2019 Audi Q5

Overview

Quick, comfortable, and infused with the latest technological gadgetry, the Audi Q5 is an undeniably premium compact crossover. The only engine available is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but despite its modest 252-hp output, the Q5 is quicker than some rivals powered by gutsier V-6 engines. Its interior is handsome and well appointed. The infotainment system is intuitive and comes standard with an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audi offers its cool Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster as an option on even the base model, and it comes with navigation and a larger central infotainment display. Automated emergency braking is standard as well. The Q5 may not be a performance driving machine like the Porsche Macan, but its well-rounded nature, overall refinement, and upscale persona should continue to endear it to buyers.

What's New for 2019?

Audi has made a number of features standard for 2019, including heated front seats, a seven-inch gauge-cluster display, rear electric child locks, the Audi Connect CARE telematics system, and aluminum trim around the windows. The mid-range Premium Plus model now offers navigation as standard, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and rear-seat USB ports. The Black Optics package is now available on Premium Plus and Prestige models and includes 20-inch dark gray wheels and blacked-out exterior trim.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Treat yourself. The Q5's top Prestige trim is a relative bargain compared with the highest versions of rivals such as the Jaguar F-Pace and the Cadillac XT5. It comes standard with Audi's 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit display screen, navigation, a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, a head-up display, and a host of other desirable features.

Engine, Transmission, Performance, and Towing

Likes: Zesty acceleration, standard all-wheel drive, competent back-road thrill ride.
Dislikes: Steering feedback could be stronger.

All Q5s feature a 252-hp turbocharged four-cylinder, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive. The combination is good for a 5.8-second run from zero to 60 mph in our testing, outperforming V-6–powered rivals such as the Lexus RX and the XT5. In fact, it's surprisingly close to the performance-oriented Macan S. The turbo four provides plenty of punch to scoot the Q5 around town or blast down a highway on-ramp, and it is smooth, quiet, and mellifluous.

The Q5's suspension is well damped and imparts a stable feeling no matter the road or driving condition. The ride is smooth and controlled—with or without the optional adaptive suspension—even over pockmarked asphalt. The steering is accurate and lightly weighted but provides no discernible feedback from the front wheels. In the Dynamic drive mode, the steering feels heftier but still artificial. Pitch the Q5 down a twisty two-lane and it'll handle it with aplomb, but a Macan will still show you a better time. The Q5 can tow 4400 pounds.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Not only is the Q5's four-cylinder engine capable of zippy acceleration, it's also quite fuel efficient and boasts EPA ratings that are above average for its class. Its standard all-wheel-drive system can disconnect from the rear wheels and drive just the front wheels until maximum traction is needed, which helps improve fuel economy further. In our real-world highway fuel-economy testing, the Q5 underperformed its EPA highway estimate by 1 mpg with a 26-mpg result, but it still did better than the Cadillac and the Porsche.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

Likes: Well-equipped from base model up, crisp interior design, easy-to-fold rear seats.
Dislikes: Less cargo space than most rivals, front-seat cupholders obstructed by center armrest.

The Q5 provides enough room for four adults to get comfy and offers plenty of upscale features, even on the base Premium model. The cabin is both quiet at speed and easy to get into and out of, although we're left wondering who decided to put the front-seat cupholders in such an awkward spot. Audi's clean and simple interior design theme translates beautifully to the Q5, with simple controls, an ergonomic layout, and standard power-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather. Moving up through the three trim levels—Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige—nets even more luxury features, including Audi's slick Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster, which can be easily reconfigured to show a large navigation map, phone contacts, media controls, or trip information. Three-zone automatic climate control is standard across the lineup, and manually adjustable thigh supports for both front seats are optional.

Buyers of even the least expensive Q5 will enjoy an intuitive infotainment system displayed in a dashtop 7.0-inch screen; an 8.3-inch unit is optional. Most of the expected infotainment features are present and accounted for in the base Q5, including Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Things get much more interesting if you add the optional navigation system, as it comes with a reconfigurable digital gauge cluster that Audi calls Virtual Cockpit. It provides a wide, 12.3-inch view of the nav map plus selected media, phone controls, trip computer, speed, and tachometer, or a combination of these.

When it came to squeezing in our carry-on cargo boxes, the Q5 didn't impress. It beat the smaller Macan, but only just and held 18 cases with the rear seats folded. For comparison, the miniature Honda HR-V fit 22. The Q5's rear seatbacks easily fold in a 40/20/40 fashion, however, providing flexibility that the RX doesn't have.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Q5 has fared excellently in crash tests from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the latter of which called the Audi a Top Safety Pick. Automated emergency braking and forward-collision warning are both standard and other driver-assistance features becomes available in the pricier models. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard forward-collision warning
• Available adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Audi's warranty coverage for the 2019 Q5 is average, and many rivals offer longer coverage periods. Buyers of brand-new Q5 models can take advantage of a free service for their first scheduled maintenance visit at 10,000 miles.

• Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for 1 year or 10,000 miles