Used 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback

The Sportback treatment adds extra-sleek looks to the usual Q5 theme, Audi’s best-selling vehicle. These SUVs may not be quite so popular because they’re less practical, but they compensate by being more stylish.

It could have been someone at BMW who had the idea of making an SUV for people who like an elevated driving position, but don’t need so much space in the back. That gave rise to the X6, based on the X5. Then the X4 (based on the X3), followed by alternatives from Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

There’s no point criticizing the Q5 Sportback for having less cargo room or rear passenger space than its straighter counterpart. That’s not what it’s about. Instead, it ditches the soccer-mom baggage and emphasizes the much-valued Audi attribute of exterior design. It also provides a sure-footed driving experience thanks to a standard all-wheel-drive system — known in Audi circles as quattro.

The regular, non-Sportback 2022 Audi Q5 is reviewed separately.

Capable, comfortable, composed, and cool, the 2022 Q5 Sportback cruises around with a more-than-decent 261 horsepower simmering under the hood. If a driver ever felt the need to sprint from standstill to 60 mph, it would only take 5.7 seconds out of their day.

Those with even less time to spare should look at the 2022 SQ5 Sportback, a V6-propelled blast delivering 349 horsepower. It completes the same run a whole second quicker. The SQ5 Sportback luxury compact SUV also has a sportier suspension. But it’s adaptive, so it doesn’t have to be firm all the time — only when the driver selects the desired setting.

Fine materials, smart thinking, and understated design flair all help to make the cabin of the 2022 Q5 Sportback luxury compact SUV a pleasurable, welcoming, and serene environment. It’s the kind of interior that owners will want to keep tidy.

If the front seats feel a little firm at first, don’t worry; you’ll value their excellent support after a few hours of driving. The rear seats slide and recline, and they also split and fold in a nicely versatile 40/20/40 fashion.

Sure, there’s a fraction less rear headroom than in the regular Q5 compact SUV, but rear legroom is the same (a generous 38 inches). And although the cargo area of 24.7 cubic feet (expanding to 51.9 cubic feet) is less than the 25.9/54.1 cubic feet of the straight-ahead Q5, that’s still a useful amount of space.

The SQ5 Sportback gains carbon-fiber inlays this year. It also comes with front seats that fit a little more snugly than their Q5 counterparts. The reason for this becomes perfectly clear as soon as you snake the SQ5 Sportback through a series of quick corners.

It’s what goes on past the front doors that gives the 2022 Q5 Sportback its reason for being. Instead of the roof remaining parallel to the ground before joining a fairly upright tailgate — which is the usual SUV way — the Q5 Sportback takes a more dramatic dip. Opinions will differ, but we would argue that it doesn’t look forced or odd.

The previously optional S-line treatment becomes standard this year. This includes large air vents up front and specific alloy wheel designs. A Black Optic package is also offered across the 2022 Q5/SQ5 Sportback range, adding 20-inch (or 21-inch) alloy wheels and various exterior elements finished in black.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT
This is the 12.3-inch configurable digital driver information display that becomes standard in the Premium Plus trim. It’s capable of showing much more information than just speed and engine rpm, but really doesn’t take long to learn.

BANG & OLUFSEN AUDIO SYSTEM
B&O makes great sound equipment that seems like the ideal audio complement to any coolly contemporary Audi interior. The 19-speaker/755-watt system available in the 2022 Q5/SQ5 Sportback models is a $950 option in the Premium Plus or standard in the Prestige trim. But anyone who spends a lot of time on the road will appreciate the investment.

Premium trim is the first of three levels offered with the 2022 Q5 Sportback. It includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights/daytime running lights/taillights, panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, keyless entry/ignition, leather seating surfaces, heated/8-way power-adjustable front seats, self-dimming rearview mirror, universal garage door opener, and 3-zone automatic climate control.

Driver assistance features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, front/rear parking sensors, and lane-departure warning.

The infotainment system features a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/wired Android Auto smartphone integration, Bluetooth, and a 10-speaker/800-watt audio system.

As well as the dedicated drivetrain, the 2022 SQ5 Sportback in Premium trim also has 20-inch alloy wheels, upgraded brakes, and a sport-tuned adaptive suspension.

A Convenience package for Premium trim brings a heated steering wheel, hands-free tailgate operation, self-dimming side mirrors, driver’s-seat memory settings, and satellite radio. These are all standard in Premium Plus.

This second trim also adds adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist, active lane-keeping assistance, Virtual Cockpit driver information display, wireless charging, phone signal booster, power-adjustable steering column, and a 360-degree camera system. The SQ5’s equivalent follows the same formula.

Options for Premium Plus include a navigation package, Wi-Fi, heated/ventilated front seats, and a 19-speaker/755-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system. Most of these are standard in the top Prestige trim. Oddly, the ventilation aspect for the front seats remains optional in the SQ5 Prestige (as part of a Warm Weather package).

Staying with the 2022 Q5 Sportback in Prestige trim for a moment, extra equipment includes dual-pane acoustic glass for the front side windows, more sophisticated LED headlights, head-up display, heated/cooled front cupholder, heated rear seats, parking assistance, road sign recognition, and animation for the headlights and taillights. The SQ5 also gains upgraded OLED taillights.

All three trims are eligible for rear side airbags. Premium Plus and Prestige offer 20-inch or 21-inch alloy wheels. Where the SQ5 is involved, these two upper trims also offer a sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, variable-ratio steering, and Nappa leather upholstery with diamond-patterned stitching.

It’s not exactly catchy, but Audi has a naming convention for its drivetrains that refers to terms like turbocharging and fuel stratified injection. This partly explains why the drivetrain of the 2022 Q5 Sportback is called 45 TFSI.

It involves a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. This goes to a standard all-wheel-drive system through a 7-speed dual-clutch automated transmission.

For greater thrills, the 2022 SQ5 Sportback deploys a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 developing 349 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard yet again, but the transmission here is an 8-speed automatic.

It’s recommended that both engines are fed a diet of premium gasoline. And both versions of the Audi Q5 Sportback are rated to tow up to 4,400 pounds.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (45 TFSI)
261 horsepower
273 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/28 mpg

3.0-liter turbocharged V6 (SQ5)
349 horsepower
369 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/24 mpg