Audi Q5 test drive since 2008 SUV

All photos of Audi Q5 since 2008

The main thing is inside. Released Audi Q5 Test

What in the automotive world can be more boring than light restyling to all a well -known model? The adjusted body makeup and a new seats with a cross is a typical set of improvements. And it is precisely this formula that the modernized Audi Q5 crossover obeys. At first sight.
In the parking lot of the Munich airport, where we were distributed from the keys to the new Q5 built in a row, I felt like a child looking for differences in two almost identical pictures in a children's journal. There, a butterfly sits there on a grass, but no, there are two clouds, but there are three ... But the baby has something easier to compare with. Give me at least one old Q5 here! But, straining memory, the two most significant differences from the facade still find these LED glasses and mowed upper angles of the radiator grilled on the headlights. The first gives freshness to the expression, and the second is responsible for the notorious brand of identity.
The lanterns are striking behind, in which the scattering of diodes was replaced by diode lamps turned out to be more modern and fashionable.

Here, in general, everything related to cosmetics! Of course, there are still small strokes in the anterior bumper and the like metamorphoses, but the task for owners-fans to study in their study. Audi states that Q5 is the most popular crossover in Europe in Europe, and in total 430 thousand copies have already been sold around the world. Therefore, judging by the result, when preparing restyling, designers kept sayings in the mind like the best enemy of good and did not look for good from good.

The interior received approximately the same volume of improvements. In the management of the MMI system, the number of control keys in the central tunnel decreased, it became more convenient to control the heating seats, a new line of more modern in the design of the rudders appeared and improved and became more diverse. When comparing the salons of new and old cars, this is noticeable: dull gray plastic was replaced with more stylish contrasting black, small keys and twins began to look more expensive due to the more generous use of chromium, and the doors, the central tunnel and the front panel can now be finished with a noble yacht gray-brown tree With longitudinal veins. Sitting in the cabin is really comfortable everything looks, smells and feels with just such sensations as you want.

You will not get more with a static study of a new machine, you have to travel. Moreover, I want to try to try everything from the choice of eyes at once. After all, Q5 has important news on part of engines and transmission. Let's start with the most interesting this is a completely new SQ5 modification. Traditionally, Audi S means sports. But now it is prepared and served in a completely new way, because this is the first Audi sports car with a diesel engine! Unless, of course, take into account the Le-Manovsky Bolides R18. Two consistently working turbochargers with a peak pressure of 2.2 bars of excess provide a three -liter diesel with a serious power of power of 313 horsepower and an amazing thrust of 650 Nm is even more than, for example, in Jaguar XKR!
In the meantime, good news did not begin, I will immediately inform the bad: in the near future the prospects for the SQ5 supermodification in Russia are as ghostly as the chances of any other ku fifth to overtake SQ5. And they are really small, because the declared time accelerates to a hundred diesel supercrossovers is only 5.1 seconds (that is, the SQ5 can overtake, say, Subaru Impreza WRX STI). Turning a heavy steering wheel with a beveled bottom, I taxi on the airport paths to an autobahn. Well, where are you, unlimited? Can! I recover the gas pedal and ... nothing special happens. And only the speedometer arrow is frantically torn to the right sector of the scale: 80, 120, 160, 200 everything happens very quickly, but I seem to be inside the slow shooting, in the style of the matrix or computer game Max Payne.
Despite the fact that I drive everyone out of the left row, it never occurred to anyone in the cabin to raise my voice even by a half ton, and my hands hardly began to squeeze the steering wheel much stronger. SQ5 simply did what he was asked about, and did not consider it necessary to strain one of the passengers with his superpowers. A kind of teleport with leather chairs and climate control. Is it good or bad? Probably good, since the emotions in such a car are secondary, it is still a crossover, albeit with almost atrophied all -resistant abilities. The road clearance is 30 mm lower than that of conventional Q5, the suspension is stronger, and the wheels are only for good or ideal roads: 20 or 21 inches, respectively.

Externally, the SQ5 differs from its more modest brothers with a grate radiator, a spoiler on the back door, more developed bumpers and scattered over the body and salon (trimmed in the style of sports luxury) Schildiki S.
But if you want dramatic experiences behind the wheel, then there is still a way out. It is located on the central console and is called Audi Drive Select. We find the Sport mode in the system, and the SQ5 begins to sound differently: a special damper opens in the exhaust system that changes the sound of the exhaust. But he is especially good at near -wool speeds, juicy rolling gurgles when unwinding the engine is slightly losing charisma. All the main parameters in sports also become sharper (the sealing suspension is especially felt), but I admit honestly I chose it exclusively for the sake of sound. And for most drivers is suitable for abstract, he perfectly selects the characteristics of the suspension and steering (by default and so more informative than that of conventional Q5), and an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive in combination with a consistent two-turbine boost scheme provide stable boring and boring thrust.

Despite the serious power of the SQ5 engine, the Audi factory testers managed to measure the average fuel consumption of 7.2 liters per hundred

At the wheel of SQ5, the question is, if there is enough traction can arise only if you want to take off into the air. On the ground, the car always rides, just crushing gas. SQ5 is controlled almost like a passenger car, although not at all light. Large brakes with the S logo are good and are quite consistent with power. It is a pity that it was not possible to check them for endurance in the vicinity of Munich simply have nowhere to do this. And is it necessary? SQ5 is not a sports car at all. I would even call it an experiment. Partly engineering, partly marketing. With the first, everything is clear: in Audi they made a super -powerful medium -size diesel and decided to check it in the case. But there are enough questions with the second. How will fans of the S-river perceive the proposal to refuel with diesel fuel? Do you need a mid -sized crossover acceleration in 5 seconds? And for whom is this car at all? Audi representatives hesitated to the last question and answered with a smile: for those who have a lot of money.

Engineers say that they reconfigured the suspension by changing the reptile stabilizers, shock absorbers and springs, and also installed a new steering wheel power power steering, saving up to 0.3 liters of fuel. It is difficult to evaluate their efforts without jumping on the go from the old car to a new one, so I can only say that for the Q5 crossover it is controlled perfectly, leaving the impression of a slightly elevator car

But back to more mundane versions. Moreover, the new modification of 3.0 TFSI standing on the step below is only a little slower: with a power of 272 forces, it exchanges the first hundred in 5.9 seconds. This is fast, and taking into account the fact that a comfortable Q5 in any of its versions carefully protects passengers from bursts of emotions, subjective difference with superdiesel is not very large. And only the speedometer arrow is not so stubborn in its climb. This motor is well familiar to us by others Audi: A4, A6, A7. It combines a V-shaped configuration of 6 cylinders and a drive supercharger. On the updated Q5, this engine was replaced by an old atmospheric 3.2-liter unit. The transition to a boost even without increasing power (plus 2 horses does not count) as always allowed two good deeds at once: to improve the thrust (400 nm versus 330) and reduce fuel consumption (8.5 liters versus 9.3).

If there are a lot of three liters and there is no desire to go bankrupt on the transport tax, then the most suitable version version with a new two -liter turbo engine with a capacity of 225 forces. This is not just a slightly bent old engine, which previously produced 211 horses. Among the main solutions of the new motor, a combination of direct and distributed injection, a new supercharger, electronic control of the bypass valve of the turbine (Weistheit), an exhaust manifold integrated into the head of the unit and an improved engine heat -regulation system. All these measures made it possible to slightly raise the power with the previous rod of 350 Nm, but at the same time save more than a half -liter of gasoline per 100 km with a final indicator of 7.9 liters. This two -liter engine is quite sufficient for a crossover weighing 1755 kilograms. Of course, it is quite simple to feel its limit, unlike three -liter units, but for everyday movement in a typical manner of all -terrain vehicles, it suits perfectly.

On average, the line of new engines was made by the updated Audi Q5 by 15% more economically than its predecessor

And now another important news, about transmissions. After all, Audi abandoned the Robotized S Tronic boxes in all gasoline versions, they are now offered only in combination with diesel engines. An alternative has already become an 8-speed machine used on pre-reform machines. To the question, the engineers why such a decision was made, it was not possible to get a single answer. One specialist talked about hot debate about what is better, and a compromise decision to leave both boxes. The other two explained that it all depends on the market: according to Audi research where diesel engines prefer (mainly Europe), in more honors a robot, while gasoline markets (Russia, Asia, USA) love machine guns.

At the same time, all technical specialists of four rings unanimously claim that in terms of effectiveness that one, that the other transmission is absolutely identical. The machine is really good: the box works quickly and imperceptibly, and a large number of gears allows the motor to always be in the moment. The exception of the economical mode of the Audi Drive Select system when the box is in a hurry to turn on the 8th step as soon as you moved. It is not easy to go in this mode, since there is only the most necessary minimum traction under the right foot. But on the highway, the 8th gear is beautiful: at a speed of 160 km/h, the tachometer arrow on a three-liter gasoline motor does not rise above 3000 revolutions. Another plus of the machine gun is the best compared to S Tronic, the smoothness of touching from a place and switching.

The new Q5 has become easier than the previous one. In particular, the back door and hood began to be made of aluminum, and the power frame of the cabin is now made of lighter and stronger hardened steel. These and other measures related to the use of new materials have saved several tens of kilograms

What are other news? All kinds of proprietary assistance systems for the driver’s assistance were added to Q5: a system of tracking fatigue, adaptive cruise control with the function of preventing a frontal clash, monitoring of blind zones with signal lamps in the body of lateral mirrors, a system for tracking the marking with automatic steering, as well as improved parkingate with a rear chamber species. Of course, all these are options that increase the base price. And the prices are as follows: the most affordable Q5 with a gasoline engine with a capacity of 180 forces in combination with a mechanical box of 1,730,000 rubles, a 177-horsepower two-liter diesel with mechanics will cost 1,870,000 rubles, a two-liter gasoline engine plus an automaton 1,940,000 rubles. , cars with a new three-liter compressor engine cost from 2,200,000, and a three-liter 245-horsepower diesel will cost at least 2,320,000 rubles.

It is difficult to say how many years the restyled Q5 will last until the moment when it will be replaced by a new generation. But, most likely, it can be considered a kind of connecting link, a kind of medium between the current and future generation of the model. After all, nothing, in fact, did not do with the body, the engineers stuffed it with the most modern iron and electronics, on the basis of which all new models of the company are being created today. Therefore, each buyer of the updated Q5 (in Russia from the second half of October) will acquire a piece of Q5 of the future. After all, the main thing in this car is hidden inside.