With the new Audi Q5 55 TFSI e Quattro finally going on sale, it has also ended up in the hands of reviewers, so it’s time to see whether it’s worth upgrading over the regular models.
With a £49,735 ($63,880/€58,025) starting price in the UK, it costs £5,300 ($6,807/€6,183) less than the performance-oriented SQ5, completing the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) only two tenths of a second slower, in 5.3 sec, and maxing out at 239 km/h (149 mph).
The 2.0-liter petrol engine and electric motor work together to develop 367 PS (362 hp / 270 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, and giving it a zero-emission range of over 40 km (26 miles), in the WLTP cycle, is the 14.1 kWh battery. It sits under the luggage compartment floor, eating up 155 liters (5.5 cu-ft) of boot space compared to the regular Q5s, and can be charged in roughly 6 hours via a 220V household outlet, or 2.5 hours using a 400V industrial outlet.
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Users have three driving modes available, which allow the SUV to use either both units or the electric one, or save the battery power for later use. Chose the EV mode and you will be able to cruise up to a top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph).
Unless you see it plugged in, you won’t be easily able to tell it apart from the rest of the Q5 range, as the exterior doesn’t scream for attention. The same goes for the cabin, too, where aside from a few extra controls, everything else is the same. The build quality is good and so is the space on the back seat, which can either slide or recline for increased comfort or more boot space.
Despite being quite fast in a straight line acceleration, the Q5 55 TFSI e Quattro feels big and heavy, according to the reviewer, and has a comfort-oriented suspension setup, although you may want to ditch the 20-inch wheels for better bump absorption.