In recent years, compact luxury SUVS, or soft roaders as some people call them, have been among the hottest items on the market thanks to their manoeuvrability and versatility in the urban jungle.
First introduced in 2008, the Audi Q5 arrived in two specifications - a 211bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged as well as a 270bhp 3.2-litre V6 FSI.
The compact luxury SUV from the four ringed marque didn't enter the market early but it successfully attracted interest from both young urbanites as well as those who seeked a little more fun in the outdoors.
With some keen competition - like the X3 from Munich, the English Evoque, the RX350 from Japan as well as the Swedish XC60 - Ingolstadt's very own soft roader has been given a significant makeover to handle the challenge.
The new Audi Q5's range kicks off with a revised 2.0-litre TFSI which we sampled a few weeks ago as well as a new and bigger 3.0-litre TFSI, and this time we took the latter out for a ride.
Exterior
If you can identify the changes to the facelifted Q5, consider yourself a Q5 expert. The car looks and feels familiar but subtle revisions freshen its appearance for a tough fight in its class.
First introduced in 2008, the Audi Q5 arrived in two specifications - a 211bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged as well as a 270bhp 3.2-litre V6 FSI.
The compact luxury SUV from the four ringed marque didn't enter the market early but it successfully attracted interest from both young urbanites as well as those who seeked a little more fun in the outdoors.
With some keen competition - like the X3 from Munich, the English Evoque, the RX350 from Japan as well as the Swedish XC60 - Ingolstadt's very own soft roader has been given a significant makeover to handle the challenge.
The new Audi Q5's range kicks off with a revised 2.0-litre TFSI which we sampled a few weeks ago as well as a new and bigger 3.0-litre TFSI, and this time we took the latter out for a ride.
Exterior
If you can identify the changes to the facelifted Q5, consider yourself a Q5 expert. The car looks and feels familiar but subtle revisions freshen its appearance for a tough fight in its class.
Observe closely and up front, you'll find that there's a reshaped bonnet that is less rounded than before. Below that is a revised grille that features chrome vertical slats, giving the car a more sophisticated look.
There are also new-look headlamp units that sport a continuous strip of LED daytime running lights around the edge rather than a single row of dotted LEDs seen on the older model.
At the rear, sporty flat-bottomed exhaust tips replace the old circular ones and encasing these is a redesigned sporty bumper and diffuser that come with the optional 'S line' package.
Interior
The changes inside the Q5 are even more subtle. Slight tweaks include silver buttons (instead of black) surrounding the centre console-mounted dial that controls the Multi Media Interface (MMI).
Buttons on the dash console have also been given a minor rearrangement which allows for easier identification and a neater look.
The rounder and longer gear lever seen in the predecessor has also been replaced with a redesigned, short hammer-like gear lever which gives a better grip.
A new steering wheel wrapped in feel-good leather that provides a good grip with a more refined look supersedes the old four spoke one.
The changes inside the Q5 are even more subtle. Slight tweaks include silver buttons (instead of black) surrounding the centre console-mounted dial that controls the Multi Media Interface (MMI).
Buttons on the dash console have also been given a minor rearrangement which allows for easier identification and a neater look.
The rounder and longer gear lever seen in the predecessor has also been replaced with a redesigned, short hammer-like gear lever which gives a better grip.
A new steering wheel wrapped in feel-good leather that provides a good grip with a more refined look supersedes the old four spoke one.
In the rear quarters, there is ample leg and headroom in the rear quarters and the plush leather seats offer a good degree of comfort.
However, we reckoned the centre rear seat wasn't as accommodating as its well positioned outer mates on the left and right, thanks to its raised, narrow surface and folding armrest that dug into the back of the centre occupant.
That said, the Q5 shines with its generous boot space. Together with a low boot sill, the electrically-operated tailgate adds to much needed convenience when loading or unloading stuff from the generous 540 litres cargo area.
However, we reckoned the centre rear seat wasn't as accommodating as its well positioned outer mates on the left and right, thanks to its raised, narrow surface and folding armrest that dug into the back of the centre occupant.
That said, the Q5 shines with its generous boot space. Together with a low boot sill, the electrically-operated tailgate adds to much needed convenience when loading or unloading stuff from the generous 540 litres cargo area.
The Drive
Under the hood of the updated Q5 is a new 3.0-litre V6 TFSI engine that produces 272bhp and 400Nm of torque. You'll hear little from the engine on the roads, but squeeze the throttle a little more and the V6 lets off a slight animalistic growl.
Mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, gearshifts are silky smooth and the car reaches 100km/h from standstill effortlessly in a respectable 5.9 seconds - shaving a second off its predecessor's century dash time.
With a relatively heavy right foot, we only managed to clock 9km/L instead of the claimed figure of 11.8km/L. But considering that the car tips in at over 1.8 tonnes, it's no big disadvantage.
One of the bigger changes to the driving experience in the Q5 is the introduction of an electromechanical power steering, which alters its level of assistance according to vehicle speed.
Although it is more responsive and is weightier than the old hydraulic system, it does have a numb feel to it with little translation from the road to the driver.
Under the hood of the updated Q5 is a new 3.0-litre V6 TFSI engine that produces 272bhp and 400Nm of torque. You'll hear little from the engine on the roads, but squeeze the throttle a little more and the V6 lets off a slight animalistic growl.
Mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, gearshifts are silky smooth and the car reaches 100km/h from standstill effortlessly in a respectable 5.9 seconds - shaving a second off its predecessor's century dash time.
With a relatively heavy right foot, we only managed to clock 9km/L instead of the claimed figure of 11.8km/L. But considering that the car tips in at over 1.8 tonnes, it's no big disadvantage.
One of the bigger changes to the driving experience in the Q5 is the introduction of an electromechanical power steering, which alters its level of assistance according to vehicle speed.
Although it is more responsive and is weightier than the old hydraulic system, it does have a numb feel to it with little translation from the road to the driver.
Good thing though is that Audi has tuned the springs, shock absorbers and stabilisers, giving the Q5 excellent road manners. It holds its line through corners and smoothes out bumps and ruts very well.
There is also the option of 'Audi drive select' and with this function, you can choose between five different modes of driving character - efficiency, comfort, auto, dynamic and individual - with the latter allowing you to customise how the associated vehicle components should behave.
Conclusion
The changes to the Audi Q5 are sufficient enough to suggest that the car makes a stronger overall package against a backdrop of increased compact luxury SUV competition.
When combined, they enhance a car that melds functionality, style and good driving attributes into an attractive package - reasserting the popularity of the Audi Q5.
There is also the option of 'Audi drive select' and with this function, you can choose between five different modes of driving character - efficiency, comfort, auto, dynamic and individual - with the latter allowing you to customise how the associated vehicle components should behave.
Conclusion
The changes to the Audi Q5 are sufficient enough to suggest that the car makes a stronger overall package against a backdrop of increased compact luxury SUV competition.
When combined, they enhance a car that melds functionality, style and good driving attributes into an attractive package - reasserting the popularity of the Audi Q5.
