Audi's SUV Sledgehammer features a smoother coupe-style velvet
Model testing
Audi SQ5 Sportback
The Audi SQ5 was once described as "junk" by German car executives of rival brands, when it could only be purchased with gasoline engines. But diesel is back — revenge — and it's wrapped in a sleek new Sportback body. Is it worth the wait? Can the fiery V6-engineD SUVs regain lost viewers? Will the former owner return to the stables? Was SQ5 finally redeemed?
More explosions, more money
Eight years ago, the Audi SQ5 wowed Australians with its prestigious packaging and powerful diesel engine performance at just $89,400 plus road costs.
Its price has been steadily rising since then, but despite its top of the collection, this ideal road SUV continues to account for around a third of Australia's Q5 sales.
The 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback (a low-top version of the same vehicle) will gradually increase sales. It's about $4,000 more than the SQ5 with a station wagon body instead of a "coupe" roofline.
This is equivalent to $110,900 plus ORC for SQ5 Sportback.
Standard features installed include 21-inch alloy wheels, panoramic glass skylights, metallic paint, red brake calipers, adaptive dampers, matrix LED headlights, keyless entry/start, electric tailgate with motion gesture control, and folding rearview mirrors with automatic heating. Impregnation facilities.
The interior of the SQ5 is crafted from Nappa leather with contrasting stitching and a diamond pattern. The sports front seats are heated and offer electrical adjustment (four-way electric adjustment with lumbar support).
They are connected to the electric steering column adjustment device via the car's position memory.
Other standard features include a leather-bound three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, ambient lighting and a virtual cockpit with head-up display.
Rear-seat passengers have their own climate-controlled zones – three in total – with their own adjustable vents, and privacy glass can frustrate paparazzi.
The infotainment system includes a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D stereo system, digital radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. The smartphone's inductive charging tray is located in the central stack below the center console.
Only one option was specified on the test vehicle, the digital OLED taillights, and the price increased by $2500.
Audi offers a three-year/unlimited kilometer warranty as well as three-year roadside assistance. Regular service is required at intervals of 12 months or 15,000 km.
Safety specifications
Based on the same 2017 test agreement, the 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback shares its five-star ANCAP rating with the SQ5 station wagon and the smaller Q5 variant.
While the tests date back years, the SQ5's crash safety is believable, with adult occupants scoring 93 percent, children 86 percent, and vulnerable road users 73 percent.
The 58% Safety Assist Technology score deducts the Q5 lack of "AEB – Backward" score, but the SQ5 is actually equipped with rear AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) and pedestrian detection in addition to forward collision warning and front AEB.
Other standard safety technologies include adaptive cruise control (take-away stop-and-go), 360-degree camera monitoring, and tire pressure monitoring.
Eight airbags protect the crew of the SQ5 from frontal collisions, side impacts (front and rear outer passengers) and head-high side impacts (curtains).
There is also an active hood to mitigate the impact on pedestrians.
Heart and soul
The jury may not be happy with the packaging involved in the coupe-style SUV, but there is no doubt that the diesel V6 engine that powers the 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback has no doubt about it.
It's an amazing engine. There are a lot of almost V8-like roars at startup, but most of the wild exhaust sound is produced by sound actuators controlled by the Audi Drive Select system.
If you can tolerate an artificially enhanced soundtrack, sq5 is a very pleasant listening experience.
Once the engine is actually up and running, the electric supercharger ensures a quick removal from the lights. Of course, this engine also has no shortage of power and torque.
The V8 Association doesn't end with a soundtrack, it's like the V8 — Audi claims a time of 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds.
It also operates very delicately through gears, with almost no grinding vibrations, not to mention the clicks commonly associated with diesel engines. At approximately 1400 rpm (100 km/h), there is no powertrain noise.
The SQ5 Sportback is also very frugal. On the way into town, Audi released impressive fuel economy figures of 8.8 litres/100 km, albeit on days of smooth traffic. During a 70 km test run, the SQ5 returned economic data of 8.3 l/100 km.
When the start-stop system does start the engine, it emits the briefest drumming sound to indicate that it is ready to act. It is very smooth when the idle stop also kills the engine.
The idle stop system stops the engine in the last few meters before the vehicle is completely stopped, but it is very smooth and does not affect the soft stop.
The gearbox is very smooth and equipped with paddle shifters for sequential shifting. At the red line, even in sport mode, the gearbox will be upshift instead of marking the limiter.
By any practical measure, the 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback handles safely around corners and provides very good grip, especially given its driving performance.
Although the spring and damper settings provide good control on country roads, the suspension is also very compliant.
In fact, the SQ5 Sportback offers one of the best suspension kits in its class on the market, bringing the overall blend of ride and dynamic capabilities.
The brakes are very strong and provide a good pedal feel, but in an emergency, with a hard impact, you will be surrounded by the noise of the ABS system working overtime.
While steering is usually light at low speeds, it provides a good feel for precise steering input when cornering at high speeds and higher loads.
The car significantly reduced road noise at high speeds, even with Pirelli P Zero 255/40R21 tires. The powertrain also has no noise at all, only slight wind noise.
Audi's parking assist system is very effective and easy to use, with significant advantages over other systems from competitor brands. When parking in parallel, it also seems to be able to distinguish between gutters and lanes, which is very complicated stuff.
When the SQ5 is rescued from the parking space, the system allows the car to roll into the drive with the near-side rear wheels to fully lock up and clear the bumper of the car in front when out of the way.
The headlights are great, equipped with the very sophisticated matrix LED setups that Audi is known for. As the car approaches, the system gradually dims the lights in the oncoming car vector to ensure that the driver is not blind, but for the benefit of the SQ5 driver, the rest of the road is completely illuminated.
It is a highly responsive and complex system.
The driving position is usually good, although the foot pedal can be placed slightly higher relative to the brake pedal and throttle.
In keeping with the traditional German paradigm, the driver's seat is well shaped with a flat and sturdy cushion that works better when running for long periods of time.
Initially, there are several pinch points on the seat base that reduce comfort before the driver goes deeper into the cushions.
With Virtual Cockpit, Audi's ergonomic design sets a very high standard for other well-known brands. The dashboard has two different viewing modes, and there's a heads-up display to keep you informed.
When German brands generally offer IMAX-style infotainment screens, Audi's touchscreen looks small, but it is practical in practice.
The spacious rear seating space includes ample space under the front seats for parking your feet. Headroom is adequate for medium-height adults, although long panoramic sunroofs encroach on the space of the taller occupants in the rear.
For users who need to charge portable devices, there are USB-A and USB-C ports at the front, two USB-A ports on the rear, and a 12-volt power outlet on the rear of the center console.
The three-point folding rear seats lock in place when lowered and are flush with the trunk floor to increase luggage carrying capacity when the rear seats are unoccupied. The central armrest folds down and allows access to two pop-up cup holders and a ski port.
I've had a lot of luck with the motion gesture control of the electric tailgate of a recently reviewed vehicle. SQ5 Sportback is no exception. The canned kick under the bumper does lift the tailgate after a brief delay.
The system will also kick again under the bumper to close the tailgate.
Inside the trunk, each side of the trunk has a finger pull device that flips the seats on the corresponding side of the vehicle forward. When you load a short ladder in the car, you don't need to rush to the side first to lower the seat.
There are four fixing points on the trunk floor to secure the luggage net to secure loose items that would otherwise roll around. Smaller fixing nets are located behind each wheel arch for increased debris storage.
Under the floor are Vredestein's inflatable, space-saving spare tires that provide optimal luggage space.
Last word
The 2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback is an outstanding car: refined, practical, comfortable, sporty and eco-friendly.
Motorists who enjoy some serious performance also don't have to feel cheated.
2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel
Output: 251kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel oil: 7.1L/100km (ADR combo)
CO2: 186g/km (ADR comprehensive)