Parent or punk? SUV does it all
Performance crossovers such as the 2018 Audi SQ5 provide the utility of a high-riding hatchback with the adrenalin-pumping verve of a sports car. It lets you be two things at once, sherpa parent around town, bat out of hell out of town.
This duality comes at price: $61,300 for the base SQ5.
Audi’s hot tall hatch wears a more conservative adult suit than the aggressive Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace, and most closely resembles the Mercedes-AMG GLC43 in style, price and performance. Except for the fake exhaust tips on the rear bumper — the tailpipe is actually behind the bumper, pointing to the ground. Despite the trickery, the SQ5 is the most responsible of the bunch, excelling with technology but trailing in thrills.
That’s not to say the 354-horsepower turbocharged V-6 engine lacks excitement. It is responsive and quick, with the slightest turbo lag. Popping it into dynamic mode (via an oddly placed drive mode arrow on the centre stack) returns a hungry growl that is ready to snarf up pavement at a pace of 100 kilometres per hour in 5.1 seconds; the GLC43 hits 100 in 4.8 seconds.
The full-time all-wheel-drive system has a rearaxle bias for better front-to-back balance, and provides the kind of confidence to not fear slick conditions.
The optional adaptive air suspension will lower in dynamic mode to make dipping in and out of corners feel as sporty as it gets in a crossover. The suspension adjusts accordingly in the other four settings, such as the plush and quiet ride in comfort mode on the highway. There is no eco mode, and we appreciate the honesty; the SQ5 averages 21 mpg combined.
The most direct feel for the road comes from the flat-bottomed sport steering wheel; it has a tight rotation that keeps the steering nimble and precise. The Macan GTS is more fun — and pricier — to drive, and the GLC43 is quicker, but in the SQ5, dropping off the kids at school to hit the on-ramp for the commute becomes a welcome ritual.
Audi excels on the inside, even if the magma red interior on the diamond-stitched nappa leather seats sears the eyes. I loved the red on black with chrome accents, while passengers made references to gaudy couches of the ‘70s.
The touchpad to control the display screen, which is mounted high on the dash as if it were a removable tablet, takes getting used to, and the ability to draw letters on the pad to find submenus and other stuff was a feature favourite of the tween set. I could do without both. But the virtual cockpit in the instrument cluster is the best system on the market and well worth the optional package even without the concert-hall worthy Bang & Olufsen sound system.
The tach and speedo can be minimized into the corners of the 12.3-inch display so the whole area can be a 3-D map for navigation. Zoom in or out with the roller dial on the steering wheel. Checking it is as safe and easy to use as checking the speed. Toggle through audio and all the other essential driver data points that are in the centre screen, but without ever taking hands off the wheel. The touch pad and centre screen become secondary. It’s brilliant, beautiful, clear, safe and easy to use. With SQ5, there’s a lap timer to see how quickly you can transform from practical and responsible to … not.
It’s on the smaller end of crossovers, so taller rear passengers might use language as colourful as the seats; the 60/40 folding rear seats will not go down unless the front seats are moved up past the halfway setting.
As odd as the performance crossover might have sounded just five years ago when the first SQ5 debuted, the market is teeming with compelling high-margin, best-compromise options. Technophiles who like sharp steering will enjoy adulting in the SQ5.