Audi SQ5 review

We’ll start with the engine and that ‘MHEV Plus’ setup that Audi has introduced. Essentially, it means there’s a small 1.7kWh battery and two electric motors (one on the back of the DCT gearbox and one that acts as a starter generator), but it does more than your usual mild-hybrid systems because – as well as being able to provide an extra 24bhp boost to fill in for any turbo lag – the electric motor can also drive the wheels at very low speeds. Oh, and it allows the combustion engine to switch off when coasting, and there’s regenerative braking to keep the battery topped up.

Tell me more about the combustion engine…

It’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 that feels supremely strong. There’s 362bhp and 406lb ft of torque which feels like plenty to power down the outside lane of an Autobahn. Audi reckons on a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and if you stick it into its sportier modes the gearbox adds in a bit of shunt to its full-throttle upchanges for a little bit of extra drama. The engine burbles away nicely too, and there are even faint, grown-up pops and bangs on the overrun.

It feels well-judged for an S-badged Audi. It’s really rather rapid but doesn’t shout about it all that much. Make of that what you will. The hybrid system also works fairly hard to ensure solely electric power is used as often as possible, particularly around town. The handover between electric and internal combustion is fairly smooth, and the presence of the system means Audi can claim 33.6mpg for both the Sportback and the SUV.

On a spirited drive in a Sportback, we saw 26.1mpg.

How are the brakes?

Because of that hybrid system there’s now regenerative braking on the SQ5. Audi has tried to blend this with actual friction braking by making the pedal really quite firm, and it’s a decent effort. There is a slight step change in feel through the pedal when the pads actually hit the discs, but overall there’s more feedback than you’d find in other hybrids.  

Is it comfortable?

Adaptive air suspension is standard on the SQ5, and on first impressions it actually seems to ride better than the standard Q5. Yep, it’s certainly firm, but despite the 21in wheels the SQ5 isn’t unsettled by large bumps in the road.

There doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of difference between Comfort, Balanced and Dynamic modes, but it’s well damped and seems to control its weight well, so there’s not too much body roll through corners. The steering is fairly weighty too, although there’s not a huge amount of feel or feedback, and while there’s massive grip it’s not exactly the most exciting thing on a twisty back road. The X3 in its M50 form offers slightly more dynamic handling.