Maximum cargo space is up by a few cubic feet (to 60) with the rear seats folded. The second-row seats now slide fore and aft a few inches and also are adjustable for recline. At least the Q5’s brake-pedal feel and stopping performance (161 feet from 70 mph) are top-notch for the class.Īudi has wisely chosen to sacrifice a bit of cargo space to improve rear-seat legroom in the new model. It also makes the Q5 feel slightly unsettled on the expressway as its nose seems to drift to and fro with nary a murmur through the steering wheel. It’s accurate, and its 15.8:1 ratio is quick enough, but it is so utterly devoid of feel that not only is the “sporty characteristics of a sedan” descriptor revealed as bogus, even non-enthusiast drivers might be put off by the artificiality of the steering. This is the kind of steering that gives electrically assisted systems a bad name. A large part of the problem is the steering system. The Q5 feels refined to the point of flavorlessness. But the coil springs, the fixed-rate dampers, and the rest of the suspension are tuned to deliver a well-controlled ride, free of float, while rounding the edges off sharp impacts, even with the Q5 wearing the optional 20-inch wheels.īut a lack of floppiness does not a sporty vehicle make. And our mid-level Premium Plus version had no adjustable dampers. But an off-roader this is certainly not.Ī quick drive in the new Q5 reveals much better body control than the first-generation vehicle. The system operates seamlessly and is credited by Audi with helping deliver the new model’s 3-mpg improvement in city fuel economy. Like the A4 Allroad’s, the Q5’s all-wheel drive is an on-demand system called Quattro with Ultra, meaning that it’s a front-wheel-drive vehicle most of the time. Yes, the Q5 comes with an off-road setting, accessible through its Drive Select mode toggler, which locks the drivetrain into all-wheel drive. There are more-distinctive-looking crossover options out there, from the edgy Cadillac XT5 to the grotesque Lexus RX.Ĭrowd pleaser: Like other new Audis, the Q5's instrument panel can be configured to display Google Earth or Google Street View. The Q5, like the BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC300, is pleasantly inoffensive, soft in shape and in impact. It’s 10 pounds heavier than the old one-that’s the equivalent of 10 pounds of feathers or rocks or grape-flavored Pez-and a closer look reveals a couple of new curves above the wheels, a lazy rolling wave along the sides of the thing. At a glance, the ’18 Q5 is the same vehicle, the new model being within an inch of the vehicle it replaces in every major dimension. This includes a new generation of Audi’s familiar turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, now making 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, plus a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic in place of the last Q5’s eight-speed conventional automatic and an all-new platform that integrates more aluminum bits.īut like the recently renewed A4 and A4 Allroad, the Q5 is a very familiar all-new car. For 2018, the Q5 gets not only a new suit of clothes but its first full reworking in the model’s nine-year history.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |