Granted, the revised 2013 Audi Q5 that you see here is remarkably similar to the model it replaces, but squint hard enough and several design tweaks begin to emerge. The most obvious, in finest Audi tradition, is a smattering of new LEDs — the headlights and the taillights now benefit from a continuous strip of the company’s favoured mode of illumination. Continue staring at the Q5 and you may also notice a reprofiled front grille, air vent and front foglights.
If spotting all the exterior changes made your brain melt a little, then you might as well just give up and go home when it comes to the interior. The alterations are even less pronounced here. Most of the knobs have received a gentle design massage, with some changes to the MMI (it’s now operated with fewer buttons) for better ease of use. But crucially every important control falls easily to hand and the quality is superb.
The big news though is the improvements to the powertrain. The Q5 is now available with an enhanced 2.0 TFSI turbo engine and the new-to-the-line-up 3.0T, which, as you’d expect, is supercharged.
Our tester’s four-cylinder mated with a new eight-speed auto pushes 225bhp to all four corners via quattro all-wheel drive. It doesn’t sound like a lot for a car that’s pushing on 1,800kg, but the engine is surprisingly capable. Barring the initial split-second hesitation, the 350Nm of torque makes its presence known, dragging the car to 100kph in 7.1 seconds — the same as a V6-engined Lexus RX 350.
It’s not much around corners, but what CUV is? That said, it doesn’t bob around as much as the RX and the ride is no longer of the bone-jarring variety.
Efficiency has also been boosted, and the updated powertrain, coupled with a new electromechanical steering and a stop-start system, makes the Q5 more efficient than before. During the test period it clocked low 10s per 100km; nothing close to Audi’s claimed 7.9 litres-per-100km, but still suitably frugal for a heavy SUV that’s nearly as long as the Audi A4 saloon. As an upshot there is enough room to comfortably seat four adults, and with the seats folded slightly more cargo space than in the BMW X3.
So, the question is, should you buy one? The segment is heaving with some serious competition such as the new GLK 350 and the RX 350, but the BMW X3 28i is the closest match with its four-cylinder turbo engine. It edges the Q5 in both power and torque stakes, but a mid-spec version will set you back around Dh210,000. Meanwhile a decently specced Q5 with sat-nav, leather seats, MMI, and S-line exterior package can be had for Dh195K. Sure, the BMW drives better, but is it Dh15,000 better than the Audi? I’m not so sure. I’d have the Q5.
