When I first reviewed the Audi Q5, it was love at first sight. Well, it’s love at first sight with every Audi in the Denver Audi lot, but the Q5 has a special place in my heart. I was fortunate to be able to spend a week with the 2013 version, which rekindled my love for it. How much do I love it? Let me count the ways…
1. More Power - How does 272 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque, a supercharged V6 engine, and eight speed transmission sound? Yup, it sounds good to me too. You almost feel like you’re in a sports car because of the way it handles, but with more room.
To compare, the 2013 BMW X3 has only 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, while the 2013 Lexus RX crossover delivers 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque.
2. Road-trip Friendly - On road trips I tend to take alot of pit stops, and getting in and out of the Q5 is pretty easy. I’m 5’5″, so leg room is never an issue for me. Of course I love the Q7 for those long road trips, but a five hour trip in the Q5 is perfectly fine.
Heated seats are standard, but this tester was also equipped with ventilated front seats for warm weather drivers, which is part of the “Comfort” package ($500). Also included in the Comfort package are four-way power lumbar for both front seats.
If you have extra luggage that doesn’t fit in the trunk or you want to take your bikes on a trip, there are roof rails with crossbars.
The Q5 gets fairly decent gas mileage for a sport utility vehicle. At 26 mpg for highway and 18 mpg for city (21 combined), it’s wallet-friendly for trips where you spend a great deal of time on the highway.
I have to say that I’ve become very spoiled by Audi’s connect (Free 6-month subscription) and MMI Navigation features that are part of the Prestige package ($2,300). Within a couple of minutes I can connect my computer to the Audi hotspot if I ever want to work while I’m on the road. The navigation helps out alot when I want to find the nearest gas station, bank, restaurant, or just about any place I need. While you’re driving, you can press a button on the steering wheel and tell the system, “Find the nearest…” It’s just like Siri, but for your car.
Other bonus comforts for road trips that come with the Prestige package include the thermo cupholder, sunshades for the rear passengers, adaptive lights, side assist that has a light in the rear view mirror that blinks when there’s a car in your blind spot, and the Bang & Olufsen Sound System.
3. Those Beautiful Headlights - Just when you thought Audi headlights couldn’t get any better, the new Matrix LED headlights come along to offer even more function and style.
4. Panorama sunroof - What’s the point of having a car in Denver Colorado where we have 300 days of sunshine – if you don’t have a panoramic sunroof to enjoy the sunlight? It actually makes the vehicle appear to be even more spacious. Plus, the dogs enjoy the extra air that comes into the car.
5. Mobile phone connection - Connecting your phone and importing your phone contacts into the system is real easy. When I make an outgoing call or receive a call, the caller’s number or name appears on the screen and I can answer without looking down or fiddling with my phone.
Another nice thing about synching my phone through the bluetooth connection is being able to listen to music that is on my iPhone or via the Pandora app; however, there are two SD slots if you have music on a SD card.
Now that I have you sold on the 2013 Audi Q5 (or not), what color interior do you prefer?
Base Price for the 2013 Audi Q5 3.0T quattro tiptronic: $43,900
+ Moonlight Blue metallic paint: $475
+ Q5 Prestige model: $7,500
+ Comfort Package: $2,300
+ Layered oak inlays: $500
+ Destination Charge: $895
Total Price of tester as shown: $55,570
The fun and prestige of driving the Audi Q5: Priceless
