The highlight of the new Sportback models is the distinctive styling, which exudes a dynamic and sporting presence, while maintaining the powerful appearance typical of Audi’s ‘Q’ range.
The continuous, elegantly sweeping shoulder line emphasises the wheels and the quattro all-wheel drive system.
“Kiwis have shown a great fondness for Audi SUVs, with our range from Q2 right through to Q8 and e-tron continuing to have great success,” said Dean Sheed, General Manager, Audi New Zealand. “However, the coupé appearance of our Sportback range has especially resonated in the local market – with 40 per cent of Q3 sales, and over one quarter of e-tron sales attributed to the sportier designs."
“The Q5 Sportback and SQ5 Sportback combine sleek coupé looks with qualities that have made the Audi Q5 New Zealand’s favourite premium midsize SUV of the last decade.”
The greenhouse extends low over the body and begins its downward slope early so that the third side window tapers sharply to the rear. The starkly sloped rear window and the seemingly high-mounted rear bumper give the Q5 Sportback a dynamic and powerful appearance.
Large air inlets flank the octagonal Singleframe grille, the headlights with their distinctive daytime running light signature feature LED or optional Matrix LED technology, while digital OLED lighting technology is available in the rear lights.
The Audi SQ5 Sportback TDI leads the range, with an improved three-litre turbo-diesel engine that produces 251kW of power, and an impressive maximum torque figure of 700 Nm constantly available from 1,750 rpm to 3,250 rpm – resulting in a zero to 100 km/h time of just 5.1 seconds. The silky engine is complemented by a smooth-shifting eight-speed tiptronic transmission and can deliver an average fuel consumption of just 7.1l/100km*.
The 3.0 TDI also features a 48V mild hybrid system (MHEV) and an electric powered compressor (EPC). The MHEV system recovers up to 8 kW of power when decelerating and stores energy in a lithium-ion battery that allows the SQ5 Sportback TDI to coast for up to 40 seconds with the engine off, after which the belt-driven starter-alternator restarts the engine. When moving off and accelerating from low rotational speeds, the EPC accelerates the build-up of the boost pressure and ensures that the 3.0 TDI responds instantaneously and smoothly.
The Audi Q5 Sportback 45 TFSI S Line quattro features a two-litre TFSI, four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 183kW of power and 370Nm of torque distributed via a seven-speed S tronic transmission, and
allows for a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. Average fuel consumption sits at 7.6l/100km*.
A 12V mild hybrid system (MHEV) increases efficiency, while its belt-driven starter-alternator recovers energy when decelerating and stores it in a compact lithium-ion battery. The stored energy allows for coasting with the engine off, while the start-stop range begins at a speed of 22 km/h.
Both models feature Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, while a sport differential is available as an option on the performance variant, which actively distributes torque between the rear wheels to the outside wheel which has the better grip to further improve agility.
Adaptive air suspension comes as standard on the SQ5 Sportback – and is available as an option on the Q5 Sportback. This feature adapts the body’s ride height over a range of 60mm to specific driving situations on or off-road.
The Q5 and SQ5 Sportback models utilise the third-generation MIB 3 infotainment system paired with an updated 10.1-inch touchscreen display. Audi’s virtual cockpit is also available as standard on the two models, and includes a 12.3-inch display in the dashboard, while head-up display is standard on the SQ5 Sportback.
