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By Jonathan Crouch

Audi has delivered a trendier take on its second generation Q5 mid-sized SUV. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the Q5 Sportback.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 52

Audi's Q5 Sportback offers strong competition to more established trendy mid-sized premium badged coupe-style SUVs like BMW's X4 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe. As with those cars, there aren't too many practical compromises in creation of this model's more stylish look and clever OLED rear lighting tech offers an extra showroom incentive.

Backgroundword count: 128

Audi's usually pretty good at filling obvious market niches but the brand was slow to spot the potential of coupe-style SUVs. The first such Ingolstadt model, the Q3 Sportback, wasn't introduced until 2019 - and that wasn't large enough to take on two more established mid-sized coupe-SUV contenders, the BMW X4 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe. Here though, is an Audi that is, the Q5 Sportback. This Mexican-built model is significant in the way it will considerably broaden the appeal of Audi's global bestseller - over 300,000 Q5s were delivered in 2019. And its arrival now means that the Ingolstadt maker has the widest range of coupe-SUVs on the market, the Q3 and Q5 Sportback models sharing showroom space with the Q8 and the brand's all-electric e-tron Sportback.

Driving Experienceword count: 212

Though the engineering isn't really any different here from an ordinary Q5, this Q5 Sportback will feel a bit different to drive from most standard models because it only comes with firmer sports suspension. You might think it too firm, in which case you'll be minded to pay extra for either adaptive damping or full air suspension. The mainstream engine range is based around a couple of 2.0-litre models, the 204PS 40 TDI (diesel) and the 45 TFSI (petrol). These use a 7-speed S tronic dual clutch auto transmission. If you want more power, there's a potent SQ5 Sportback diesel variant with a 341PS twin turbo V6 TDI unit beneath the bonnet, mated to an 8-speed tiptronic auto transmission. You can also ask your Audi Centre about a plug-in hybrid TFSI e petrol model, the 50 TFSI e variant, which offers 299PS. Whatever Q5 you choose, it'll come with a quattro all wheel drive system that in some cases includes an on-demand system that can disengage the rear axle in everyday driving conditions for maximum efficiency, then reconnect it predictively within fractions of a second when required. The 'Audi drive select' driving modes dynamic handling system puts the driver in control of several technical components, including the air suspension in top variants.

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