2021 Audi Q5

The Q5 doesn’t improve much on the crossover’s formula for looks. It still looks more conservative compared to the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and BMW X3—especially the swoopier “coupes” that both sell. The Q5’s shape is a little rounder, but more hewn this year. The changes to the front bumper and grille are the most dramatic. The grille is both lower in the nose and smaller, with more upright intakes flanking both sides. There’s more color in the bumper, at least to our eyes, and a little more sculpting than last time around.

Along the body sides, the same window line is underscored by deeply creased sheet metal. The wheel arches are starched and pressed a little more this time around, which helps frame the big, available 21-inch wheels.

A new Sportback offers slopes the rear end, but doesn't otherwise change the Q5 very much.

Around back, the 2021 Q5 is largely identical to last year’s version aside from OLED taillights on some models that offer a choreographed light sequence that’s not quite fountains at Bellagio, but better than Fisher-Price. Your mileage may vary.

Inside, the Q5 is heavy on tech but light on personality. A newly standard 10.1-inch touchscreen is perched on the dash like a tablet, which isn’t our favorite look (integrated touchscreens are a little more elegant like the Q8’s) but it lowers the cowl for better outward vision. The same high-quality surfaces reappear, but in black on black on blacker, the Q5 can feel a little cramped and dour inside.

Like last year, the base engine is paired to a 7-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Audi claims the combo will propel the crossover from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is brisk enough to shift a heavy lunch.

The Q5 plug-in hybrid (Q5 55 TFSI e quattro, in Audi parlance) pairs a 2.0-liter turbo-4 to a 14.1-kwh lithium-ion battery and electric motor. The combo produces 362 hp and is paired to the same 7-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Audi quotes a 5.0-second sprint up to 60 mph, but more importantly, about 20 miles of all-electric range and 2-hour charging time on a Level 2 plug. The Q5 plug-in hybrid’s heft and the relatively unrefined gas engine makes this version a paper tiger for performance; our limited experience with it left us feeling a little underwhelmed on its gusto and drivability. It may be a segue to all-electric Audis for some nervous shoppers, but it’s not quite the SQ5 alternative that the tale of the tape might suggest.

For the top of the performance heap, the SQ5 returns for 2021 with the same powertrain as last year: 249-hp 3.0-liter turbo-6, an 8-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive. The SQ5 rides about an inch lower than its counterparts and is equipped with a standard air suspension. Performance goodies like a variable-ratio steering rack and a rear limited-slip differential are available and help the SQ5 feel even more athletic. Its meaty steering and quick feet give us the same good feels from the S4 performance sedan; that’s high praise for a crossover.

Bigger wheels equal a choppier ride, but an air suspension that’s standard on some models (optional on others) can help smooth that out. We haven’t yet driven the 21-inch wheels, but we’re inclined to believe that the painted-on thin tires probably don’t have much sidewall give.

Base Q5s get ample, heated front seats that are dressy and leather-clad. Premium Plus and Prestige versions upgrade to sport buckets that we’d snuggle up to any day of the week; they’re more adjustable and offer in-seat coolers that are key on sweltering days.

The rear seats are just as comfy, although we’d stop short of asking three average-size adults to ride back there for long distances. The rear-seat riders get more than 38 inches of leg room, which is plenty for long legs, big bodies, or a combination of both.

Behind the second row is about 27 cubic feet of cargo room—just enough for big grocery runs. With the rear seats folded, that space grows to about 60 cubes, but the second row never folds flat—it’s a good excuse to get out of helping friends move if you need one.

Every Q5 is finished in top-shelf materials with excellent build quality. We wish we could say the same about ourselves.

With its features, options, and NHTSA ratings, the Q5's an 8 here.

Like last year, the Q5 is available in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels across all three powertrain variants: Q5, Q5 plug-in hybrid, and SQ5. The base Q5 Premium costs $44,295, including destination, and the top SQ5 Prestige runs the score up to more than $63,000.

The base Q5 gets good standard equipment including 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, wood trim inside, active safety features (covered above), and a 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. We’d step up one more trim level to the Q5 Premium Plus, which adds active lane control, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and more available options such as Audi’s 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that we like. Those versions cost just shy of $50,000, although that price grows with optional gear.

The Q5 plug-in hybrid costs between $7,700 and $8,600 more than comparably equipped gas-only Q5s and offers mostly the same equipment. It’s hardly a value play—it may take many years for the more efficient powertrain to pay for itself in fuel costs—but the plug-in hybrid could be a sleeper performance pick with 362 hp—more than 100 hp more powerful than the base version. A newly optional sport package for the Q5 hybrid adds 20-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, summer tires, sport seats—and nearly the same performance as the SQ5.

The high-performance SQ5 is $800 to $1,500 more than a comparably equipped Q5 hybrid and includes standard air suspension, 20-inch wheels, and upgraded rear taillights. Bigger 21-inch wheels and a louder exhaust are two of our picks for the quick crossover, but you do you.

The SQ5 is rated at 18/24/20 mpg, which reflects the thirst of its bigger turbo-6.