IT’S PRACTICALLY PERFECT
SQ5 proves you don’t have to sacrifice performance for utility
For many, purchasing a new ride can be a source of considerable conflict. The family is expanding and the need for space is growing. However, giving up the joy of driving something sporty is just not an option. Welcome to the Audi SQ5 3.0T: it touches all of the bases and then some, by delivering practical performance.
While the SQ5 uses the same 3.0-litre supercharged V-6 as the mortal Q5, it amps things up to deliver far more spice. First, the horsepower jumps from a respectable 272 to 354 stallions. That is good, but what makes this car is the torque on tap. It rises from 295 pound-feet to a tire-squealing 347 lb-ft. The performance increase brings a stronger launch, better mid-range and a ton of top-end go. The exhaust then adopts a purposeful tone when the SQ5 is driven to its considerable limits; it is sporty to the ear without producing the omnipresent drone that plagues many sport-oriented exhaust systems.
The SQ5’s power is relayed to the road through an eight-speed automatic transmission and Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive. The former brings the right blend of ratios to support the stronger work ethic, with six performance gears and two overdrives. The latter shuttles the power around, depending on the conditions and demands, in a seamless fashion that remains invisible to the driver. Factor in the optional P255/40R21 Pirelli PZero tires and the amount of grip available is first rate, even as the ragged edge approaches. It takes a lot to get the SQ5 to break loose.
The engine, transmission and steering can be tailored to suit through Audi’s Drive Select system. There are Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual modes. In each case, the chosen mode adapts the throttle sensitivity, upshift spacing and steering. The sound actuators (flaps) housed in the inner pipes of the quad outlets open and amp up the exhaust tone when in Dynamic mode.
The best setting for prowling suburbia is Auto, as it delivers an easygoing driving demeanour that’s ready to pounce the instant the gas is stabbed with authority. However, find a twisty section of road and two things are required: Dynamic mode and selecting Sport for the transmission. Now the SQ5 is a real speedster with lightning reflexes.
So does the SQ5 have the right numbers? You bet! It runs from rest to 100 km/h in a speedy 5.3 seconds, and it does so while returning 9.9 L/100 km when cruising on the highway. That’s a small penalty for the boosted performance; it sips only 0.7 L/100 km more fuel on the highway than the regular V-6-powered Q5, in spite of the extra 82 hp.
The other important trait is the manner in which the SQ5 handles. Its on-road comportment is more S4-like than it is typical crossover. The Quattro system and a sophisticated suspension combine to deliver a drive that obeys driver input with unerring accuracy. There’s very little body roll, understeer is a long way out and the feedback afforded by the steering is better than average.
As for the ride quality, well, the sportier suspenders are taut, but compliantly comfortable nonetheless. And the SQ5’s brakes have been upsized; when called upon repeatedly, their performance remains reassuringly fade-free.
The sports theme continues inside. From the flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters to the gorgeous diamond quilted sport buckets, it is a driver’s environment. Even the classic grey instrumentation says ‘fast.’ The defining touch, seats aside, is the Beaufort aluminum inlay. The work to produce this trim is exhaustive; alternate layers of black wood and aluminum are bonded together and then cut into the wafer-thin slices that wrap key parts of the cabin. It’s a $1,100 option, but money well spent.
There is also a ton of electronic stuff aboard. The tester counted everything from blind-spot monitoring, front and rear ultrasonic parking sensors and a rear-view camera, to a hot Bang & Olufsen sound system with 14 speakers and navigation. All of the facets are accessed through Audi’s Multi-Media Interface infotainment system. It is quickly mastered and includes a back button to undo an errant input. The nit is the optional equipment drives up the SQ5’s cost — to the tune of $10,890 on the tester. Regardless of how it’s couched, demanding $2,800 for a navigation system is steep.
The SQ5’s real practicality is found behind the front seats. The back seat will accommodate three adults when the need arises and it has 824 L of space with the 40/20/40-split folding seats upright. Dropping the lot sees the capacity blossom to 1,623 L. Then there are the little touches, such as the sliding/reclining rear seats, the tie-downs needed to secure a large load properly and an under-floor tray that’s made for muddy hiking boots.
The Audi SQ5 is an ideal solution for a driver with family commitments and the urge to pilot something special. It handles more like a wagon than a crossover, it has a ton of power and yet it cedes nothing in terms of utility. It delivers practical performance.