheel drive, or if you are looking for extra performance, because even with the “weight” of all-wheel drive, the 40 TDI always feels more forceful, especially when gaining speed from long gears or making the most of its acceleration.

The 45 TFSI is a story apart. The engine is fabulous, its performance is genuinely sports-car (just 6.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and a top speed of 240 km/h), it offers a smoothness that few engines at this performance level can match, and it can be very frugal if you drive “sensibly”. But it has one small problem: for tax reasons, it costs… almost 1,000 euros more than the 50 TFSIe plug-in hybrid, which is available from 66,810 euros.

Two plug-in hybrid versions

That’s right. For the same trim, the Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe quattro offers more power (299 CV), a hybrid system that, after the latest update applied to the Q5, provides an electric-only range of up to 62 km on the WLTP cycle, and it also carries the increasingly coveted CERO label from the DGT.

It’s hard not to recommend this version even if you don’t have a place to plug it in (that will come). With the battery depleted it works like a conventional hybrid, with good performance and consumption almost equal to the TFSI’s. And if you do have somewhere to charge it, you can use the car daily on short trips, consuming only electricity, or in hybrid mode with real consumption around 3–3.5 l/100 km over about 150 km, depending on your pace.

The extra weight of the battery is offset by the greater power, delivering the same performance as the 45 TFSI, with a notably pleasant driving experience. You only lose a little boot capacity. But the plug-in hybrid is worth it, don’t hesitate. In dynamic behaviour you won’t notice any difference except when driving at the limit through bends. The Q5 Sportback, in any of its versions, is a car with a well-judged balance between dynamism and comfort. An air suspension with height control can optionally be fitted, useful for increasing ground clearance if you’re going off-road on tracks or country lanes, or for lowering it to make loading the boot easier.

The second hybrid version, the 55 TFSIe, requires some calculation. It reaches 367 CV, but the 50 TFSIe is so capable that you will hardly need the extra power of this version. Both share the same battery (14.4 kWh capacity), electric range and charging options. The battery can be charged from a domestic socket with the standard cable in about six hours, or in 2.5 hours from a 32-amp single-phase supply. For the same equipment it costs 4,000 euros more than the 50 TFSIe, but it is only available from the Advanced trim upwards, so its entry price starts at a still respectable 73,210 euros.

Compared with the TDI and TFSI versions, the plug-in hybrids have a towing capacity of up to 2 tonnes, instead of 2.4 tonnes.

The Audi SQ5 Sportback TDI: the top of the range

For its most sporty version, the SQ5 Sportback, Audi continues to rely on the 3.0 TDI V6 engine. No surprise there. It is hard to find a balance between performance and consumption as good as the one this version offers, which produces 341 CV and 700 Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, faster even than the most powerful TFSIe. Yet it consumes very little, and fuel use is not as sensitive to the pace you can sustain.

The engine has every technology to claim to be “clean”, from double AdBlue injection to the 48-volt mild hybrid system (in the rest of the range, with 4-cylinder engines, it is 12-volt), so it also carries an ECO label. But the best part is the feel behind the wheel. The 8-speed tiptronic gearbox is very smooth, and can be almost as quick as the S tronic dual-clutch in the other versions.

With 20-inch wheels and 225/45 tyres as standard, brakes with six-piston aluminium calipers on the front axle and a fantastic chassis set-up (sport running gear with suspension lowered by 30 mm), which makes you wonder whether the optional dynamic steering and sport differential are worth paying for, the SQ5 TDI wins you over.

Of course, some loves come at a price: 83,330 euros is the price of the sportiest of the Q5 Sportbacks. Compared with its alternatives, it is worth what it costs. Not only for the way it drives, but also for what it offers, including the Matrix LED headlights as standard equipment.

Image gallery Audi SQ5 TDI