Audi Q5
Recession? What recession?, as far as Audi are concerned. Not only have they launched this brand new Q5 SUV, sure to send ripples of jealousy through the sea of waiting parents at the school gates, they have announced ambitious plans to launch ten, yes ten, new cars in 2009!
Dubbed the new BMW, Audi are on a roll. Let us just hope that customers deserting the sinking ship to swim to the buoyant Audi fleet do not take with them the anti-social driving skills often associated with the aforesaid manufacturers.
So what is all the fuss about in this Q5? Well this is Audi’s contribution to the street cred sector of the SUV market. However, being Audi, they have gone one step further and this Q5 effectively combines the rugged 4X4 characteristics with saloon status and comfort.
Being a five-seater, the Q5 is smaller than its rather overpowering sibling the Q7 that, even for the die-hard yummy-mummies, was possibly a tad too pretentious at the school gates.
However, the Q5 is, in fact, not aimed at these delicious yummy-mummies, but at the doting dads. As if they really have any influence in the buying department! But according to Audi, the Q5 is appealing to men in their late forties, married, with a couple of children, a good job that pays well, a pre-requisite if you see the list of optional extras, and into every conceivable extreme sport.
So the Q5 has to tick many boxes in order to fulfil its role and win-over the doting dads. For instance, it has to look the business in case the doting dad decides to do the school run once a year to check out the new mums.
It has to be laden with on-board gadgets as we all know what boys and their toys are like. Preferably these gadgets have to be as complicated as possible so the doting dads can demonstrate their wizardry at mastering new technology.
It has to be comfortable to appease their wallet, yet rough and ready on a Sunday morning so they can take the children to the rugby pitch without the embarrassment of getting stuck in the mud.
But most of all it has to be powerful so they can burn off their pent up stresses of the week with more horsepower and torque than they could muster up in their wildest dreams.
A tall order? No, not really. For the Audi Q5 ticks all the boxes and is a car that goes beyond the call of duty.
Whizzing their way to the UK showrooms any day now, the Q5 comes in three trims, S, SE and S line mated to either a petrol, a 2.0 litre TFSI quattro, or two diesel engines, a 2.0 litre TDI quattro or a 3.0 TDI quattro, but the latter is not available on the S trim. Prices start from £27,650 rising to £37,540 that will not see the doting dad bolt at the first hurdle – yet.
South of Spain was the chosen location to launch the Q5 with driving roads to dream of, both on- and off-road, bringing out the attributes of the Q5. All models we drove came on the SE trim with the bulk of the optional extras on board.
Starting off in the 2.0 litre diesel 6-speed manual, the engine was man enough for the job in hand with a top speed of 126 mph and reaching 62mph from zero in a moderate 9.5 seconds. A good speed for a quick get-away from the school gates. Fuel consumption is a very healthy 42.1-mpg on a combined cycle, with CO2 emissions a remarkable 175g/km; money saved could be wisely spent on, say, the off-road styling pack at £3,000.
Swapping into the 3.0 litre TDI 7-speed S tronic automatic with paddles and the extra power and performance was fantastic. This will certainly bring out all of doting dad’s testosterone. Lashings of horsepower and torque ensured this Q5 races to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and claims a top speed of 139 mph. Yet again, fuel consumption is a penny saving 37.6 mpg and, extraordinary is the CO2 emissions at 199g/km.
Money saved has to go on the Technology Pack, £1,995 that includes an HDD satellite navigation MMI high system, so the doting dads do not have to ask for directions when they get lost again, Audi parking sensors to avoid any embarrassment at the rugby club and an electric tailgate for sheer cool factor as doting dad presses the button to close the tailgate as he saunters away to the touch line. Just be aware, the pressure needed to stop the tailgate from closing, in case doting dad has not quite got his Barbour coat out, is a lot, as I found out when my co-driver pressed the button while I was playing in the vast 540 litres of boot space (that increases to 1,560 litres when the rear seats are folded flat). Thankfully the tailgate did stop before I was chopped in two. Well, if men can exaggerate why can’t we?
Finally it was the turn of the 2.0 litre TFSI 7-speed S tronic automatic minus paddles quattro petrol engine to do its bit and I have to say, I really enjoyed this drive. Top speed is 137 mph, 0-62 in 7.2 seconds yet fuel consumption still a respectable 33.2 mph with CO2 emissions in at 197g/km. That will definitely pay for the panoramic sunroof at £1,100, I thought.
Even though Audi claim only 2% of customers who buy a 4x4 actually use this function, equipping the Q5 with Audi’s quattro permanent all wheel drive with ESP, ensures that on the rare occasions when 4x4 capability is required, i.e. wrong type of snow or leaves, the children will still get to school.
To mask out doting dad’s aggressive driving skills, thus avoiding any potential carsickness in the children, insist he opts for the Audi drive select option with both damper control and dynamic steering. This will allow him to change the car’s characteristics like the suspension settings, steering, accelerator and gearshifts on the S tronic via the dashboard-mounted controls to suit the ever-changing road conditions. At £1,700 it will be the best money you would have ever invested.
As doting dad plays with his multi-function adjustable steering wheel, realises the light and rain sensors come on automatically, and bangs on about the Driving Information System being the best thing since sliced bread, you can blast out McFly’s new album from the 10-speakers Audi concert sound system. If only you had paid the £525 you could have had the Bang and Olufsen sound system guaranteed to make your voice sound better than Leona Lewis.
Or you could contemplate whether paying the £2,275 for heated or cooled front seats were a tad over the top. Perhaps the climate cup holder would have been a better option at £100.
Whatever, here you are sitting in one of the most comfortable cars to date, laden with technology to keep him-in-doors amused for hours and you, plus your precious cargo of children, safe thanks to numerous safety devices, airbags galore and that all important ABS with EBD and ESP with brake assist, in case doting dad gets carried away.
A remarkable car from a truly remarkable manufacturer.
A must-have on doting dad’s Christmas wish list. For, while he is at work, you can take possession and indulge in the ultimate yummy-mummymobile!
Jackie Violet – Female First
Recession? What recession?, as far as Audi are concerned. Not only have they launched this brand new Q5 SUV, sure to send ripples of jealousy through the sea of waiting parents at the school gates, they have announced ambitious plans to launch ten, yes ten, new cars in 2009!
Dubbed the new BMW, Audi are on a roll. Let us just hope that customers deserting the sinking ship to swim to the buoyant Audi fleet do not take with them the anti-social driving skills often associated with the aforesaid manufacturers.
So what is all the fuss about in this Q5? Well this is Audi’s contribution to the street cred sector of the SUV market. However, being Audi, they have gone one step further and this Q5 effectively combines the rugged 4X4 characteristics with saloon status and comfort.
Being a five-seater, the Q5 is smaller than its rather overpowering sibling the Q7 that, even for the die-hard yummy-mummies, was possibly a tad too pretentious at the school gates.
However, the Q5 is, in fact, not aimed at these delicious yummy-mummies, but at the doting dads. As if they really have any influence in the buying department! But according to Audi, the Q5 is appealing to men in their late forties, married, with a couple of children, a good job that pays well, a pre-requisite if you see the list of optional extras, and into every conceivable extreme sport.
So the Q5 has to tick many boxes in order to fulfil its role and win-over the doting dads. For instance, it has to look the business in case the doting dad decides to do the school run once a year to check out the new mums.
It has to be laden with on-board gadgets as we all know what boys and their toys are like. Preferably these gadgets have to be as complicated as possible so the doting dads can demonstrate their wizardry at mastering new technology.
It has to be comfortable to appease their wallet, yet rough and ready on a Sunday morning so they can take the children to the rugby pitch without the embarrassment of getting stuck in the mud.
But most of all it has to be powerful so they can burn off their pent up stresses of the week with more horsepower and torque than they could muster up in their wildest dreams.
A tall order? No, not really. For the Audi Q5 ticks all the boxes and is a car that goes beyond the call of duty.
Whizzing their way to the UK showrooms any day now, the Q5 comes in three trims, S, SE and S line mated to either a petrol, a 2.0 litre TFSI quattro, or two diesel engines, a 2.0 litre TDI quattro or a 3.0 TDI quattro, but the latter is not available on the S trim. Prices start from £27,650 rising to £37,540 that will not see the doting dad bolt at the first hurdle – yet.
South of Spain was the chosen location to launch the Q5 with driving roads to dream of, both on- and off-road, bringing out the attributes of the Q5. All models we drove came on the SE trim with the bulk of the optional extras on board.
Starting off in the 2.0 litre diesel 6-speed manual, the engine was man enough for the job in hand with a top speed of 126 mph and reaching 62mph from zero in a moderate 9.5 seconds. A good speed for a quick get-away from the school gates. Fuel consumption is a very healthy 42.1-mpg on a combined cycle, with CO2 emissions a remarkable 175g/km; money saved could be wisely spent on, say, the off-road styling pack at £3,000.
Swapping into the 3.0 litre TDI 7-speed S tronic automatic with paddles and the extra power and performance was fantastic. This will certainly bring out all of doting dad’s testosterone. Lashings of horsepower and torque ensured this Q5 races to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and claims a top speed of 139 mph. Yet again, fuel consumption is a penny saving 37.6 mpg and, extraordinary is the CO2 emissions at 199g/km.