Audi has again blended coupe aesthetic appeal and the versatility of an SUV to produce the latest addition to its Q model range – the Q5 Sportback.
The new Q5 Sportback will appeal to customers who want the family-friendly utility and technology of the standard Q5 but also want sports-led design. It will line up alongside its SUV counterpart with a choice of Sport, S line, Vorsprung and Edition One specification options in the first half of 2021.
Engine choices: one TDI and two TFSI units
The Q5 Sportback is set to launch in the UK with two powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines – a TDI and a TFSI – each with 204PS and identifiable by 40 TDI and 40 TFSI designations. The potent SQ5 Sportback with 347PS twin-turbo V6 TDI will also form part of the first wave. Plug-in hybrid TFSIe variants with a choice of two outputs will follow.
The four-cylinder engines are mated to a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, while the V6 TDI in the SQ5 Sportback works with an eight-speed tiptronic. All versions have quattro all-wheel drive. To further boost economy a mild-hybrid system employing a belt alternator starter also stores electrical energy generated during braking in a lithium ion battery. With its help, the Q5 Sportback and SQ5 Sportback can coast with the engine idling or completely shut down.
The 2.0 TDI in the Q5 Sportback 40 TDI quattro meets the limits of the latest emissions regulation Euro 6d-ISC-FCM or EU 6 AP.
Lights with digital OLED technology
The Q5 Sportback has great presence, large air inlets flank the octagonal grille, and the headlights with their distinctive daytime running light signature feature LED technology, with matrix LED units reserved for S line models and above.
The state-of-the-art technological sophistication of the new Q5 Sportback is underscored further in Vorsprung versions by rear lights featuring innovative digital OLED technology.
Spacious and well-equipped cabin
At 4.69m in length, the Q5 Sportback is 7mm longer than its sister model. Its height and width are identical, but its coefficient of drag is lower at 0.30. The long wheelbase of 2.82m facilitates ample room for five in the cabin, the focal point of which is the two-section dashboard with 10.1-inch MMI display. The Audi Virtual Cockpit plus with its panoramic 12.3-inch display is standard for all versions in the UK, as are MMI Navigation Plus and Audi Connect internet connectivity.
More ground clearance off-road: the adaptive air suspension
Comfort for the long haul is assured in all versions of the new Q5 Sportback thanks to its exceptionally lightweight multilink front and rear suspension, which from S line level upwards has a tauter sport tuning. A set-up with adaptive damper control is also available for even keener tracking of the road surface, while an adaptive air suspension system that can vary the ride height of the bodyshell in five stages and by up to 60 millimetres features in Q5 Sportback Vorsprung models.
