First drive Audi Q5
The Curious case of the Q5 Audi is ready with a spanking new SUV that promises to slay the competition. Sarmad Kadiri travels all the way to Malaysia to grill the India bound Q5
Photography Sarmad Kadiri & Audi
I
was curious to know how the Germans manage to make a vehicle that is almost perfect in every sense of the word and then in no time launch another model that, somehow, outperforms its predecessor. From the build quality and cabin comfort to the ride quality and engine performance, the experience is just wonderful. No wonder German carmakers have a reputation that no other country can 36
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boast of. The case at hand is of the youngest Audi of the lot and perhaps, the Audi Q5. The Ingolstadt manufacturer has recently ventured into India and has already smelt success with distinctly styled models like the R8, the A4 and the Q7. Infact, the Q7 was so well appreciated in the country that archrivals had to revamp their respective models. Despite the auto industry slowdown, Audi has been
going strong and India has proved to be the top performing market for the firm. So, how can the firm not launch the much talked about mini Q7 in India? Yes, we are talking about the Q5 which already has the competition busy on their drawing boards. But wouldn’t it be like shooting yourself in the foot by launching another SUV in the country? How will the Q5 pack all the must-haves in a smaller frame?
These were some of the questions popping in my head that I needed to find the answers for. We were tipped off about the regional launch of the Q5 in the Far East and we immediately packed our detective kit and rushed to get some answers from the accused. The mission was anything but simple – get the mini ‘Q’ and push it to the limit to find out if it actually has enough gun power to blow the opposition away?
Let me give you some background about the little fella. With plans of launching this compact SUV in the country, Audi will continue its onslaught in India and hopefully will get bigger numbers. The mini ‘Q’ will be a sensible option for the young and the restless Indian who likes to be on the move and like we all know it’s not easy to ‘move’ in our country. Due to the congestion, Indian roads often resemble a lane.
The Q5 with its 4.63 meters length, 1.88 meters width will manoeuver with ease and will be difficult to trap on the overcrowded roads of our country. Ok, it might have offroading abilities but will it drive as smooth and comfortably as a sedan? Now, that is the question. We took the late night flight to Malaysia and when we approached Kuala Lumpur it was already sunrise. The view from the aircraft window CAR India MAY 2009
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First drive Audi Q5
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audi q5 Price
was simply breathtaking with the Klang river squirming through the landscape. By the way Kuala Lumpur means ‘muddy river’ in the local lingo. Now I know why. We reached our hotel at Putrajaya on the outskirts of KL, quickly freshened up and rushed to come face-to-face with the much sought after mini ‘Q’. Though it is the Q7’s sibling, I had imagined the Q5 to be a little more radically designed due to the high expectations. The large single frame grille, trademark Audi headlights and a sporty stance deliver a rugged SUV look while the soft lines give it a sports coupe like appeal. It resembles the Q7 a little too much. In spite of being a size smaller, German engineers still managed to carve out enough space within the SUV with a little help from the 2.8 meter wheelbase. The Q5’s 1.65 meter height makes it more streamlined. Accompanied by Valentine Tendero, Sales Manager India – Audi AG, I hop in behind the wheels to give the mini ‘Q’ the acid test. I had a grin on my face which soon transformed in an ear-to-ear smile as I 38
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feasted on the dashboard’s clean, subtle lines. A great mix of black with a dash of chrome and gray made the interiors classy and in good taste. Internationally, the SUV is also available with a beige dash, burgundy leather seats and wood finish trims that look more appealing to me. Unfortunately in India, we’ll have to settle with just the all-black dash. There are an array of storage compartments and what caught my eye were the optional climate controlled cup holders that’ll keep your drinks cool or warm. The instrument console is neatly laid out, loaded with all the must-have gizmos that I could think of without my proper sleep. Overall it made me feel pampered and special. Time to drive. We were given a riddle (read: road map) by Audi that would help us solve the many mysteries surrounding the SUV. Valentine was generous enough to navigate through the way giving me the opportunity to drive the Q5 to its limit. Rolling on the unfamiliar buttery smooth roads of Malaysia, I noticed how disciplined our Far East
The incline assist is a boon for negotiating steep downhills. It automatically adjusts the wheel speed to avoid skidding
Rs 38-42 lakh (approx)
Engine (petrol)
1984cc, 211PS, 350Nm
Engine (diesel)
2967cc, 240PS, 500Nm
Transmission
Seven-speed S-tronic, all-wheel drive
Performance
7.2/6.5 secs 0-100km/h,
(petrol/diesel)
222/225km/h top speed
Fuel efficiency
11.7 / 13.3 (overall)
cousins were. The roads were clean, drivers weren’t honking for the heck of it and there wasn’t a single car coming from the wrong side of the road. I always imagined most of Asia to be like India. But the chaos on the road that I was used to back home was a distant dream, err, nightmare. I could get used to this. The map guided us around the Sepang Circuit. Out of excitement, I couldn’t help craning my head trying desperately to get a glimpse of Vettel or Button as the F1 race was just around the corner. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side of the ten foot wall. Close to the real F1 track we entered a makeshift track where we could let the beast take over and squeeze the max out of the SUV. It was captivating, loaded with a whole bunch of hi-end goodies that make a great on and off-road vehicle. The Q5 felt comfortable and reassuring especially when I tried pushing it through the turns at high speeds. The dynamic steering kick-in and the EPS adjusts oversteer in a fraction of a second allowing the car to come back in control. A complete rollercoaster
ride! At just a push of a button I shifted between comfortable, balanced to sporty. The drive select control system manages the engine’s throttle response, the steering and the suspension as per the driver’s choice. The Q5 is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI four cylinder petrol engine that churned out an impressive 211PS and a torque of 350Nm. As we zipped past dozens of Protons, Valentine and I discussed our different cultures, festivals, Gandhi, car manufacturing, Boris Becker, Hitler and of course, the holy cow. Let me share a car trivia: Did you know that carmakers have a dedicated team that work on the smell of the car’s interior? Well, now you do. Enough chit-chat, time to take this puny beast off the road - most of which reminded me of home. This time Valentine offered me a drive of the car’s other engine option for India, a 3.0-litre V6 diesel. Yum! Now, how could I turn down a friend? According to Audi specs, this oil burner produces a healthy 240PS with an enormous torque of 500Nm. The slushy roads were taken care of
without a flinch thanks to the high ground clearance and an amazing 31 degree climbing performance. My eyes popped out when I saw a Q5 ahead of me drive over a 25 degree incline with one of its rear wheel completely off the ground, yet the SUV managed to pull through with comfort. Going downhill was one of the most interesting parts of this drive. Whenever you go down a hill, automatically your right leg gets a mind of its own and jumps on the brake pedal. This often is disastrous if the slope is muddy as the car starts to skid out of control. The good people at Audi have installed an incline assist system that takes control when you go downhill by adjusting the wheel speed to avoid skidding even on muddy roads by holding the speed at below 30km/h. This is easier read than done because it takes a while to let go and allow the car to take control. But once I got used to it, I just couldn’t have enough of the hills and unlike Jack (from the Jack and Jill fame) I went up and came down in full control with a broad grin. As on the Audi A4, the driveline of the Q5
Thanks to its dynamic steering, the Q5 felt comfortable and reassuring while pushing hard through turns at high speeds
features a differential which is located ahead of the clutch and immediately behind the engine. This repositions the front axle well forward thus resulting in a long wheelbase and an ideal axle load distribution. It’s a task to squeeze all the positive features of the mini ‘Q’ in this report. Perhaps my report is not as expansive as the SUV. Don’t despair as there will be a more detailed report on it closer to its launch in India around July this year. And now for the kill. Audi executives have had fights over it but have finally decided to try and price the new SUV around the Rs 40 lakh mark in India. As the Q5 will be positioned against the BMW X3 which has a price tag of around Rs 50 lakh, Audi could well repeat the Q7 phenomenon with the mini ‘Q’. So, is it a SUV, a sedan or a sports coupe? Audi has a winner in its hand as the Q5 will begin a new race of Sports Utility Vehicles in India - a SUV that drives like a breeze off-road and performs like a sedan on it. Brace yourself for this race, as I rest my case. car CAR India MAY 2009
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