2025 Audi Q5

There’s no arguing with a bestseller like the Audi Q5. It’s the company’s most successful vehicle, so it’s doing a lot of things right. Style, quality, prestige, technology, and comfort are the main attributes. Comfort is a word that crops up a lot in our many glowing owner reviews. Audi has a particular way of doing things that resonates with plenty of buyers.

This second generation of Q5 launched for 2018 and a new generation is on the horizon. Potential buyers might want to wait and see what the successor has to offer.

The more muscular Audi SQ5 is reviewed separately.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact luxury SUVs, including the Audi Q5.

This year is a transition year for the Audi Q5. An all-new (third) generation will arrive in early 2025, while the outgoing generation will remain on sale as a 2025 model.

Changes to this current model include a HomeLink remote garage door button being integrated into the rearview mirror, while Audi Advance Key and remote engine start become standard throughout. Q5 40 and Q5 45 models become eligible for a Convenience package that brings driver’s seat memory settings, satellite radio, self-dimming/power-folding side mirrors, Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, and a panoramic sunroof. Premium Plus trims gain navigation and the LED Interior Lighting Plus package as standard. The free Audi Connect Nav trial subscription increases from six months to three years. And there are some new wheel designs.

Use these prices as a rough idea of the new-generation Q5’s cost. As far as the current/outgoing generation is concerned, we recommend going for something with the 261-horsepower 45 drivetrain in either Premium or Premium Plus trim, depending on budget. They’re both popular choices.

The Q5’s main rivals are the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC, beginning slightly higher than the Audi. If that’s too much of a stretch, the Acura RDX, Genesis GV70, and Lexus NX are closer in price or even a touch lower.

Before buying a new Q5 luxury SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values hover just below the class average; interestingly, the Sportback models fare better than their more conventional kin. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 40 TFSI endows, if that’s the right word, the Q5 with 201 hp. Attempting to sprint from a standstill to 60 mph would take almost seven seconds. Pulse rates will remain steady.

The next-up 45 TFSI is the most popular drivetrain among buyers of this most popular Audi, generating a livelier 261 hp and granting the ability to zip to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. That’s where SUVs like the BMW X3 and Genesis GV70 start. The 55 TFSI plug-in hybrid puts pistons and electrons to work to shave 0.7 of a second from that time while also achieving decent fuel economy figures.

Whereas the BMW X3 has a definite driver’s edge and the Mercedes-Benz GLC has a comfortable sophistication, the Audi Q5 sits somewhere in between. Depending on an individual’s taste, that could be the best of both worlds or a missed opportunity. We like it. We’ve found the Q5 to be pleasant and comfortable, not at all fatiguing in the city or on the highway.

The top two trims of the 55 TFSI plug-in hybrid offer an optional adaptive air suspension to flit between greater suppleness or finer control.

Fuel Economy

The Q5 with the 40 TFSI drivetrain achieves 26 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The 45 TFSI returns 25 mpg combined, about the same as the equivalent BMW X3 and Genesis GV70 models.

The 55 TFSI plug-in hybrid achieves the equivalent of 60 mpg combined when factoring in the battery-only range of 28 miles. Operating as a regular hybrid, it manages 26 mpg combined.

An Audi cabin is invariably a demonstration of how ergonomics and design flair can work hand in glove. The Q5’s interior is a fine example.

A streamlined dashboard of high-quality materials plays host to a freestanding 10.1-inch infotainment display. Leather upholstery and wood trim are fitted right from the entry-level Premium trim. The seats might seem a tad firm at first, but they become consistently comfortable and supportive traveling companions after a short time.

Occupant space is perfectly adequate for four adults, and there’s always that smaller middle seat in the back if necessary. Rear legroom of 38 inches is excellent for the class.

Cargo space goes from 25.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats to 54 cubic feet when they’re folded down. Far from class-leading, but still useful. Consider the BMW X3 if this is a deal-breaker. There’s no compromise with the plug-in hybrid variant.

Buyers of the current-gen Q5 can choose between the usual SUV shape or a sleeker Sportback. It’s the same kind of thing as the BMW X3 and X4, as well as SUV and Coupe versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLC. Either way, the Q5 embodies Audi’s distinctive design language.

From what we’ve seen of the all-new Q5 SUV, there’s a bit more attitude and presence making it into Audi’s exterior styling approach. That’s no bad thing, in our opinion.

All-wheel drive
The reassurance of all-wheel drive is a standard attribute in every Q5.

Virtual Cockpit Plus
Audi was one of the first marques to replace the usual driver instrument cluster with a user-friendly configurable digital display, showing things like navigation, as well as typical functions like temperature and fuel tank readouts. This is standard from the Premium Plus level.

Powered tailgate
Not exactly a feature with the wow factor, but we love the convenience of it all the same and we’re glad to see it as standard in the Q5.

Wireless Apple CarPlay
This is yet another standard feature in the Q5. Android Auto is also available, but requires a cable. While we’re talking infotainment tech, the new third-generation Q5 has an Android-based system that runs apps without needing to use a phone. It also has 100-watt USB-C ports with enough oomph to charge a laptop computer.

Bang & Olufsen audio
We’re big fans of B&O stuff and the setup offered in the Q5 is loud and clear, with 755 watts going through 19 speakers. It’s standard in the Premium Plus and Prestige trims.

Park Assist
Even though the Q5 is classified as a compact SUV, we still think it’s good to have help when parking. This feature is part of the Prestige trim and can maneuver the vehicle into parallel or perpendicular parking spaces. The driver just has to concentrate on shifting into drive/reverse and applying the throttle or brake pedal.

Here’s what TFSI means. The T stands for turbo — every 2025 Q5 engine has a turbocharger. The FSI means fuel stratified injection, also known as direct fuel injection. It’s all in the service of greater fuel efficiency, extracting the most energy from every drop of gasoline.

The 40 TFSI drivetrain has a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The 45 TFSI boosts that engine’s output to 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.

The 55 TFSI is a plug-in hybrid setup, pairing an electric motor with its 2.0-liter engine to make a total of 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

These all link up to a 7-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive is standard.

The sole turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine in the all-new Q5 makes 268 hp. Audi has not announced a plug-in hybrid variant yet, although we’re sure there’s one in the pipeline.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Audi’s new-car warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This includes roadside assistance. That’s par for the course among luxury marques, especially European manufacturers.

Safety Ratings

The outgoing generation of Audi Q5 has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), its second-highest accolade. It also took a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring.