Audi Q5 Sportback Review 2024

If anything, it's surprising that it's taken Audi so long to launch a niche derivative of its hugely popular Q5 SUV. Set to take on the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe, Audi reckons that the Q5 Sportback actually won't be a niche model at all – in fact, it could account for nearly a quarter of all Q5 sales in the UK.

It takes a similar approach to the smaller Q3 Sportback, with a sloping rear roofline and a premium of around £2000 over the standard car. You might think that the more stylish design eats into interior space and it does, to an extent – with a drop in 40 litres of boot space compared to a regular Q5.

It's certainly not cramped inside, though. Access to the boot is good, while the luggage area's square dimensions mean it can accommodate a surprising amount of kit. There's plenty of space for rear passengers, too, and headroom is hardly limited.

The Audi Q5 Sportback is most impressive in the front, though. This side of Rolls Royce, there isn't another manufacturer that can make interiors as well-finished as Audi. It just exudes premiumness, with plenty of shiny finishes (in a good way) and soft-touch fabrics.

The Sportback gets the same recently-updated infotainment system as the regular Q5. That means there's no longer a rotary dial between the front seats for navigating your way around the nav display – a shame, as this feels safer to use than relying on touchscreen on the move.

At least there are still regular buttons and controls for important features (there's even a knob for adjusting the volume), while the media system is easy to operate. There's also Audi's brilliant Virtual Cockpit as standard across the range, replacing the standard dials with a customisable 12.3-inch digital display.

Buyers can choose from a plethora of trim levels, namely Sport, S line, Edition 1 and Vorsprung. We've driven the S line model and reckon it's worth the extra outlay over the Sport model – standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension and S line exterior highlights.

There's also a choice of petrol and diesel engines, including a range-topping diesel SQ5. The most popular model is expected to be the 40 TDI with its 204PS 2.0-litre diesel engine, capable of returning up to 44.8mpg.

Read our Audi Q5 Sportback 45 TFSI First Drive on heycar

Sport by name, sport by... actually, no. The Audi Q5 Sportback isn't particularly thrilling in the handling stakes – if that's what you're after, the BMW X4 and Jaguar F-Pace are far more entertaining.

What is is, though, is a comfortable and refined cruiser. Our test car was an S line model with the sport suspension and optional 20-inch alloy wheels, which meant that it thumped over potholes a little more than ideal, but standard adaptive air suspension should counter this on higher-spec models. 

You get a high seating position, giving you a good view of the road ahead. Rear visibility is a little compromised compared to the standard Q5, but parking sensors are fitted as standard. We'd recommend the optional reversing camera if the idea of a multistorey car park in a bulky SUV is enough to give you a cold sweat.

The big seller is expected to be the 40 TDI. This is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with mild-hybrid tech to improve fuel economy, producing 204PS and 400Nm of torque.

So far, we've only sampled the 45 TFSI. This is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, again with mild-hybrid assistance, producing 265PS and 370Nm of torque. It's a sprightly engine, more than capable of getting a lick on when required.

There two plug-in hybrid options – the 50 TFSI e and 55 TFSI e, each with an an electric motor combined with a 2.0-litre petrol engine. These produce 299PS/450Nm and 367PS/500Nm respectively.

The Audi Q5 Sportback is yet to be crash tested by Euro NCAP. The standard Audi Q5 was awarded a maximum five stars when it was tested in 2017.

There's a whole host of drive-assistance tech on hand to keep you safe on the road. This includes Audi's pre-sense system, which can detect vehicles and pedestrians and take steps to prevent (or reduce the severity of) a collision.

If you need as much interior space as possible, we'd suggest looking at the standard Q5 (or, even better, the bigger Q7). But the Audi Q5 Sportback isn't as much of a compromise as you might expect.

The 510-litre boot is only 40 litres smaller than the Q5's, and comparable with the BMW X4 (525 litres) and Mercedes GLC Coupe (500 litres). All models get a powered tailgate, while access is easy enough (if a bit high for dogs jumping in the back).

There's loads of headroom, even for rear seat passengers, and there's a sliding bench as standard on higher-spec cars.

The finish of the Audi Q5 Sportback's interior is nothing short of impeccable. Everything you touch feels well made, while there's nothing cheap or tacky about any of the buttons. 

S line models come with part-leather and Alcantara seats, but full Nappa leather is available as an option (standard on Edition 1 and Vorsprung trim levels). A leather steering wheel is standard across the range, too, while S line models and above get crisp stainless steel pedals.

Infotainment is taken care of by a 10.1-inch touchscreen display that's standard across the Q5 Sportback range. It comes with navigation, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A Bang & Olufsen premium sound system is available as an optional extra.

The media system is a typically slick to operate, with logical menu layouts and super-sharp graphics. Our only complaint is that's it's pretty much touchscreen–only – there's no longer a rotary dial for scrolling through the menus. To get around this, you can use the in-built voice-control system – but how keen are you to shout 'hey Audi' at your car?

Prices start from around £46,500 for the Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI in Sport trim, while the petrol 45 TFSI commands a premium of around £1000.

The plug-in hybrid 50 TFSI e starts from around £53,500, while the SQ5 TSI is priced close to £60,000.

As the Audi Q5 Sportback is still a very new model, it's yet to trickle down onto the used market.

For a premium SUV of this size, the Audi Q5 Sportback won't cost a fortune to run. The 40 TDI is expected to be the big seller and is officially capable of a respectable 44.8mpg according to WLTP fuel economy tests.

The 45 TFSI is predictably thirsty, returning 33.6mpg, as is the SQ5 TDI – which officially achieves up to 34.0mpg.

Fuel economy fans should look at one of the plug-in hybrid models. The 50 TFSI e has an electric range of up to 38 miles, while the 55 TFSI should be able to travel up to 36 miles before the petrol engine kicks in. Officially, they'll return up to 188.3 and 166.2mpg respectively – but don't expect to see anywhere near this without regular charging.