First Drive: 2025 Audi Q5 & SQ5

Audi’s next-generation answer to the premium mid-sized SUV segment is here! By the time you’re reading this, you may have already seen the new 2025 Q5 and SQ5 arrive at an Audi dealer near you.  

Will the newest generation of Audi’s best-selling SUV find similar success in today’s market? With the launch of their new B-chassis SUV, Audi claims they’ve made their best even better. We’d have to agree as the third-generation Q5 and SQ5 are hallmarked by significant advancements in design, technology and engineering. Based on Audi’s new PPC or Premium Platform Combustion architecture, the new B10 Q5 comes equipped with a host of significant upgrades from its B9 predecessor. Regardless of which model you choose, the concert of improvements contributes to a more driver-focused experience than ever before from Audi within this segment.  
 
Thanks to Audi of America, we had the opportunity to experience the new 2025 Q5 and SQ5 first-hand, putting these vehicles through their paces on twisty (and even unpaved) mountain roads surrounding Aspen, CO. In this article, we will focus primarily on certain aspects of our driving impressions, though you won’t want to miss our more comprehensive review in the upcoming Q3 issue of quattro Magazine.  

Despite an all-new design, the new Q5 and SQ5 are very familiar. Even if you’re not yet accustomed to seeing Audi’s new “Digital Stage” and its impressive OLED screen real estate, just sitting in these cars still offers a very Audi experience. From the feel of the ventilated sport seats and heated steering wheel to the wood and carbon micro-twill inlays and Dinamica accents, it’s all very much what you would expect from Audi. Granted, our hosts provided us with very well-equipped examples of each model, both Prestige-level trims, so a premium experience was a given.  

Taking the Q5 out on our first driving leg, the most notable sound wasn’t the 2.0L turbocharged engine or the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system, but the general lack of noise all together. Both the Q5 and SQ5 come equipped standard with acoustic glazing on the windshield, and both models we tested had optional acoustic glazing on the front driver and passenger windows. In execution, this offered perhaps the quietest in-cabin experience we’ve had to date. It’s not as quiet as say a sensory deprivation tank but it left us with a lasting impression all the same. 

The Q5’s 2.0L TFSI® 4-cylinder engine with its 268 hp and 295 lb ft torque (an increase of 7 hp, 22 lb ft) left nothing to be desired. It was surprisingly responsive. We realize we’re talking about the base 4-cylinder engine, but having driven both the previous generations of Q5, this new engine felt snappier and even more dynamic. Perhaps that can be attributed to the new variable vane turbocharger, or maybe the new standard 7-speed dual clutch s-tronic transmission. The same applied to the SQ5, but even more dramatically with its 3.0L TFSI® V6 powerplant offering 362 hp and 406 lb ft (increase of 7 hp 22 lb ft).  

The new 7-speed DCT shifts lightning-fast! We found ourselves regularly programming the car into dynamic sport mode and rowing gears with the paddle shifters. While the previous generation’s 8-speed ZF transmission was tuned incredibly well, nothing compares to the shifting speed of the DCT.  

The steering on the new Q5 and SQ5 felt very direct. Though both are equipped with progressive ratio steering racks, the mounting components themselves have been stiffened and Audi’s engineers ingeniously eliminated certain steering bushings, thereby providing us with a more connected feeling to the road. Turning in on some of the sharp mountain road curves at speed was no trouble at all for either the Q5 or SQ5.  

Of course, we can’t ignore the role an all-new adaptive air suspension played in our driving experience. This feature is a Prestige-trim-only option for Q5 and comes standard as a sport adaptive air suspension for the SQ5. This suspension offers a greater variance between the driving modes: Comfort, Dynamic, Off-road and Off-road plus. 

To that end, one of the more memorable moments during Q5 testing involved an hour drive on unpaved dirt roads. Putting the car into off-road, off-road plus, and lift modes, we were able to raise the car an additional 1.20 inches and 1.77 inches respectively. While the extra ground clearance was helpful in clearing rutted sections of the road comfortably, make no mistake, this feature wouldn’t inspire you to trade in your weekend rock-crawler or mudding vehicle for the new Q5. What’s impressive is the versatility offered by the adaptive air suspension, and that when called upon, the car can manage light offroad duties and still bring home the groceries or your kids from soccer practice.  

Where the Q5’s light off-roading capabilities charmed us, the utter performance of the SQ5 still has us wishing we were behind the wheel. Notably, the SQ5’s launch control is likely one of the most violent we’ve experienced in this segment. If you enjoy 0-60mph acceleration (or more), the SQ5 will not only deliver that in 4.6 seconds, but it will do so while throwing you back in your seat again and again, your cheeks fatigued from persistent smiling. For us, the Q5 checks a lot of boxes as a one-car solution for a small family, while similarly, the SQ5 would suit a small family with at least one performance-minded driver in the household. All said, don’t take our word for it. Find out for yourself and test drive one at your nearest Audi dealer.  

Q5 Price as-tested: $63,290 

SQ5 Price as-tested: $74,740 

Stay tuned for additional 2025 Audi Q5 and SQ5 insights on our official Club podcast, All-Wheel Driven, and a comprehensive review in the upcoming Q3 issue of quattro Magazine.