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Most understated luxury SUV `
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After scouring the Internet for reviews on the improved Q5, I must say some of the points made are spot on, while some are really nitpicking. How is it that the Q5 is so disliked in the UK, but selling so strongly in the US and Australia? There must be some Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide aspects of this car, one might assume.
Actually, one could say that the Q5 has some qualities that are at extreme ends of a driver's expectations. Let's see - Luxury + SUV. Do they necessarily gel into a really good car?
1. The Audi brand - not the most aggressively marketed brand in Singapore and this has probably led to fewer units sold. Not so good for the distributor? But at least you feel that it is less common, and not some bread-and-butter model. What about the numerous complaints about the 2L turbo engine's reliability? It's good to know that the Q5 is equipped with a revised engine and ZF 8-speed gearbox.
2. Interior - any luxury car must have a quality interior. The Q5 ticks all the right boxes. Maybe minor ergonomic issues like seating/pedal position and height of seats and headrests. But the quality is top-notch.
3. Exterior - improved DRL design and minor changes in trim over the original model are a welcome makeover.
4. Features - MMI with navigation, electric tailgate, adjustable rear seats are standard equipment. Steering wheel is nice to hold. Dynamic Steering is a useful option for better steering feel and feedback, but ultimately unnecessary if you choose a unit without it. Panoramic roof is also unnecessary since it's so hot that the sunshade cover is useless. The most obvious feature missing from standard equipment is the reverse camera, which is optional. Pity if you pick a unit without, or have to wait for your special order. Still find Drive Select rather gimmicky.
5. Performance - still running in at 400km to date, but will perform well whether 2L or 3L. Quattro and torque vectoring help in ensuring a smooth ride with stable cornering. Revised suspension with 19" wheels avoid the harsh ride of the original model. The 8-speed gearbox does a good job to keep revs low when you want to maximize fuel efficiency. Handling is rather impressive for an SUV.
Verdict: A worthy rival to the X3, Evoque, ML-class and XC60. Ultimately, it strikes the sweet spot amongst them all. Pricey though.
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An excellent SUV but let down by transmission and harsh ride `
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Had this SUV for around 6 months and decided to trade in for an sedan. A nice looking and musculine SUV however deep inside, it was not flawless. Handling was amazing, however the ride at the rear seat suffered. B&O sound system was one of the better ones that I have heard. Overall it was memorable ownership.
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Decent small SUV that can threaten the larger Q7 price-wise if you start getting... `
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Audi bangs on about the Q5 being a sporty SUV, which it isn't really - it's just a bit stiff. It rides well on the smaller wheel sizes, but drop a set of dubs on the thing (they look the best) and the ride quality deteriorates dramatically. Still, the engines are all rather lovely, there's plenty of space and you could use a Q5 everyday and still have a cheeky grin left over. In certain sections of society the Q5 is the law. Sections of society where what the neighbours think' is a driving force. In others, it's a very nice thing, with very little desire attached. Are SUVs - even smaller ones - cool anymore? Superb quality from Audi on the Q5 - you just can't fault it. Great materials, lovely engineering - even when they blank off switches for all the stuff you didn't order, it looks good. Even the mapping for the satellite navigation is brilliant. The Q5 has a long wheelbase for its size thanks to a bit of clever packaging that stuffs the diff behind the engine and ahead of the clutch. That makes for a surprisingly capable tall car that could actually surprise lots of stuff. But it's not fun and not exciting. What we have here is a supremely well-engineered car that doesn't revel in going fast, it just does so cleanly and with the minimum fuss. Top points for ability, less for not caring what it feels like. Not as humongously crap to park in a multi-story carpark as the Q7, the Q5 is actually very, very useful. Plenty of room for four, enough for five, 540-litre boot with the seats up, 1560-litres with them folded. I hate to say this, but you really can stow plenty of stuff and still get there if you like more active sports...
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One of the BEST looking SUVs on the road today with performance to match!
Too bad I can only look at it when I'm not driving it!
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