Wednesday 2nd October 2024

New Audi SQ5 available to order now

£75k for new 367hp V6 flagship, launched in lavish Edition 1 spec

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Audi has confirmed pricing and spec for its new Q5 models, with all variants available to order now ahead of first deliveries in April next year. While the bulk of initial sales will be taken by the 204hp petrol (from £49,950 as a Sport) or £51,600 diesel with the same power - at least until the plug-in hybrid arrives - the 367hp, V6 SQ5 model is the one of interest to PH. It’s priced from £74,400 in Edition 1 trim, presumably with more modest specs to follow. 

The turbo V6 should shoot 2,040kg of SQ5 to 62mph in 4.5 seconds, with best scores of 34.9mpg and 185g/km said to be possible. Unsurprisingly given the connotations of an ‘Edition 1’ billing, these initial SQ5s will come loaded to the gunwales with kit, including 21-inch Audi Sport wheels, adaptive air suspension, organic LED rear lights, a pano roof, heated rear seats, cooled front ones and a B&O stereo upgrade. It’s gonna feel pretty plush. 

While a launch spec makes exact comparisons with alternatives a little tricky, prospective SQ5 buyers won’t be short of other fast SUVs for £75k or so. The new BMW X3 M50 (398hp, 4.6 seconds, 36.2mpg) is probably going to be the closest rival, priced from £66,980 but easily nudged over £70k with paint, 21-inch wheels, BMW Individual leather and a tech pack. There’s also the new Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, with a 421hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid turbo - it’s from £73,190 as a Premium spec, or £83,190 as a Night Edition Premium Plus. While an older design, moreover, the 400hp Jaguar F-Pace 400 Sport probably shouldn’t be entirely discounted, either, especially with straight-six appeal. 

And this is PH - it would be remiss not to mention canny lightly used buys. Because if you’re spending £75k on a fast SUV, and willing to accept something that might not have a Digital Stage, advanced electronics or a passenger display, check these out: a 2024, 2k-mile Stelvio Quadrifoglio, in the good green, for £69,788, or one of those gorgeous purple F-Pace SVR 1988s, with just 140 miles, for £78k. Maybe we’ll bring one along when SQ5 and X3 go head to head…

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• All-new 367hp Audi S5 available from £69k
• 2024 Porsche Macan 4 | PH Review

[cerb4.5lee]

I really liked the diesel version of this that I had a test drive in a few years back. A good all round car I reckon.

[Puddenchucker]

Is there some kind of competition between German manufacturers to see who can style the ugliest grille?

[xu5]

While not a huge fan of Audi's typical styling, i would say it is usually competent. That front end looks bad however.

[thelostboy]

Appreciate the spec will be far more generous, but you can get the new Porsche Macan for less than £70k. So the obvious question is would you rather this, or a Macan and £5k to spend on options?

I guess this will come down to which is the better PCP or lease deal.

[Dracoro]

Is it the image or is that 2nd screen at an angle with bottom right digging into the dash? Looks shoddy.

[cerb4.5lee]

xu5 said:

While not a huge fan of Audi's typical styling, i would say it is usually competent. That front end looks bad however.

Audi's styling has definitely got a bit more fussy to my eyes over recent times I agree.

[EC2]

I know we all moan about pricing but EV sales are poor as private buyers cannot afford them so they are trying to close the price gap by raising the prices of ICE cars instead. German car manufacturers are at an inflection point (not up) where their costs/margin aspirations are out of line with customers ability to pay. The next half decade is going to be ugly.

Agree about the Porsche point above.

[macron]

So a pretty basic (Sport spec) mid sized 200bhp petrol SUV is now 50k and that's normal.






What has happened.....

[anonymous-user]

Puddenchucker said:

Is there some kind of competition between German manufacturers to see who can style the ugliest grille?

Yes, and they're all winning.

[Peterpetrole]

thelostboy said:

Appreciate the spec will be far more generous, but you can get the new Porsche Macan for less than £70k. So the obvious question is would you rather this, or a Macan and £5k to spend on options?

I guess this will come down to which is the better PCP or lease deal.

Having tested a previous version of this, and then brought the Macan.... I should have got the Audi lol.

Just a more relaxing drive, something about it worked very well where I found the Macan a bit try hard, in that it's never going to be a sports car so what's the point.

I'll get my coat.

[Clivey]

thelostboy said:

Appreciate the spec will be far more generous, but you can get the new Porsche Macan for less than £70k. So the obvious question is would you rather this, or a Macan and £5k to spend on options?

I guess this will come down to which is the better PCP or lease deal.

£70k+ for a tarted-up school run crossover is utterly batst mental, massage seats or no.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Exasperated said:

Puddenchucker said:

Is there some kind of competition between German manufacturers to see who can style the ugliest grille?

Yes, and they're all winning.

It’s the new prolapsed design.

[flight147z]

thelostboy said:

Appreciate the spec will be far more generous, but you can get the new Porsche Macan for less than £70k. So the obvious question is would you rather this, or a Macan and £5k to spend on options?

I guess this will come down to which is the better PCP or lease deal.

£5k doesn't go very far on a Porsche...

Might cover leather seats, cameras, cruise control, a decent stereo and LED lights but I suspect every other OEM includes all of that as standard so not exactly a spec uplift!

[CG2020UK]

Be a fantastic daily driver.

I really rate all the Audi Q cars

[LankyFreak]

wow, that is definitely a car!

[J4CKO]

macron said:

So a pretty basic (Sport spec) mid sized 200bhp petrol SUV is now 50k and that's normal.






What has happened.....

Its funny what is considered basic, know what you mean but wonder what it misses, the screen in front of the passenger and other essentials

You look back at stuff like posh "Ghia" Fords from the 80s and even they didnt really have anything on them in the main.

[pb8g09]

The worry for me reading this, is I'd want to buy a used one at around 5 years old or so, and I would want to buy the S/performance version, not the base engines. But now I have to think about the borkage of an electric motor on top of any mechanical, suspension and drivetrain issues. So nearly every new performance car is a brave pill unless you're the first owner on PCP with a warranty. I'm really not sure where this leaves petrol heads moving towards the end of the decade and used purchases.

I know you can buy extended warranties already on used cars, but I've never had to do this before, so again another cost being forced to the total ownership of a used performance car.

[Dombilano]

Generic blob

[cerb4.5lee]

Peterpetrole said:

thelostboy said:

Appreciate the spec will be far more generous, but you can get the new Porsche Macan for less than £70k. So the obvious question is would you rather this, or a Macan and £5k to spend on options?

I guess this will come down to which is the better PCP or lease deal.

Having tested a previous version of this, and then brought the Macan.... I should have got the Audi lol.

Just a more relaxing drive, something about it worked very well where I found the Macan a bit try hard, in that it's never going to be a sports car so what's the point.

I'll get my coat.

I understand what you mean with that, and I generally prefer a more laid back approach regarding an SUV really. They aren't really a car that you grab by the scruff of the neck for me.

I always smile when I see SUV's on a racetrack as well, because an SUV would be one of the last things I'd think of to throw around a track. We're all different though I guess.

[AshD]

£74.5k is strong money.

Bought an SQ5 Plus (similarly loads of kit) for £50k in 2016.

BofE inflation calculator says that would be £66.5k now.

It’ll be decent, but it is pricey.