Audi Q5 Review

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Audi Q5 Review

Full 2011 Audi Q5 Review

What's New for 2011

/The 2011 Audi Q5 gets a new base engine, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder found in many other Audi models. Also new is the eight-speed automatic transmission that is also standard equipment. Meanwhile, the 3.2 model gains standard S Line exterior trim and 19-inch wheels, while adaptive headlights are now included on the Prestige trim. The six-disc CD changer has been discontinued.

Introduction

Luxury cars have seldom been known for their high fuel economy, and SUVs have also never been known for being frugal with gas. Put the two together and you have a recipe for fuel consumption that would make an oil executive put a down payment on a second yacht. Bucking this trend, though, is the 2011 Audi Q5. Notable this year for the Q5 is a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers only a couple mpg less on the EPA driving cycles than the Audi A4 Avant wagon. Even the Q5 with its available, more powerful V6 is pretty good on gas.

Yet fuel economy is only one of the Q5's many virtues. Thanks to its underpinnings from the Audi A4 sedan, the Q5 is one of the most entertaining vehicles to drive in the segment of luxury crossovers. It has the confident handling and alert responses of the A4, yet the Q5's decent cargo hold and generous passenger space mean it's pretty comfortable and practical, too. Indeed, its family-friendly sliding rear seat is the only one of its kind among luxury crossovers of this size.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2011 Audi Q5 is a compact luxury crossover available in four trim levels: 2.0T Premium, 2.0T Premium Plus, 3.2 Premium Plus and 3.2 Prestige.

Standard equipment on the 2.0T Premium includes 18-inch wheels, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, roof rails, eight-way power front seats with adjustable lumbar, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery, tri-zone climate control, a sliding and reclining 40/20/40 rear seat, a dash-mounted Multi Media Interface (MMI) and a 10-speaker sound system with CD/MP3 player, auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. Options on the Premium include a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats and Bluetooth. These items are included on the 2.0T Premium Plus, which also gets xenon headlights, LED running lights, a power tailgate, auto-dimming and power-folding exterior mirrors, an auto-dimming interior mirror and an iPod interface. Nineteen-inch wheels are optional.

Step up to the 3.2 Premium Plus for a V6 engine, 19-inch wheels, headlight washers and S Line exterior trim. The top-shelf 3.2 Prestige adds adaptive headlights, a blind-spot warning system, keyless ignition/entry, a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and the Audi MMI Navigation Plus package (navigation system, digital music storage, voice controls, rearview camera, HD radio, CD/DVD player and center-console-mounted MMI system).