Form an orderly Q.... this is the hybrid family SUV you’ve been waiting for

Andrew Walker

With many company car drivers still seeing the step to full EVs a little daunting, the PHEV option remains appealing. Most manufacturers think so and our latest test car, the Audi Q5, is a case in point. A large family SUV with plug-in technology is always going to appeal to the company car sector, so here’s how we got on...

The Q5 comes as a Q5 50 or Q5 55 TFSI e, as hatchback or sportback. Both feature the same 17.9kWh battery/ 141bhp electric motor combo, with an electric range of 37 miles, and a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. We were testing the 50 TFSI e which produces 295bhp and 450Nm of torque, while the more expensive 55 TFSI e offers drivers 362bhp and 500Nm of torque.

The 50 comes in Sport, S Line or Black Edition specs, with all well appointed. You get 18″ alloys, LED headlights and tail lights, part-Alcantara upholstery, the 10.1″ infotainment touchscreen and the Audi Virtual Cockpit. Further up the range the goodies improve, as you’d expect.

Inside it isn’t the most striking interior but it is incredibly well made. With an improved and larger 10.1” touchscreen and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, it’s much classier than before.

Factor in a high driving position, a myriad of seat adjustments, good visibility, a logical dashboard and comfortable ride, and there’s not much to complain about.

Battery, real world range and charging

The plug-in hybrid Audi Q5’s 36-39mile official electric range is about par for the sector. However, the F-Pace, Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC60 are now hitting the 50-mile barrier, with 70 miles in the Range Rover’s case.

Claimed economy is 166.2 mpg, which in electric mode is achievable. Drive in hybrid mode, though, as we did for 250 miles, and you’re more likely to be around 40mpg. CO2 emissions are 38g/ km which accounts for its low BIK of just 8%.

You can travel on electric power up to motorway speeds, but it doesn’t make sense, so you can ‘Hold’ the EV range for urban driving. Fitting larger alloy wheels can also reduce the car’s maximum range, so bear that in mind.

Plug-in at home on a standard 7.4kWh and your Q5 battery will be fully charged in 2 and a bit hours.

Driving

There are two driving modes – EV or Hybrid. We tended to drive in EV in town, switching to Hybrid for motorway and holding the battery charge for later. Selecting which mode to use is all enabled via the touchscreen, but this does take four taps to achieve which is a mite annoying. You can also use Audi drive select to tailor the drive to your preferred option. Offroad, efficiency –our go to – comfort, auto or dynamic are the options.

The regenerative braking system has an automatic setting that uses sensors to increase the brake forces autonomously in order to keep a safe distance from the car in front, as well as maximise efficiency. This further increases your battery range and allows you to coast towards a junction or roundabout but it’s not one pedal driving so you do need to use the brake, eventually.

In EV mode progress is serene with only outside tyre noise disturbing the peace. Hybrid mode shuffles between the petrol engine and electric motor. Cleverly, if you’ve got a SatNav destination set up, the Q5 will factor in the route to make sure you get the best efficiency by prioritising the petrol engine on the motorway while saving the battery charge for slower parts of the journey. Clever indeed.

We began with a 100-mile motorway trip and the TFSI e was superb, offering power, comfort and excellent motorway cruising. Our only complaint is that while the cruise control is very easy to use and adjust, it’s not ‘adaptive’ unless you spend more money or get a top-specced car, which seems a bit mean.

The steering is well weighted and for a heavy car it handles tight corners and undulating roads with aplomb. Put your foot down and the acceleration is there as required, so easy motorway overtaking is a given. All in all, we were impressed, especially as it’s achieved so quietly and smoothly, with no amount of fuss.

Pros

Beautifully built, excellent road manners and decent electric range, all combine with Audi’s latest touchscreen and infotainment system to put a smile on your face. Low BIK is an added bonus.

Cons

If you want any extras they’re costly. The lack of cable storage reduces your boot space.

CC&V VERDICT

Premium family SUV with low BIK. Drives like a normal car. If you’re not ready to go ful EV, then the Q5 TFSI e is a fantastic option. Highly enjoyable drive and for us it’s the Q5 option we’d choose, which for a plug-in, is high praise indeed.

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