Audi's new Q5 is right on cue

Nov 24 2008 Steve Hughes

YOU could be forgiven for thinking that 4x4s are not exactly flavour of the month right now but that is only partly true.

The large ones that sold like hot cakes during the period of plenty may seem a mite excessive and a tad unnecessary during the current recession but that does not bother Audi.

If the company starts to lose sales of its monster seven-seat Q7 then thankfully it now has a safety net in the guise of the smaller five-seat Q5.

Indeed, Audi freely admits that some Q7 owners will downsize to the Q5 but points out that whilst the profits may be lower it is better than having no alternative to offer and, therefore, risk losing customers completely.

The new Q5 is to the Q7 what BMW's X3 is to the X5 and Volvo's XC60 is to the larger XC90.

Despite the hype and ambitious claims of uniqueness, the Q5 is simply a scaled-down version of the Q7, being even shorter than the A4.

It gets some of the same engines too, with a choice of 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre diesel units and a two-litre petrol unit plus a choice of six-speed manual and seven-speed S tronic automatic transmissions.

Considering the size of the vehicle and the fact that I drove it with just one passenger and minimal luggage, I would say that the petrol engine is quite perky and reasonably economical whilst the 2.0-litre turbodiesel has impressive economy but only adequate performance.

The torquey 3.0-litre diesel is hugely impressive with masses of pulling power and good economy at 37.6mpg but is something of a self-indulgence because it costs so much more than the others, with prices of up to £37,540 for the top-spec automatic.

In terms of size the Q5 is longer than a BMW X3 and Land Rover Freelander but fractionally shorter than the Volvo XC60, which will probably be its greatest rival.

Even though a tiny percentage of the vehicles will ever venture off road they all have permanent four wheel drive and Audi says that there are no plans at this stage to introduce a two wheel drive alternative.

From a design point of view the Q5 is conventionally safe with no extravagant surprises inside or out, being a traditional five-seater with an adjustable rear bench and the optional novelty of a drink holder capable of keeping liquids hot or cold.

As is now the norm with Audi, quality and driving dynamics are the benchmark for its rivals to follow.

The interior is tasteful and thoughtfully laid out with plenty of equipment and adequate room for five adults to spread out in considerable comfort.

Three quarters of buyers are expected to opt for the two-litre turbodiesel model in SE trim at a cost of £29,950, which comes with leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, hill descent with off-road ESP, front, side and curtain airbags, four electric windows and an MP3-compatible CD sound system with sub woofer.

The two-litre turbodiesel engine has a power output of 170bhp and generates 350Nm of torque, or pulling power in comparison to 400Nm for the 2.2-litre Land Rover Freelander.

However, such is the sophistication of the Audi engine and the generous power to weight ratio that the Audi boasts a top speed of 127mph in comparison to just 112mph for the Freelander.

It accelerates to 60mph in 9.5 seconds in comparison to 10.9 seconds for the Freelander and 8.9 seconds for the X3, with the Volvo XC60 2.4D taking ten seconds.

The Audi's official average economy figure is 42.1mpg, which is almost as good as that of the BMW but significantly better than those of the Volvo and Land Rover.

The CO2 figure is 175g/km in comparison to 172g/km for the X3, 194g/km for the Freelander and 199g/km in the case of the XC60.

The 3.0-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol models are best in their class in virtually every respect and the icing on the cake is a prediction by CAP that no other vehicle will have better residual values in three years' time than the Q5.

Audi is currently the automotive success story of the decade with soaring sales, massive profits and a huge commitment to the development of new models, of which the Q5 is the latest.

This is a classic case of the right vehicle at exactly the right time, with the mid-range SUV sector cashing-in on wholesale downsizing from larger 4x4s and executive saloons.

The German manufacturer aims to shift 6,000 of the new Q5s in the UK during 2009, which even taking into account the effects of the credit crunch should be a breeze.