Some had hoped for swoopy SUVs to be nothing more than a fad, but this niche segment is here to stay. Rivaling the Mercedes GLC Coupe and the soon-to-be-discontinued BMW X4, the new Audi Q5 Sportback is entirely predictable. It’s just the regular 2025 Q5 beaten with the coupe stick to lend the posh crossover a sleeker profile, although that’s highly debatable. From day one, there will be a hotter SQ5 performance derivative.
You’ll be glad to hear the SQ5 has lost its fake exhaust tips. Good riddance. Audi has heard your complaints and is no longer putting ungainly faux exhausts on its cars anymore, as already seen on the new S5. Much like the latter, the new crossover in the spicy S variant has also dropped the diesel the previous-generation model had in Europe. Going forward, the SQ5 Sportback will be available globally with a gasoline engine.
It’s a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 362 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm). Naturally, this is the same mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine found in the new S5 models. Lesser Q5 Sportback models will make do with a pair of four-cylinder engines. There’s a 2.0-liter gas unit rated at 201 hp and (340 Nm) along with a 2.0-liter diesel pumping out 201 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).
The SQ5 and the diesel are Quattro-only whereas the base gas engine comes with standard front-wheel drive and optional Quattro. All three route power to the wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. Audi says additional powertrains will follow, including plug-in hybrids. It’s unclear whether the Q5/Q5 Sportback will finally get the RS treatment.
As usual, the Sportback is less practical than the conventionally shaped upon which it’s based. Audi says the new Q5 Sportback can swallow up to 50 cubic feet (1,415 liters) with rear seats folded. That’s down by 2 cubic feet (58 liters) compared to the regular Q5. It’s all because of the heavily sloped roofline eating into the luggage capacity. It also means you can’t carry tall items since the tailgate glass and roof are positioned lower.
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Except for the rakish roofline ending with a slightly updated rear, the Sportback is a spitting image of the normal Q5. It’s the same story inside where the higher-end versions rock a triple-screen setup with a display just for the front passenger. We’ve seen pretty much the same interior not just on the Q5 but also the new A5.
All these cars sit on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), an evolution of the old MLB Evo. This time around, there won’t be another A5 Coupe and Convertible. Blame it on poor sales of two-door cars. Weak demand has prompted Audi to kill all its coupes and convertibles considering the TT and R8 have already been dead for a while.
To no one’s surprise, the Sportback is a little bit more expensive. In Germany, it starts at €54,800, making it €150 pricier than the regular Q5. Step up to the SQ5 Sportback and you’ll pay €85,400, a €2,500 premium over the SQ5. US pricing and details will follow. Meanwhile, Audi will begin to accept orders in Europe from December.
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