Review: Audi Q5 Sportback 45 TFSI Quattro

The Q5 was first unveiled to the world at the 2008 at the Beijing Auto Show. It made its North America debut later that year and was released for sale to the public March of 2009. Buyers in the U.S. market were able to purchase the direct injected 3.2L V6 with a 6-speed automatic transmission (18 city/23 hwy) which outpaced all other non-hybrid all-wheel drive models in the segment that year.

In 2018, the Q5 received a powerplant upgrade with the 2.0T '45 TFSI' which offered acceleration similar to the 3.0L TFSI supercharged V6 while using less fuel and reduced emissions. Also the Q5 added the 'Quattro with Ultra Technology' to its standard all-wheel drive system. The 'ultra technology' improved the Q5's overall efficiency including fuel by decoupling the driveshaft to the rear wheels when all-wheel drive is not needed making it a front wheel drive vehicle when cruising down the highway or when the vehicle's computers determine all-wheel traction is not needed.

The Q5 sold a little over 20,000 units in its inaugural year and then made an amazing jump to almost 110,000 units in year two. Today the Q5 averages roughly a quarter of a million units sold worldwide each year making it the best selling premium mid-size SUV in the segment.

New Vehicle Choice

For the 2021 calendar year, the engineers at Audi are providing Q5 buyers with another variant choice to consider when looking at new 2021 Q5s. For those owners who are looking for something a bit more sleek, sporty, and adventurous looking, they will have their chance with the all-new 2021 Q5 Sportback edition. Prospective buyers can find the Sportback in either the Q5 or the SQ5. For my week-long press loan, I had the Q5 Sportback TFSI Quattro and found that the progressive coupe-like design and increased levels of sportiness easily separated the Sportback from the conventional Q5.

The engineers were able to design the coupe-type sloping roofline without sacrificing passenger comfort or any of the cargo capacity you expect from a mid-size SUV. There is still 24.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seats up and the 51.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seats folded down. I realized the real-life usability and application of the cargo numbers when I pack-muled the Sportback for the weekly grocery getter chores and again with a trip to the golf course. I believe I could have easily loaded in everything I would need for a 7-day off-grid camping trip.

New OLED Lighting

The Audi Q5 Sportback is not just getting a cool sloping coupe roofline makeover or a new sport style interior; it will also add a new generation of exterior vehicle lighting technology with new digital OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) taillights. This new type of taillight is completely different from the traditional LED lights people are used to seeing. OLEDs are made from a thin material that entirely lights up in response to an electric charge, whereas LEDs are single light points. This could also allow motorists a choice of different light patterns, or what Audi calls 'signatures'.

The tail lights turn into a kind of display on the outer shell, which will provide us with ample opportunities and prospects in terms of design, personalization, communication, and safety, said Audi OLED technology project manager Werner Thomas.

This new lighting technology is not just a different way to light up brake lights; it will also have a safety application as well. As an example, there could be sensors located on the back of a vehicle which could detect when an approaching vehicle is getting too close and could cause an accident. If a vehicle happens to do this, the sensor could set off a strip of OLED lights to full brightness warning the approaching vehicle that it is too close.

Upgraded Infotainment

The Sportback will also maintain the benchmark-setting connectivity services Audi is known for with the all new third generation MIB 3 infotainment system. This new hardware system is equipped with a new chipset that will run up to 10 times faster than previous Audi MIB 2 hardware system to provide owners with a faster, richer, and more immersive infotainment system. From a software standpoint, the MIB 3 system will give drivers and passengers a slew of new features, such as SiriusXM 360L. This integrated satellite and streaming service is the newest and most advanced platform offered by Sirius and will allow listeners to check out close to 10,000 hours of on-demand content.

The system will also allow for upgraded hybrid digital radio for those hardcore terrestrial radio listeners. If you are not familiar with this service, if the hybrid radio senses a weak radio signal, it will switch to the online digital version of the same channel allowing you to never lose, say, your favorite local sports talk radio program.

Finally, the new system will come with Amazon Alexa Auto, more frequent map updates, an exciting new expanded toll collection module, and the power and capability to provide unlimited vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot service that will connect up to eight devices at one time. I did not have the vehicle long enough to really try out all the new infotainment technology, but the ability to connect eight wireless devices to the internet, in one car, sounds pretty great for those long trips to grandma's house.

If you are tired of your SUV looking like all the other SUVs in the school pickup line, do yourself a favor and get ahead of the buying curve and go checkout and then drive the all-new sporty Audi Q5 Sportback 'coupe'. It could quite possibly make driving your daily driver fun again or at the very least easier to find among all the boxy SUVs at your local grocery store.

Specifications

Power:
Class-leading 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds—Compact premium SUVs
Inline4, 2.0-liter TFSI® engine to generate 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque
Seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission
Quattro® all-wheel drive with ultra technology

Interior:
Daytona gray pearl effect color
Black with gray stitching
Aluminum rhombus inlays
Heated 8-way power front sport seats
Panoramic sunroof

Sport Package:
Aluminum rhombus inlays
Sport suspension
21” 5-double spoke design

Sound System:
Bang & Olufsen
7” color display

MSRP:
$56,540 as shown

Learn More

For more information or to test drive this 2021 Audi Q5 for yourself, stop by a local dealer or visit online at:
Audi | Q5