We sat down in the Audi Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe, a plug-in hybrid with design

The new design trend in CUV vehicles keeps on growing. The SUV version of the Audi Q5 has already set a trend in the market, becoming a benchmark in the segment, with more than 56,000 units sold in Spain. Now, with new, more exclusive bodywork, the offer becomes even more appealing. Models such as the Q3, Q5 and Q7 already have specific coupé-style versions which, in the case of the Q3, account for 57 percent of sales. Something similar is happening with the e-tron Sportback, which outsells the conventional version and, probably, the same will happen with the Q4 Sportback bodywork, scheduled for September.

In the case of the Q5 Sportback, which has only just gone on sale, it accounts for 43 percent of total orders, while the plug-in hybrid variants already stand at around 20 percent of the sales mix.

Audi Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe: elegant and sporty

The main size differences compared with the traditional versions are at the rear, where the drop in the roofline is more pronounced. Nevertheless, the Audi Q5 offers 7 mm more length and is 2 mm lower, with the same width and wheelbase. It does lose cargo space in the boot: 510 litres (455 litres in the plug-in hybrid), which is offset by the standard plus rear bench (with 40:20:40 split folding and reclining backrests), allowing you to play with 60 litres of boot space or gain more room for passengers. There is almost no difference in rear seat headroom, although some rear visibility is lost due to the slope of the rear window.

The equipment is generally very rich, as the Sportback bodywork starts in the Advanced trim, followed by S Line and Black Line, with differences mainly in the aesthetics. However, the interior does not change compared with the Q5 in design or materials, maintaining the brand’s standards of finish and quality.

The Sportback bodywork costs about 3,000 euros more for the same mechanical offer, but it comes with 18″ wheels, configurable Virtual Cockpit Plus, Navigation Plus MMI system with a 10.1-inch screen, three-zone automatic climate control, electric tailgate, cruise control, Audi drive select, etc.

Audi Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe: powerful and economical

The Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe, with 299 CV, is available from 66,810 euros. It cannot be said to have a low purchase price, but its running costs are low: in normal conditions of use for short trips and with the battery charged, real consumption of just over 2 l/100 km can be achieved, thanks to its 17.9 kWh gross battery capacity (14.4 usable), which allows it to homologate an all-electric range of 62 km on the WLTP cycle and enjoy the benefits of the DGT Zero label.

There is a more powerful variant, the 55 TFSIe, with 367 CV, which shares with the 45 TFSI quattro its 265 CV petrol engine and its 143 CV electric motor, but with different electronic settings. It costs 4,000 euros more than the 50 TFSIe, with the same S Line equipment, so its starting price is 73,210 euros. Note that all plug-in hybrid versions feature the quattro ultra all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed S tronic gearbox.

The 50 TFSIe offers a good level of performance and exceptional ease of use. In pure electric mode it moves smoothly and quietly, providing a very pleasant drive. But if we want to make the most of both powertrains, the Q5 becomes a sporty model, brilliant in acceleration and in recovery, as it has an extra dose of torque provided by the electric motor.

It achieves a great balance between comfort and dynamic behaviour, as the suspension is not especially firm and keeps body roll well in check in corners. Nevertheless, an optional air suspension with height control adjustable by 60 mm can be ordered; in dynamic mode it lowers the bodywork by 15 mm, and in offroad mode it raises it by 45 mm to improve off-road driving. Compared with the petrol or diesel versions, the plug-in hybrid variants allow a towing capacity of up to 2 tonnes, instead of 2.4 tonnes.

Audi Q5 Sportback 50 TFSIe: fast charging

Apart from the specific equipment, the TFSIe versions come as standard with the compact charging system and a cable for recharging with alternating current at public charging stations, at a maximum power of 7.3 kW. It homologates a combined electricity consumption of between 20.3 and 21.7 kWh/100 km.

The battery capacity is quite large for a plug-in hybrid. With 17.9 kWh of total capacity and 14.4 kWh usable, it can be charged overnight from a domestic power socket in just over six hours. With the standard cable, using a single-phase 32 A industrial socket, the charging time drops to 2.5 hours.