2025 Audi Q5 review

A new-generation medium SUV is of huge importance for any car brand, but this seems particularly true for Audi.

Since the first generation of this model arrived back in 2009 – around the same time as the competitive Mercedes-Benz GLK (not available in Australia), but beaten to the punch by the BMW X3 – the Audi Q5 has been an important and popular staple of the four-ringed brand around the world.

The 2025 Audi Q5 – the third generation of a mid-sized SUV for the Australian market – will look to continue that history of popularity with premium buyers.

But against a steady flow of recently new and updated competitors, this new Q5 needs to be at the top of its game.

We've got new mild-hybrid powertrains in the 2025 Q5, overhauled interiors with new technology, and a new platform on which all of it is built. Let's get behind the wheel and see what the new Audi Q5 is like.

As is often the case with a new model, pricing has gone up for the 2025 Audi Q5. It starts at $81,000 plus on-road costs (ORCs) for the entry-level Q5 TFSI, which has a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine (with new-generation mild hybrid technology) powering the front wheels only. This engine makes 150kW and 340Nm running through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Interestingly, Audi's new 'PPC' platform (which stands for Premium Platform Combustion) means the engine is still mounted longitudinally under the bonnet, but drive goes backwards briefly before being redirected towards the front.

The next step-up swaps in diesel power, with the Q5 TDI quattro going for $87,600 plus ORCs ($6600 more) and makes equal power but more torque (400Nm), yet goes for an all-wheel-drive set-up using the same transmission.

For those who want some extra standard equipment, the Q5 TDI quattro Sport goes for $94,100 plus ORCs.

Of course, there's also the SQ5 to consider, which adopts a much more potent 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 and sportier chassis tune.

Standard equipment from the entry-level grade includes 19-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, S line exterior treatment and an electric tailgate.

There's also a leather-appointed interior, electric front seat adjustment (including lumbar), three-zone climate control, heated front seats, interior ambient lighting and a twin-spoke leather steering wheel.

There's also a 360-degree camera, 180-watt eight-speaker sound system, wireless charging pad, 14.5-inch infotainment display and 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster.

This is shared between the Q5 TFSI and TDI quattro (AWD) levels, but going to quattro Sport adds in 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Sports front seats and steering wheel, black headlining, stainless steel pedals, and anthracite interior inlays (instead of aluminium).

This trim level also opens up the chance to add in the Tech Pro Package, which cranks up the niceties to include an electric steering column, trick OLED rear lights, heated rear outboard seats and steering wheel, and a 10.9-inch third display in front of the passenger.

For those who are hunting down a new or near-new medium SUV with some nice features, it's worth perusing Drive Marketplace to see what's in stock. For example, check out what kind of Audi Q5s are currently available online.

Find your nearest Audi dealer here to check out the new Q5 in the metal, and see which examples are available for test-drive or purchase.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the new Audi Q5 is only a smidgen longer, but is lower and wider than the previous-generation model. Along with a sharper and more aggressive design, there is a more squared off and purposeful look to this new model.

On the inside, there is a new interior design that's similar to what we've seen in the likes of the new Q6 e-tron. It's dominated by the kind of trapezoidal slab of displays, but is also matched by a varying range of materials on the lower jutting design and across the doors. It's certainly tasteful, and feels well made in the examples we saw.

Build quality appears to be good as well, but we did have an annoying rattle within the dashboard of one of our test cars.

There's a nice mix of materials across the dashboard and on the doors extending into the second row. My old foe of shiny piano black plastic continues here, however, around the gearshifter and noticeably as a big slab on the dash in lieu of the optional third screen. It looks good when clean, yes. But it also smudges and scratches easily.

The seats are comfortable and provide loads of quality adjustment. The steering wheel – either two-spoke or three-spoke – feels good in the hand, but some of the buttons are easy to accidentally press when you're twirling the tiller mid-corner.

There are cupholders and some useful storage in a relatively deep area between the front occupants, along with a wireless phone charger. The central storage bin is well sized, and you've got plenty of power outlets for plugging in your devices.

The second row is commendably spacious, with my regular test of sitting behind my own driving position (as a 1.8-metre tall human) yielding a bit of leftover leg room. There is good toe space and head room available as well, even when a sunroof is fitted.

Boot space is also good, with 520 litres available in the 2025 Q5. It's not huge, but it is decent and likely big enough for most wants and needs in this segment.

Technology already seen in the electric Q6 e-tron makes an appearance in the Q5, bringing a next-generation feel to Audi's interior tech interface.

We're all obsessed with screen size these days, and the combination of a 14.5-inch infotainment display and 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster keeps up with the Joneses adequately.

And if that's not enough, you can tick the option on the quattro Sport variant to get a third display – 10.9 inches in size – for the front passenger to stare into.

Size aside, though, these systems deliver on quality as well. The screen is sharp and clear with good responsiveness. The digital cluster is nice as well, something dubbed Virtual Cockpit by Audi for some years now. The presentation is nice, and you can get turn-by-turn directions through Google/Apple/Waze maps here along with a stack of other customisable displays.

There is wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, native navigation, and a companion app with three years of complimentary subscription to remote functions and controls in Audi Connect.

One problem for me, though, is the transition of most of the climate controls onto a screen instead of having a range of physical buttons. It's a common thing these days, and Audi's design does it better than most. But, some functions are still buried within the screen for those who want all of the controls easily accessible.

It's hot off the press, so the new Audi Q5 is yet to have an official crash rating published by ANCAP in Australia. Therefore, it's technically unrated for our region.

However, we can glean some insight from Euro NCAP, which has been aligned from a testing point of view with our local crash-testing authority.

In Euro NCAP testing, the 2025 Audi Q5 gets 85 per cent results for adult occupants, 86 per cent for child occupants, 79 per cent for vulnerable road users and 77 per cent for the performance of safety technology.

We can assume fairly safely that similar results will be published for the Australian market in due course, but the numbers might not be exactly the same. For example, the Audi A5 and Q6 e-tron get five stars in both markets, but the individual numbers do vary.

As one would expect, the 2025 Audi Q5 misses little in terms of modern-day safety equipment.

And while the list of features is long, Audi stressed that the tuning and engineering of safety equipment were done to make it helpful and useful, but not intrusive or infuriating.

Our driving experience indicates that to be true, with a sense of gentle serenity that other car makers cannot achieve, while keeping a high degree of oversight on possible sloppy driving.

And it's an important thing to stress, because despite how smooth and wonderful a car might be, interruptions of noise, steering and other distractions can ruin the whole thing. Like over-salting your otherwise perfectly prepared dinner, or an unwanted phone call interrupting the crescendo of your favourite song.

Furthermore, when you are forced to turn off annoying technology, then it might as well not be there in the first place. Thankfully, the Audi Q5 avoids this.

The addition of mild-hybrid 'plus' technology within the Audi Q5 is an important one, but one could argue that calling it 'mild' is perhaps underselling things a little bit. Whereas old Audi mild-hybrids were definitely mayonnaise mild, this new variant has a decent dash of sriracha or Cholula thrown in.

In fairness to them, it does have 'plus' added to signify the additional capability. But I digress...

It's still limited by a 48-volt architecture, but now has a more serious electric motor and generator that are connected to the back of the transmission via a clutch. It's much more powerful, with up to 18kW and 230Nm of output and able to recuperate up to 25kW of energy into a 1.7 kilowatt-hour battery.

However, our initial test drive wasn't able to match the frugal claims of both vehicles. Our driving wasn't efficiency-minded (admittedly), and didn't have so much time to allow the fuel-saving technology to flex its muscles.

We saw around 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres indicated in a petrol-powered Q5 on our first drive, and somewhere in the mid sevens for the diesel powered all-wheel-drive variants.

The new Audi Q5 drives mostly as you would expect from a premium, German-sourced SUV. It's smooth, refined and quiet, with a sense of quality that drivers and passengers will notice through the engineering of the vehicle.

Using steel springs and non-adaptive dampers (albeit with frequency-selective damping), the ride quality of the Q5 is good without being exemplary. Some imperfect road surfaces – with smaller bumps and repetitive bumps – can be transmitted into the cabin with a slight jostle and sense of uneasiness.

Larger bumps are handled better (with excellent body control), and a sharp and accurate steering feel is enjoyable to twirl through the corners.

In terms of the powertrain, let’s firstly talk about the hybrid driving experience. Unlike most other mild-hybrids, there’s actually enough push to drive it initially, similar to a Toyota or Lexus hybrid. You can accelerate up to 20km/h without burning fuel if you balance your throttle, and regular driving includes lots of engine-off coasting and cruising moments to save fuel and reduce emissions.

Firstly, let’s look at the entry-level petrol Q5. The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine does give competent performance, even though the front wheels can struggle to handle a full-throttle take-off from the traffic lights. The electric assistance helps here, no doubt, to throw a little bit of extra performance on top of what the petrol engine alone can muster with 150kW/340Nm.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is helped by the electric motor as well, by removing a little bit of that shunting feeling at low-speed takeoff and manoeuvring. It’s pretty smooth as far a dual-clutch transmissions go, but does have the benefit of fast and crisp gear changes on the move. 

And while the overtly sporty and muscular SQ5 clearly takes dynamics to the next level, there is a fluency and capability in the regular Q5 that is enjoyable. No, it’s not rambunctious or characterful through the powertrain and chassis, but it’s very competent, predictable and dialled.

Jumping into the diesel-powered variant of the Q5 does give an appreciated bump in torquey responsiveness and overall straight-line performance. Claimed acceleration times from 0–100km/h are trimmed from a decent 8.6 (in the petrol FWD) to a warmer 7.4 seconds.

But impressively, the diesel Q5 doesn’t give up much in terms of driving refinement or responsiveness. I noticed a small amount of vibration at one point at idle, but it seemed to go away after the engine had warmed.

The diesel engine is impressively refined. It’s truly staggering how far technology and engineering have come in the past decade or so in this regard.

Add in the fact that four driven wheels provide better out-of-the-hole acceleration and surety, and the diesel Q5 feels like the pick of the range here (despite the price impost).

With only a 2000kg braked towing capacity (regardless of your engine choice), the Audi Q5 doesn't present itself as a serious tow car. It's capable of pulling a box trailer around, though, which helps in the SUV suitability stakes.

Provided that you have some form of trailer brake fitted, you can pull larger trailers (and even a loaded camper trailer or small caravan) and stay within the limit.

Even though the braked towing capacity doesn't improve, the additional torque and all-wheel-drive powertrain of the diesel-powered variant would be appreciated by those who tow more regularly.

The 2025 Audi Q5 feels like a positive step forward for the brand, and a solid offering that existing and prospective customers will appreciate. The hybrid powertrain technology works well, while remaining refined and seamless in its operation.

The interior looks and feels every bit a premium SUV option, and is well littered with the kind of features and details you would expect from a prestige marque.

With that said, while it's attractive, competitive and appealing, the new Q5 isn't necessarily a car that resets any benchmark in the segment.

Pound-for-pound, however, against the other two German entry-level SUVs with similar petrol power (but admittedly with all-wheel drive), the Q5 feels like good overall value.

It's certainly worth consideration, but buyers will need to cross-shop it against similar offerings from BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and Genesis.

Don't forget, buyers have a huge trove of electric medium SUVs to consider as well, of which there is absolutely no shortage.

Sam Purcell has been writing about cars, four-wheel driving and camping since 2013, and obsessed with anything that goes brum-brum longer than he can remember. Sam joined the team at CarAdvice/Drive as the off-road Editor in 2018, after cutting his teeth at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Off-road writer of the Year, Winner - Sam Purcell

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