2025
Audi New Q5

The Q5’s handling is one of the SUV’s better aspects. Our testers praised the responsive steering, which does a good job of giving the driver feedback about the road surface and cornering feel. Body roll is well contained, which makes it fun to drive the SUV on quick bends and through S-curves. It’s not quite up to the BMW X3’s level of driving dynamics. The Audi relies more on electronics to keep things in check than on chassis tuning. But overall, the Q5 is still enjoyable to hustle along.

The Q5’s interior remains mostly quiet at all but ticketworthy highway speeds. While some of Audi’s turbo four-cylinder engines can have an agricultural-like sound quality, this engine has a polished sound that remains in the background for about 90 percent of the time. It makes itself apparent only under full-throttle acceleration. Wind noise is nicely muted at speeds up to 75 or 80 miles per hour, and road noise at in-town speeds is very low.

Road and tire noises become quite noticeable at 50 mph, and some testers felt a vibration come through the steering wheel when the engine speed was below 2,000 rpm.

Powertrain’s midrange performance

Once underway, the Q5’s powertrain works well. Thanks to plentiful torque, it pulls strongly. Passing power at in-town and highway speeds is very good due to the quick downshifts and the way the turbocharger quickly spools up. Upshifts are very smooth, even at wide-open throttle.

The adaptive cruise control (ACC) does a very good job of maintaining distance behind the vehicle ahead. Some drivers said they liked the displayed numbers that correspond with the distance gap. The system also effectively deals with cut-ins, where a vehicle will squeeze into the gap between the Q5 and the vehicle ahead. The ACC doesn’t slam on the brakes or let the Q5 get too close. It sheds some speed to create a gap, then smoothly accelerates to keep up with traffic. One tester had the system shut off on them mid-drive and not reactivate, but it worked the next time they drove the car. We experienced this with our A5 as well.

The lane centering assistance (LCA) system is similarly effective. Even on sharp or high-speed bends, it will keep the Q5 in the lane without bailing out and suddenly handing control back to the driver. It allows the driver to make steering inputs without fighting back or disabling the assistance.

From A3s and A8s to Q4s and Q7s, past CR logbooks have been filled with comments asking where occupants can store even the smallest items. My own 2023 A6 has a tiny amount of interior storage for keys and wallets, with the space under the center armrest dominated by the cell phone charging pad. Aud has been making amends with each model redesign and new-model introduction by addressing this issue of limited room for “stuff.” The Q5 has impressively sized door pockets that are deep and wide, and which feature a grippy rubber base that keeps items from sliding around. The cubby under the center armrest is generous—though far from massive—enough to hold a wallet, keys, sunglasses, and other small items. Audi kept the cubby to the lower left of the steering wheel, though it’s much smaller than in older Audis.

The cargo area is similarly spacious, with a flat load floor that isn’t too high off the ground. The rear seats fold in three sections (40/20/40) and lie nearly flat when down, making for a long, uniform cargo space. We like that the kick-to-open feature for the liftgate has a small light that shines on the ground to identify where people should aim their leg swing.

There are only two minor complaints: The string nets on the back of the front seats are flimsy, and there isn’t any space to store the cargo cover under the cargo floor.

Whether it’s because of the interior color we chose or that we’ve become inured to it, the Q5 seems to have less piano black plastic trim than the other Audis we’ve recently purchased. We like this change because the black trim too easily shows fingerprints and scratches, and too much of it ends up cheapening the interior ambience.

Our Q5 has a snazzy brown interior, with understated natural wood inlays and chrome trim. The materials throughout feel well-assembled and of high quality. There are lightly padded panels on the window sills for the front and back seats, and the door panel inserts are also padded. All of the buttons and switches (though they are limited in number) feel solid and of high quality.

Below eye-level, there’s more hard plastic, and some of the lower panels feel of lesser quality, as if this is where Audi chose to save money. We found rough edges on both the front and rear door pulls and some of the door bins. And the floor mats feel incredibly flimsy.

Overall, it may not match Audi’s heyday of the early 2000s, but the Q5’s interior impresses. One tester said it feels as nice as, if not better than, the more expensive Q6 E-Tron.

The design and construction of the front seats balance the need to provide both long-distance comfort and support during spirited driving. Overall, it’s a very comfortable seat, with soft-ish cushions but a firmness beneath that gives support during multihour drives. The side bolsters are big enough to keep the driver and front passenger in place without being so constraining that they prevent larger passengers from finding comfort. There are plenty of adjustments, including the ability to lift or lower the leading edge of the bottom cushion to tailor under-leg support. Most testers appreciated the four-way adjustable lumbar support, although one said that they had a hard time getting it to a position where it supported their lower back.

Like the seats up front, the rear seats are similarly comfortable. There’s good space for two adults, and the seatback and bottom cushion are well contoured and provide comfort and support. The seatback has a small recline range, and most passengers will likely want to angle it as far back as it goes. The most upright setting is too vertical for most of our testers. Though not massive, there’s ample headroom, knee room, and toe space under the front seat.

Like most all-wheel-drive vehicles with an internal combustion engine, there’s a significant hump from the driveshaft under the center seating position. That hump makes it challenging for adults and some adolescents to sit there for any travel other than a quick in-town trip. There just isn’t any footroom or legroom.

We’re happy that the Q5 is similar in size to the previous-generation version. It’s about 1.5 inches longer, while wheelbase and height remain the same. Too often, we see redesigns grow larger, creating some trade-offs in parking, low-speed maneuverability, and even fuel economy. Fortunately, the Q5 hasn’t become too large.

When combined with the optional 10.9-inch front passenger display, the Q5 features what Audi is calling “a digital stage” that effectively spans the full width of the dash. This secondary screen allows the passenger to stream video content and access navigation. It has a privacy function that works digitally to prevent that screen from being visible to the driver and causing distraction.

So far, every tester has said that the way the powertrain acts at low speeds is a major low point. Just like with the A5, we’re surprised Audi went with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) in the Q5 instead of something like the ZF eight-speed automatic used in past models. That transmission was extremely smooth and didn’t cause any performance problems, at least in our eyes.

The biggest headache is the number of ways the powertrain acts up. Sometimes the DCT works smoothly, but the turbocharger seemingly hasn’t spooled up, so the Q5 lags before launching forward. At other times, the DCT will clunk and lurch as it tries to decide which gear to select, and the clutches engage or disengage. One tester said they could feel or hear the transmission downshift for a turn, then downshift one or two more gears again after they completed the turn. Another said that it was most evident when it would downshift when coming to a stop.

Full-throttle upshifts felt oddly slow for a DCT gearbox. When jumping into traffic or pulling away from a traffic light, there is often a delay before the Q5 begins to accelerate. Fortunately, the Q5 doesn’t build up revs and lurch forward uncontrollably with a surge of power like in some vehicles, but the delay is still unpleasant. Like most vehicles with a DCT, the Q5 doesn’t smoothly creep forward at low or parking-lot speeds because of how the clutch pedal grabs. This causes an abrupt response when lifting off the brake, so the driver has to be hyper-aware and feather the accelerator pedal to move slowly.

Drivers who select Sport mode instead of Balanced will find that the transmission stays in a gear longer for stronger acceleration, and upshifts are better timed. But both up and downshifts are much rougher.

We said this with the A5, and it’s true with the Q5 as well: Modern transmissions “learn” from repeated use, so we will see whether it gets any better when we fully test the Q5.

As all of those new Audis enter our test program, we repeatedly get to use the new controls on the driver’s door. And we continue to come away more convinced this is a move in the wrong direction.

In addition to the lock and unlock buttons and mirror controls that typically occupy this space, Audi added seat memory, child lock, and headlight buttons. All are on a panel that moves when the driver makes a selection.

But this pushes the window controls farther back along the armrest, making them awkward to access, particularly if you sit closer to the steering wheel. There’s little delineation between the buttons on the panel. For example, it’s easy for the driver to inadvertently fold the side mirrors because they pressed the wrong portion of the pad. This is, at best, a distraction (their motion takes your eyes away from the road) and, at worst, dangerous because they could be folded at the moment you need to use them. The only separation between each “button” is small raised lines.

The controls on each side of the steering wheel are similarly frustrating. The center of each pad has controls that can be adjusted just by touch, such as audio volume or the screen in front of the driver. The controls at each corner of the pads are like the ones on the driver’s door. They are all part of the same pad but must be pressed to engage. Like the door controls, the only separation between the “buttons” is small raised lines. And because the controls are on a single plane, they can’t easily be operated by feel.

Every tester commented on how the Q5 shudders noticeably when the fuel-saving stop/start system restarts the engine. It causes a noticeable delay before the driver can pull away, such as at traffic lights and stop signs. At least there is an easy-to-locate button to turn it off.

Some testers found the ACC didn’t perform well at low speeds. It had a hard time smoothly slowing and then accelerating with traffic. This is likely a byproduct of the balky DCT transmission. Whatever the reason, the rough transitions make the experience challenging and uncomfortable.

There’s no doubt that the Q5 has a firm ride, much like the A5 and Q6 that are in our test program. The biggest difference is that, unlike those two models, our opinion on the Q5’s ride is mixed so far.

Some of this is likely due to the wheel and tire package on our Q5. The standard 18-inch wheels come with 235/60 all-season run-flat tires, while the Premium Plus trim swaps those out for 19-inch wheels with 235/55 all-season run flats. Our Q5, however, has the optional 20-inch wheels with 255/45 all-season run-flat tires, which are the largest available on the Q5 (these are the standard ones on the SQ5 version). The combination of big wheels, tires with a very low aspect ratio, and stiff run-flat tires most likely contributes to the Q5’s stiff ride.

All of the testers found that the suspension does a good job keeping the Q5’s body under control, with very limited motions, no matter what type of surface the SUV is traversing. Most impacts are also effectively muted and don’t punch through to upset the cabin occupants.

But some people said that the ride felt nervous, and that every little imperfection was transmitted into the cabin. It wasn’t done harshly, but the bumps, holes, ridges, and seams that the Q5 drove over were all noticeable. Big road imperfections, such as transverse ridges and road expansion joints, come through as very hard impacts, especially at highway speeds.

Still, one tester said that the Q5 strikes a good balance between firmness and impact absorption, and that vibrations and road buzz are effectively isolated from the cabin.

Some of the system strengths we found in other new Audis are the same here. The screen has very good color contrast, and many driver assistance and vehicle features are explained with helpful text and graphics in the settings menu. There’s a nice perch for the user to steady their hand on, so it’s easier to make a selection on the touchscreen while moving. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay both seamlessly pair at the start of each drive. Once the system is customized, it’s easier to use. For example, while we still don’t understand why a digital clock isn’t a standard feature for the main screen (there’s a tiny one for the driver), one can be added to the center screen.

Still, the system is very complicated and has deep menus that the user can get lost in when looking for a feature or an answer. Some testers said that the black area surrounding the screen could be pared back a bit in favor of a larger display, and that the large bezels around the whole assembly are too pronounced.

The logic for the satellite radio is also odd. When making a selection using the list of stations, the list reverts back to the first station, forcing the user to scroll and scroll and scroll some more. Using the satellite radio presets is cumbersome, and jumping from radio to satellite isn’t as seamless as just making a selection under Source. Finally, the process to type in a frequency when a radio station is strong enough to hear but too weak to automatically populate the list of nearby stations is challenging.

Testers were also mixed on how the windshield pillars affected visibility. While everyone agrees that they aren’t the thinnest pillars we’ve seen, some drivers said they weren’t too bothered by them and could easily see around them. Others said that they found the pillars too thick at the base, where they meet the dashboard and doorframe, and that they blocked their view of pedestrians in crosswalks. We’ll get more opinions as other staff members test the Q5.

The previous-generation Q5 had an Environmental Protection Agency combined fuel economy rating of 26 mpg, while it got 24 mpg overall in CR’s tests. Now the redesigned Q5 is rated at 25 mpg combined by the EPA. Going backward on fuel economy isn’t a good thing, even if it’s just 1 mpg, and we wonder how the DCT transmission will affect fuel economy in our tests.

Like the other new Audis, the Q5’s climate controls are now integrated into the infotainment screen. While temperature adjustments and activating the seat heater are always available, adjusting the fan speed requires multiple steps.

On the positive side, making a selection with the touch surfaces is confirmed with a click and haptic feedback. And the system allows for quick warming or cooling by sending air directly to the front-seat occupants’ hands or feet.

Buying our own test car to evaluate and having many people drive it means CR isn’t the first on the block with a review. But those multiple drivers give us a wide variety of feedback. Case in point: A few testers found that the center console was too wide for their comfort, particularly where it meets the dashboard. While it’s covered in stitched leather, the surface feels unpadded. Those drivers wearing shorts said that the panel was too hard to comfortably rest their knee against and that the stitching would rub against their skin. That made it even worse.

Other testers could find enough adjustments to sit comfortably, but they discovered that the door armrest was so short that their left elbow would slide off the back.

At the same time, everyone was in total agreement that there’s plenty of headroom up front, even with the power panoramic moonroof and sunshield.

All versions of the Q5 come with a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, AEB that works at highway speed, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.