2012 Audi Q5 3.0 TDI Quattro S tronic – First Drive and Review – The Diesel Driver – The Joy of Diesel Driving

DRIVING THE AUDI Q5 3.0 TDI
In my week with the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI I had the opportunity to use the car as my daily driver but also for a drive to the Bavarian Alps, the journey to be covered in a separate report. To get a better overall picture of the car and its fuel economy, I decided to make two additional test runs with the Q5 (each run covering a minimum distance of 25 km or 15,5 miles). The odometer showed a total mileage of 3,933 km (2,443 miles) when we started our week with the Q5.

The first test run took me on a drive of 33 km (20.5 miles) on suburban streets in eastern Munich. I spent most of the drive, which took a total of 27 minutes, on the Staatsstraße 2580 (state road 2580) in the direction of the Munich airport. The speed limit varied from 50 km/h (30 mph) to 100 km/h (62 mph). Considering the wintry road conditions, it was almost impossible to hit the speed limit. This first drive had an average speed of 64 km/h (39.7 mph) with a fuel economy of 7.7 l/100 km (33.6 mpg), coming nearly close to the official figure of 6.6 l/100 km (36 mpg).

For the second test run I selected an Autobahn section of the A94 with normal traffic, a speed limit of 120 km/h (74.5 mph) and also the absence of a speed limit for several kilometers. After a drive of 28.8 km (17.9 miles), the onboard computer reported a fuel usage of 8.6 l/100 km (29.4 mpg). Unfortunately there are no highway fuel economy figures available for the Q5 but comparing this result to the EU urban figure of 6.6 l/100 km (36 mpg) we see an increase of exactly 2 l/100 km (6.6 mpg).

On the road, the Audi Q5 displayed the characteristics of an agile and sporty SUV but it was also comfortable and environmentally conscious as well. With the optional Audi Drive Select it is possible to choose the best setting for the engine, drivetrain, steering, and suspension. I kept the car mostly in the dynamic mode while I was driving on the Autobahn and on country roads. As I took the Q5 off-road in the Alps, I switched the setting to Comfort. Off-road driving brings me to the engineering excellence the brand is famous for, in particular the Quattro all-wheel drive system. Since I picked up the Audi Q5 in the middle of the heaviest snow storm of this winter season, I had the perfect road conditions with which to test the Quattro. No matter what I threw at it, including acceleration from a standing start on a snow-covered road, it delivered. Not once during the drive did I feel that the Audi was not firmly planted on the road, with more than sufficient traction to drive safely.

INFOTAINMENT AND SAFETY FEATURES
The Audi MulitMedia Interface (MMI) offers the driver a variety of entertainment and communication features. The 6.5-inch full color monitor is installed in the upper center console of the car and is oriented towards the driver. Via the MMI buttons, located at the lower center console behind the automatic shifter, several options of the MMI can be controlled. For typical use cases such as accessing my mobile phone or navigation, I found the buttons too small and several times I pressed the wrong button. Overall the Audi MMI works fast and is easy to use (if you press the correct button).

The safety feature I enjoyed the most in my week with the Q5 was the radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control. The system regulates the speed and the distance from the vehicle in front over a range of 30 to 200 km/h (18 to 125 mph) and initiates braking automatically. If the car in front moves over to the right lane, acceleration is also initiated promptly to the prior set speed. Additional safety features include the Audi Side Assist, a system that is permanently scanning the area next to and behind the car (including the blind spot) up to a distance of 50 meters (164 ft) with two radar sensors. A yellow LED array integrated in the left and right side-view mirrors warns the driver in case he wants to change his lane while another vehicle is present.

All safety features we described are optional and are not included in the standard configuration.

BOTTOM LINE
The Audi Q5 is a serious competitor to the BMW X3 and is able to compete with it on the same level. Both are fun to drive, deliver excellent handling and performance, and are fuel efficient and environmentally conscious choices. You can’t go wrong with either one so it comes down to personal preference.

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