Audi SQ5 Review

The Audi SQ5 is the range-topping performance version of the Q5, and like the rest of the line-up it's available in both SUV and Sportback forms. It follows a very Audi recipe. The idea is not to build the loudest or most extrovert performance SUV in the class, but something more discreet and rounded. That comes through clearly in the way it looks. The Audi SQ5 has the kind of sporty, potent appearance buyers will want from a fast SUV, but the S upgrades are not overdone. The 21-inch Audi Sport wheels, silver mirrors, quad exhausts and more aggressive bumpers are enough to make it feel special without turning it into a caricature. Black badges and red S rhombus details sharpen the look further without changing that understated tone.

That restrained approach works because the fundamentals are so strong. The Audi SQ5 sits on Audi’s latest PPC architecture, which underpins the new-generation Q5 range and brings a more modern electrical system, a more up-to-date interior and a stronger technology story. The result is a car that feels more complete than just a fast Q5 derivative. The Audi SQ5 has the kind of polish and integration you expect at this price, but it still feels like a proper performance SUV rather than simply a regular Q5 with more power.

The 3.0-litre TFSI V6 remains central to the Audi SQ5’s identity. It produces 367PS and 550Nm, reaches 62mph in 4.5 seconds and uses mild-hybrid assistance to add a little extra efficiency and low-speed smoothness. That gives it exactly the sort of cultured, effortless performance this kind of car needs. It's quick without feeling frantic, and refined enough that the Audi SQ5 still makes perfect sense as a long-distance cruiser as well as a performance SUV.

Crucially, the Audi SQ5 does not trade all its everyday usefulness for pace. Rear passenger room is generous in both versions, and while the Sportback leans more heavily into style, the standard SQ5 SUV remains the more practical and more rounded choice. The Audi SQ5 is at its best when treated as a fast, highly accomplished family SUV rather than a cut-price sports car on stilts. For most buyers, the SUV is still the version to choose, even if the Sportback’s sleeker look will have obvious appeal.

For this range, the engine choice is simple because every Audi SQ5 gets the same 3.0-litre TFSI V6 with mild-hybrid assistance. The decision therefore is trim, and for most buyers the sweet spot looks like the “entry-level” Black Edition. It gets the right visual attitude for a car like this, while also bringing stronger standard equipment than a regular entry-level performance trim usually would. Black Edition brings 21-inch Audi Sport alloys, Bang and Olufsen 3D sound, black exterior detailing and Matrix LED headlights as part of the package.

Vorsprung is the indulgent step up. It adds the Technology Pack as standard, plus digital OLED rear lights, a panoramic roof and the passenger display. Adaptive air suspension is standard here, which gives Vorsprung a stronger technical justification than simply being the expensive one.

As for body style, the SQ5 SUV remains the default recommendation because it makes the strongest case on practicality and visibility. The Sportback is worth considering if you want the same core mechanical package in a shape that looks a little lower, sleeker and more distinctive.

The current Audi SQ5 SUV starts from £72,155 in Black Edition trim and rises to £79,655 in Vorsprung trim. That puts it firmly in premium performance-SUV territory. The SQ5 Sportback sits alongside it for buyers who want the more style-led body shape.

That's expensive, and there's no real way to soften that. The Audi SQ5 is priced as a range-topper and it carries itself like one. The upside is that the standard equipment is strong, the cabin feels expensive enough to match the numbers, and you are getting a powertrain that still feels more special than the increasingly common fast four-cylinder alternatives. Even so, there's no getting around the fact that the Audi SQ5 costs noticeably more than some key rivals.

The clearest rivals are the BMW X3 M50, Porsche Macan and Mercedes-AMG GLC 43. The BMW is the obvious alternative if you want the sharper, more overtly driver-focused feel, while the Porsche is still the dynamic benchmark if you are willing to accept less space and a higher price. The Mercedes leans harder into visual drama and badge appeal.

The Audi SQ5 makes most sense as the polished middle ground. It's not as playful as a Porsche Macan and not as showy as some AMG alternatives, but it blends speed, refinement, comfort and practicality in a way that makes it easy to recommend as an everyday performance SUV. Within the range itself, the Sportback is there for buyers who want more visual drama, while the SUV is still the more sensible all-rounder.

The Audi SQ5 is a performance SUV that doesn’t trade speed for comfort. The indulgent interior, fully-equipped in Edition 1 guise, features front seats that are both supportive and extremely comfortable, trimmed in high-quality nappa leather for a super-rich feel. The squared-off steering wheel, complete with red stitching, is wonderful to hold. 

The driving position is spot-on. The seats are high-set, and both pedals and steering wheel are perfectly placed, the latter with a plentiful range of adjustment (albeit through a rather slow electric controller). While you sit high and have a great view out, you don’t feel perched and have the sense you’re sitting in the Audi SQ5 rather than on it. For a high-performance SUV, this is important. 

There is a gripe with the Audi SQ5 Sportback, though – it doesn’t have a rear wiper. This makes it tricky to reverse if the screen is covered in dew or rain, and it also easily gets dirty when it rains. For this reason, some may prefer the regular Audi SQ5 SUV. 

The latest Audi SQ5 is a bigger car than before, measuring more than 4.7 metres long, with an extended wheelbase compared to its predecessor. Add in the optimised design of the PPC platform, and it means more space and improved practicality inside. 

Those in the front will have no complaints, and nor will those in the rear, who get extra legroom thanks to the longer wheelbase. With lots of space for legs, knees and feet, there should be ample comfort, even for someone sitting behind a taller driver. Headroom is good, too – and the sleek Audi SQ5 Sportback has barely any less space than the more upright Audi SQ5 SUV. 

The Audi SQ5 SUV has a roomy 520-litre boot, which dips only slightly in the Audi SQ5 Sportback to 515 litres. With the rear seats folded down, there’s 1473 litres in the SUV and 1415 litres in the Sportback. The SUV has a squarer, more practical shape, particularly with the rear seats folded, making it the more useful choice, but the Sportback is still amply spacious. 

Both new Audi SQ5 have a rear luggage cover that can be removed and stored beneath the boot floor. They also have split-slide rear seats to balance passenger and luggage space – and the rear seats are folded via remote-control levers in the boot. 

The air suspension has a clever access feature, lowering by 50mm when you open the boot. 

The Audi SQ5 SUV is 4,717mm long, 1,900mm wide and 1,647mm high, which puts it squarely in the heart of the premium mid-size SUV class. In practical terms, it's big enough to feel substantial and spacious without tipping into the more cumbersome size of something like a Q7 or Q8. That gives it a sweet spot for family use. The Sportback occupies a very similar footprint, but its lower, more tapered rear shape gives it a slightly sleeker look.

The Audi SQ5’s infotainment is one of the more advanced parts of the package. A curved panel combines the 14.5-inch OLED MMI display and 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit digital display screen, and higher trims or the optional S Technology Pack add the 10.9-inch front-passenger screen.

There's a lot of functionality here, and the displays are genuinely impressive. The graphics are crisp, the passenger screen is neatly handled with privacy mode, and the wider tech ecosystem has room to grow through apps and over-the-air updates. The Technology Pack also adds a head-up display, dynamic interaction light and digital light signatures, while Vorsprung gets them as standard.

The downside is that the Audi SQ5 is undeniably touchscreen-heavy. It looks clever, but it's less intuitive on the move than a simpler setup with more physical controls would be. That means the Audi SQ5 scores highly for wow factor and breadth of technology, but not quite as highly for ease of use.

Material quality is one of the Audi SQ5’s biggest strengths. Fine Nappa leather, contrast stitching, ambient lighting and the generally rich finish all help the car feel worthy of its price tag. Heated and ventilated front sport seats, massage functionality and high-grade trim details also help lift the sense of luxury, especially higher up the range.

The result is that the Audi SQ5 feels more special inside than many faster-but-cheaper performance SUVs. It's not just about speed. It's about making the car feel indulgent as well.

The Audi SQ5 uses a 3.0-litre TFSI V6 petrol with MHEV plus assistance, producing 367PS and 550Nm. Both versions reach 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, which is properly rapid for a car of this size and enough to make the SQ5 feel effortless rather than merely brisk.

The key thing here is not just the raw pace, but the way the engine delivers it. The Audi SQ5 has a cultured, refined V6 character that suits the car’s premium positioning much better than a harsher or more frenetic powertrain would. That applies equally to the Sportback, which gives away little dynamically and makes a strong case if you want the same pace in a sleeker package.

The Audi SQ5’s chassis is one of its best qualities. It feels sharp and accurate, with plenty of trademark Audi precision, but it also stays composed and absorbent enough to make long motorway journeys feel genuinely easy. That balance is the point of the car.

S adaptive air suspension is optional, but standard on Vorsprung, while quattro and Drive Select are standard across the range. That means the exact ride-and-handling balance now depends a little more on trim and options than the original launch-drive impressions suggested, but the broader point remains: the Audi SQ5 is designed to blend comfort with serious pace rather than choosing one over the other.

At its best, the Audi SQ5 is very easy to drive quickly. The steering is clean and well weighted, there's plenty of grip, and the whole car feels neat and tidy in corners. It's not quite as engaging as a Porsche Macan or as extrovert as some BMW M Performance models, but it's deeply capable and very satisfying in a more understated way. The Sportback follows the same pattern, but the SUV still feels like the more natural fit for the car’s all-round brief.

The Audi SQ5 falls under the latest Q5’s current five-star rating from independent safety organisation Euro NCAP, which gives it a strong current safety story rather than relying on an old inherited result.

That's backed up by a strong spread of safety and assistance kit. Adaptive cruise assist plus, surround-view camera, park assist plus, keyless entry and a hands-free tailgate are standard, with more advanced 3D camera functionality on Vorsprung.

Official combined economy is up to 34mpg, which is respectable enough for a fast V6 SUV but nothing more. It's also the sort of figure that can tumble quickly if you use the performance regularly. That said, it does at least put the Audi SQ5 in the right general area for the class, rather than making it look wildly out of step.

The standard Audi new-car warranty is three years or 60,000 miles. Servicing is clearer if you split it into Audi’s two regimes. On the fixed regime, the Audi SQ5 needs an Oil Service every 9,300 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first, with an Inspection Service every 18,600 miles or two years. On the flexible regime, the Oil Service is due every two years or up to 18,600 miles, whichever comes first, and the Inspection Service is also due every two years or up to 18,600 miles.

It's expensive and it has a big, powerful engine, so it's no surprise that the Audi SQ5 is expensive to insure. It sits in insurance groups 45 and 46 of 50, which puts it firmly into high-cost territory even if it's not right at the very top of the scale.

The Audi SQ5 comfortably clears the £40,000 threshold for the Expensive Car Supplement, on top of the standard Vehicle Excise Duty rate of £200, for a total annual cost of £640 between years two and six of registration. Buyers should factor that into ownership costs rather than thinking only about fuel or finance. In practical terms, this is another reminder that the Audi SQ5 is a premium indulgence rather than a rational-value performance SUV.