The Q5, Audi’s best-selling car in the U.S. and worldwide, is getting a major redesign that adds new software, more storage, adjustable rear seats and room, and improved driver-assistance features.
It’s part of an accelerated product rollout designed to help the brand better compete with German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The launch of the Q5 “marks the next important step in the rejuvenation of our portfolio,” Audi CEO Gernot Doellner said in a statement.
The third-generation Q5 midsize crossover is the second Audi model to use the brand’s new Premium Platform Combustion architecture, following the recently revealed A5 midsize sedan and wagon, which replace the A4.
The Q5 is one of 20 new model launches Audi is planning for 2024 and 2025, including a new A6 large electric sedan and a wagon. A replacement for the Q3 compact crossover is expected to be revealed later this year.
The Q5 was Audi’s best-selling car in 2023, accounting for 331,928 of the brand’s 1.90 million deliveries, according to company figures.
The Q5 will continue to be built at Audi’s plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico. The plant was chosen for its proximity to the U.S., which accounted for nearly half of all Q5 deliveries worldwide last year, the company said.
Audi also builds a long-wheelbase version of the current-generation Q5 in Changchun, China.
In Europe, the Q5 was the fifth best-selling premium midsize SUV in the first seven months with 19,352 sales, down 26 percent, according to market analyst Dataforce. The Q5 trailed Audi’s Q4 electric midsize SUV in fourth place.
The Q5 will be launched in Europe with three combustion engines, all with 48-volt mild hybrid electric assistance.
The entry-level model uses a 201-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and will start at €52,300 ($57,800) in its home market of Germany. No figures were given for carbon dioxide emissions.
A 201-hp 2.0-liter diesel model will start at $63,100, while the high-performance SQ5 with a 371-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 gasoline engine will start at $91,600.
Orders will open in September for German customers with deliveries in the first quarter of 2025.
U.S. sales will begin in spring or summer 2025, an Audi spokesman said. U.S. pricing and other specifications will be released closer to the North American launch.
Only two engines will be available in the U.S.: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 268 horsepower in the Q5 and a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 362 horsepower in the SQ5. Both engines are paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The Q5’s mild hybrid belt-driven starter-generator adds 24 hp to the combustion engine and is powered by a 1.7-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate chemistry battery.
Plug-in hybrid versions will be launched later, Audi said. No further details were given, but the brand said the related A5 plug-in hybrid will have an electric range of 100 km (62 miles).
The design of the new Q5 is an evolution of the current generation model, with more emphasis on the front end, with a wider “singleframe” grille and prominent air intakes on both sides.
Audi said the design gives the car a “visually complete and wide stance on the road.”
Models with the sportiest S Line specification highlight certain body components with chrome details in matt anthracite.
High-tech lighting is a highlight. At the rear, a three-dimensional light strip “spectacularly” brings together the physical and digital worlds, Audi said.
Six digital OLED panels with a total of 266 segments generate a new image several times per second. Audi said the lights could be used to communicate with other road users, for example in emergency situations, in markets that allow this.
The Q5 uses the Volkswagen Group’s E-cubed electric architecture, which debuted with the electric Porsche Macan and Audi Q6.
The architecture runs on Software 1.2 provided by Cariad, which Audi said improves the digital user experience. The infotainment system runs on Android Automotive OS.
A single panoramic display incorporates an 11.9-inch “digital cockpit” facing the driver, as well as a 14.5-inch central touchscreen with high-resolution OLED technology. The car can also be ordered with a 10.9-inch front passenger display.
Audi said the interior was designed to create a lounge-like environment with fabric panels on the door and armrests. Materials in the cabin include man-made Kaskade textile upholstery, which Audi said is reminiscent of natural materials like wool.
A “dynamic interaction” light strip spans the entire width of the interior and can flash or pulse to act as a welcome function or indicate when the vehicle is locked and unlocked.
The rear seat is fully adjustable and can be moved longitudinally and tilted, thus increasing the trunk volume or space for rear passengers. Audi says three people can sit comfortably in the rear bench.
With the rear seats folded down, cargo volume increases to 1,473 liters, depending on the model variant, Audi said.
The luggage compartment cover can also be stowed in a special compartment under the rear cargo floor, providing even more space for luggage and a secure location for the cover.
Audi has added an even larger storage compartment under the center armrest compared to the previous model, as well as other smaller storage areas for sunglasses, keys and other personal items.
The center console is equipped with a cooled, inductive wireless phone charging tray with 15 watts of charging power, and there are two USB-C ports in the front and two in the rear seat area.
Standard driver-assistance technologies include rear parking sensors, regular cruise control and lane-departure warning. Other systems, such as adaptive cruise control, are optional. An optional head-up display includes the ability to change settings via buttons on the steering wheel, which Audi said is a first for the brand.
The current Q5 is also sold in a coupe-style Sportback form. Audi hasn’t said whether that will be part of the third-generation lineup.