Audi Q5 review

Screens, screens and even more screens. That’s essentially what we’ll be talking about here.

Directly in front of the driver is an 11.9-inch digital dial display, and while you can customise what information is provided on either side, it would seem you have to have the ADAS graphics front and centre. Shame, we used to like the map at the centre of an Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.

And while the graphics are all very clear and the colours can be changed, the only thing you can do to switch up that central section is to swap the central round dial from a speedo to a rev counter. You do get a head-up display though, if you spend £2,195 on the optional Sound & Vision Pack.

The massive 14.5-inch infotainment screen sits in the same curved panel as the dial display and so is angled towards the driver. As you’d expect there’s wireless phone connectivity, wireless smartphone charging and an AI voice assistant as standard. The screen itself is quick to load, responsive to your inputs and retains climate shortcuts down below at all times, but we would still prefer to see more physical buttons. Those haptic ones on the steering wheel are tricky to use and can be pressed accidentally.

The 10.9-inch passenger screen is standard on top-spec Edition 1 cars and uses fancy tech, so the driver can’t see what’s displayed on it while on the move. Initially we thought it was a fairly pointless addition – the central screen isn’t that far away so having something else on which to change the radio station or alter the destination in the nav seemed like overkill. And then we downloaded the free karaoke app…

Hours and hours of fun to be had there, although perhaps not for the driver.

Elsewhere in the cabin you get comfortable seats up front, an impressive Bang & Olufsen surround sound system (with the Sound & Vision Pack) and large strips of ambient lighting. Some cheap plastics have crept in and the silver trim you can see in the images isn’t real metal, but generally it feels well put together as a posh German SUV should.

How big is the boot?

Boot space is actually slightly down compared to the previous generation Q5. In the old car you got 550 litres, whereas now the SUV provides 520 litres of space with the rear seats in place. Somehow, despite its sloping roofline, the Q5 Sportback still manages 515 litres of luggage space. Oh, and there’s now a sliding and reclining rear bench for more flexibility. Useful.

If you do find yourself having to sit in the back, you’ll discover that headroom isn’t actually that bad in the Sportback. It’s a little bit dark back there without the panoramic roof, as there’s less glass than you’ll find in the SUV. But in both cars a six-footer can get comfortable in the rear.