By: Jason Woosey
Paris Motor Show - Audi's all-new Q5 has finally revealed itself to the world, looking all predictable and smart. The newcomer closely follows the Q7's design idiom in a slightly sportier fashion and the SUV inherits all the cool modern Audi features such as Matrix LED headlights and Virtual Cockpit.
Diesel-heavy engine range
Sharing its platform with the latest A4 and A5, the new Q5 has grown in every dimension while also losing up to 90kg thanks in part to a material mix that includes high strength steel and aluminium.
This also helps improve the efficiency of the revised engines, which are more powerful.
The South African line-up, due in the second quarter of next year, has yet to be announced, but European markets get four diesels and just one petrol engine option, quite contrary to its parent company VWAG's new direction.
The sole turbopetrol engine is a 185kW version of Audi's 2-litre TFSI, while the oil burning range offers three 2.0 TDI variants with output levels of 110kW, 120kW and 140kW as well as a thoroughly revised 3-litre TDI with 210kW and 620Nm on command.
All but the base diesel are fitted with Quattro all-wheel drive and torque vectoring is standard across the range. Air suspension and adjustable damping are optional, along with a variable-ratio Dynamic steering system.
Cabin & gadgets
Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster joins the Q5's options list for the first time and further glamour comes in the form of an ambient lighting system that offers 30 different colour choices. The central command centre is an MMI screen, up to 21cm in size, controlled via a rotary push-button with an integrated touchpad that can recognise hand writing and zooming gestures.
Other new-to-Q5 gadgets are a revised adaptive cruise control system with traffic jam assist and low-speed steering assistance and a route-learning navigation system that can optimise route-planning based on previous driving patterns.