The new version of Audi’s best-selling Q5 SUV arrives in the US

Summary

There's plenty of storage places, and all the bits you touch feel pleasant under hand. Audi There's plenty of storage places, and all the bits you touch feel pleasant under hand. Audi Rear legroom is not quite as cramped as it looks here. Audi Rear legroom is not quite as cramped as it looks here. Audi There's a decent sized cargo area. Jonathan Gitlin There's a decent sized cargo area. Jonathan Gitlin Rear legroom is not quite as cramped as it looks here. Audi There's a decent sized cargo area. Jonathan Gitlin There's a new drive mode called Balanced, which fits between Comfort and Dynamic; on the road this mode is well-named as it indeed provides a good balance between ride comfort and responsiveness, with just enough but not too much weight to the steering. There's also an individual mode that lets you pick and choose your own suspension, transmission, and steering settings, plus off-road and off-road plus modes, which we'll encounter again later. In fact, for a midsize crossover, the Q5 proved quite engaging from behind the wheel. It doesn't lean too much when cornering, although if you plan to negotiate a sequence of twisty tarmac, the lower ride height in Dynamic mode, plus the firmer air springs, is definitely the way to go. When you're not in a hurry or grinding along the highway, the ride is comfortable, and up front, there is little road noise thanks to some acoustic glass. I would like to try a car fitted with the conventional steel springs, however. The cockpit layout is similar to the electric Q6 e-tron, with the same "digital stage" that includes a second infotainment screen for the passenger. But the materials here feel of a higher quality—my guess is that weight saving was much less of a concern for the gasoline-powered Q5 than the battery-carrying Q6. There is plenty of cargo room in the back, and perhaps a little more rear legroom than the photo would suggest—38 inches (965 mm), according to the spec sheet. The driving experience: SQ5 The SQ5 can b...