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This week I’ve taken the recently updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce on a massive road trip and after the first few hours of driving it, I thought this is the sort of car you get when you need some extra boot space but still want that sports car vibe.
It helps that our test model is finished in the classic 'Alfa Red' but while its on-road performance can't be ignored, it has some tough medium SUV competition from the likes of the BMW X3, Genesis GV70 and Lexus NX.
So, is it just a fun car to drive or will it suit the family, too? I've been cruising around in it for the last week with my family of three to find out for you!
Audi has had a mixed history with plug-in hybrids (PHEV) in Australia. Under its ‘e-tron’ banner it has launched PHEV versions of the previous A3 hatch, and the Q7 SUV, with limited success.
But the German marque believes the time is right to add plug-in power to one of its most popular models - the Q5 mid-size SUV.
With decent driving range and a packed standard features list, Audi is not messing around. But how does it stack up value wise against the already popular BMW X3 and Volvo XC60 PHEVs?
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is the car you get when you want a sports car but happen to have a kid or two. Its ride comfort is on the lower end but it has heaps of power and enough features that it manages to slide into its price tag without feeling too cheeky. The back seat’s size will limit this to smaller families, though. And I would prefer to see better tech at this grade level, so this gets a 7.1/10 from me.
My son didn’t spend much time in this one but he liked the red paintwork. My mum, however, loved the power and sexy packaging. She gives it an 8/10.
It might be a late return to the PHEV game for Audi, but it’s an impressive one. Everything great about the Q5 remains - dynamically engaging, responsive powertrain - but you get the added benefit of electric power.
This could be the car to prove that plug-in hybrid medium SUVs don’t have to be bland family transport. If the Q5 is anything to go by, going green can be downright fun!
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
While the Veloce has had a facelift, the changes are so minor I would dare to ask, why bother?
The daytime running light signature has been tweaked but only die-hard Stelvio fans will notice it. I do like the larger 12.3-inch digital instrument display but surprisingly the multimedia screen remains on the smaller side at 8.8 inches.
Otherwise, there’s no denying the Veloce looks like an Alfa Romeo, staying true to its Italian heritage. It’s solid, with a 1903mm wide stance, but so robust that it moves away from words like 'sleek' or 'sexy'.
The black grille, 20-inch alloy wheels and red brake calipers make it look sports car mean and hint at what's under the bonnet.
The interior looks well made and it's got a bat cave element with the black headliner and panoramic sunroof. There's a plethora of soft touchpoints throughout and the circular air-vents found in both rows add some flair.
Overall, though, the interior is understated and if you’re looking for something as flashy as the exterior, you may be disappointed.
The second-generation Q5 has been around for six years, and it was very much an evolution of the original, but it still looks attractive in the metal. You couldn’t call it edgy, but it is handsome.
Both PHEV body styles get the S line exterior package as standard, which adds a unique honeycomb grille, S line bumpers front and rear, Audi Sport wheels and it borrows the rear spoiler from the SQ5.
While many will favour the swoopy Sportback body style, I think the Q5 is at its most arresting in SUV body style, bathed in the gorgeous 'District Green Metallic' paint. Stunning.
Inside, only the Sportback gains the S line interior, which includes a leather three-spoke steering wheel with multifunction, shift paddles and hands-on detection, Nappa leather upholstery with contrast stitching, and aluminium inlays. The SUV seats are leather-appointed.
It’s fair to say Audi’s interiors have modernised since the launch of this Q5 in 2017, but it’s still hard to fault. The multimedia screen jutting out the top of the dash is a little old school these days, but the materials and quality are top notch.
The front row benefits the most in terms of space and features. I have stacks of headroom and legroom in the front seat and didn’t feel like I was too close to my passenger this week.
I like the comfortable electric seats and the fact you can adjust the side bolsters and under-thigh support.
Individual storage options are on the slim side throughout the car and it was something my mum and I found annoying on our road trip because there aren’t a lot of spots to put your little items up front. Think snacks, sunglasses, lip balm etc.
The two cupholders are really drink bottle holders because they’re too large to fit a small takeaway cup without popping the lid off but I like the large storage bins in each front door.
It's a tight squeeze in the back seat for my 168cm (5'6") height and that’s behind my driving position! It could feel a tad cramped back there for those with longer legs.
It’s also a bit awkward getting in and out of the back seat because of the large wheel arches.
The storage bins in the doors are too small to hold a drink bottle but the middle armrest has two cupholders and a phone holder.
Charging options are fantastic up front with two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad to choose from. You even get an 'aux' jack, too.
The amenities in the back seat are okay and you get a couple of net map pockets, reading lights, a USB-A and C port, as well as directional air vents.
This Alfa has a no-nonsense approach with the other tech, though. I usually don’t mind that but the touchscreen multimedia system is a little too no-nonsense for this spec-level.
I found it to be laggy and too small. It also regularly turned itself off and rebooted. This happened a few times while needing satellite navigation directions, which was annoying.
Also on the sat nav, you can’t search for a general name of something, like a business, you have to input an address which meant using my iPhone anyway. It’s great that you get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though.
The digital instrument panel looks upmarket but isn’t properly customisable and I was disappointed the ambient lighting package only meant that there are lights in the footwells and a tiny overhead light. Adding some extra lighting would have transformed the night-time driving experience.
The boot is the highlight for me because you get a decent capacity at 499L. The load space is level and I like the back row's 40/20/40 split-fold. We had plenty of room on our road trip for luggage and shopping.
You get a temporary spare tyre and a retractable cargo blind. The latter is stiff enough to double as a shelf which is handy and a handsfree powered tailgate comes standard, as well.
As - predominantly - a family hauler, the Q5 has always done well in the practicality stakes. And adding a plug-in hybrid powertrain hasn’t changed that. Although you do lose some boot space compared with the petrol models - but more on that in a bit.
Up front, the Q5 has plenty of nooks and storage slots in the console, including a longer shallow slot to hold phones. The central bin is deep enough and the door bins can swallow big bottles and more. Housing the phone charger on the top of another storage spot in the console works as it can be hidden by the larger storage lid for security.
As the Q5 is older than some of Audi’s fresher models, there are physical buttons for things like air conditioning, seat heaters, and controls for drive modes and other vehicle functions.
It might not look as schmick as having a screen to house everything, but from a practicality and safety perspective, it’s welcome.
This approach also extends to the multimedia system which is fairly simple to navigate with a logical menu. Audi’s system gets a tick, as does the digital cockpit - something the brand pioneered.
While the leather appointed seats in the SUV are nice, the quilted Nappa leather seats in the Sportback are much more luxurious. And the ‘Rotor Grey’ colour scheme is simply beautiful. They offer more than enough support in the front row and they are comfy without being super plush.
There’s ample leg and headroom in the front row.
That is the same for the second row. So much headroom even with a panoramic sunroof. And behind my 183cm (six foot) driving position, there was room to spare in front of my knees. It’s such a good size.
Also, the rear seats have some bucketing so passengers will feel a little spoiled. There’s also knee-level air vents, map pockets, two USBs and a 12-volt port, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and ISOFIX points on the outboard seats.
The rear row folds 60/40 and there’s decent room in the boot, which has a power operated tailgate.
Given some of the PHEV hardware sits directly under the boot floor, it’s little surprise that the SUV version (465 litres) loses 55L of space compared with the petrol-powered 45 TFSI.
Similarly, the Sportback (455L) drops by 45L. Also, despite the swoopy roofline, the Sportback only loses 10L of cargo space compared with the more practical looking SUV.
Those PHEV bits also mean there is no spare wheel - only a tyre repair kit.
There are three models for the Stelvio and ours is the mid-spec Veloce grade, which will cost you $82,950, before on-road costs. The pricing should make it competitive compared to its rivals but the features list isn’t as robust as it could be.
The interior gets most of the big-ticket items with leather upholstered sports front seats, extended leather trim on the doors and dashboard as well as a heated steering wheel.
Both front seats are electric with six-way power adjustment, powered side bolsters and four-way adjustable lumbar support. They also feature a heat function and extendable under-thigh support.
The luxury items continue with the panoramic sunroof, real aluminium accents throughout and a premium Harman Kardon sound system that boasts 14 speakers.
Other standard features include full LED adaptive 'Matrix' headlights, aluminium sports pedals, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, push-button start and a handsfree powered tailgate.
It's the technology that lets the Stelvio down but I'll go into that later.
Dipping its toe back in the plug-in hybrid market, Audi is keen to appeal to buyers looking to reduce their carbon footprint, but also to driving enthusiasts requiring a bit of zing with their environmental credentials.
That’s where the Q5 55 TFSI e quattro comes in. Audi Australia had the option of introducing a less performance focused Q5 PHEV grade, but opted instead for the higher output model.
Audi sees this as the SQ5 you buy when you want to save the planet. And the 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.3 seconds suggests it’s pretty close.
Pricing for the 55 TFSI e quattro starts at $102,900, before on-road costs, for the SUV body style.
Opting for the Sportback carries a $7300 premium, making the price $110,200. But you get some more gear in the Sportback over the SUV, including the S-line interior package, and Matrix LED headlights with dynamic front and rear indicators.
Other equipment standard on both grades includes a panoramic sunroof, hands-free power tailgate, ambient lighting (with 30 colours), keyless entry and start, front leather-appointed seats with heating and power adjustment, three-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, 10-speaker audio, auto-dimming interior mirror and 20-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels.
You can opt for different 20-inch wheels or 21-inch hoops as well.
The 'Technik' option pack costs $4900 for the SUV and $4700 for the Sportback and adds a head-up display, a more premium Bang & Olufsen audio system, and high-tech head or tail-lights, depending on the body style.
All in all it’s a healthy standard features list. I’ve said it before recently, but it’s worth repeating - it’s good to see premium brands including more standard features in their models, rather than making everything an option.
That said, maybe heated rear seats (as well as the standard front seats) might have been a nice addition.
So, how does the Q5 compare with its PHEV counterparts? Its most obvious rival is the BMW X3 xDrive30e which is more expensive at $111,800.
Then there’s the Range Rover Evoque R Dynamic HSE ($104,310) and Volvo XC60 Recharge ($101,990), which line up closely with the Audi, while the Lexus NX450h+ undercuts them all ($91,423).
The Veloce has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that gives a maximum power output of 206kW and 400Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has an eight-speed auto transmission which is very smooth.
Checking out the specs I didn’t think this would be as powerful as it is. But it’s really fun when you need to put your foot down! I mean, it can go from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds.
The Q5 pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine - found in many VW Group products - with a plug-in hybrid set-up that includes a lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor.
The total system output is 270kW of power and 500Nm of torque, which is impressive. In fact, it has more power - but a little less torque - than the SQ5 performance flagship.
It drives all four wheels thanks to Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system, and does that via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The official combined cycle fuel economy figure is 7.0L/100km and my real-world usage came to 8.4L/100km.
I drove our test model hard but did A LOT of open road driving - 2051km to be exact - so I was happy with the average but I would expect it to be higher in the city.
Based on the official combined cycle number and 64L fuel tank, you theoretically should be able to get a driving range of around 914km but my real-world tests see that figure come in closer to 700km.
Alfa Romeo recommends a minimum 95 RON petrol be used for the Stelvio.
The PHEV’s battery capacity is 17.9kWh and that ensures the Q5 has an electric driving range of up to 55 kilometres on the WLTP protocol.
Audi says the average daily commute of an Australian is 35km, so technically many people could get to work and back using electric power only.
It might not sound like a huge amount, but it’s more than the 41km offered by the BMW X3, although it doesn’t come near the Lexus NX’s 87km claim.
Energy consumption is rated at 23.9kWh/100km, and the official fuel consumption figure for the Q5 is 2.0 litres per 100km - bettering the X3’s 3.2L/100km figure but not as frugal as the Lexus (1.3L).
It has a 54-litre fuel tank and emits 45 grams per kilometre of CO2.
The Q5 PHEV has a Type 2 plug and comes with a charger to add more juice at home.
It has an AC charging capacity of 7.2kW and it will take two and a half hours to fully charge using a home wallbox charger. You can also plug it into a regular wall socket at home and it’ll be charged up in about eight hours, or overnight. It's not capable of DC charging.
The Veloce is downright fun to drive because of how damn responsive it is. There is plenty of power, so much so, that you’ll look forward to hitting the open road.
The sporty steering makes for sharp handling and the car moves decisively. I have felt confident all week that it would do what I wanted it to do. It's wide stance also makes it hug the road like an old friend.
However, the suspension is also sporty, aka firm! The padded seats help soften the impact when you hit a bump but you’ll still know it when you hit one. There's also a resonating 'ker-thump' in the cabin, in case you didn't feel it.
The big thing that marred the driving experience for me, at least for a longer trip, is how loud road and wind noise are at higher speeds. It’s loud enough that you need to raise your voice to talk, which I didn’t enjoy.
The Veloce earns back points with how easy it is to park and it handles those stupidly small hotel car parks extremely well.
I don't rate the reversing camera, though. The quality of the image is terrible for this grade-level.
The Q5 has always been the driver’s pick among its peers - specifically the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. You could argue a Porsche Macan is more engaging and you’d probably be right. But of those immediate German rivals, the Q5 takes the cake.
Adding a PHEV powertrain and the circa-300kg of extra weight that brings should impact dynamics - but somehow, it doesn’t.
First of all, the Q5 PHEV can do the 0-100km/h dash in just 5.3 seconds which is hot hatch territory.
But the really impressive thing about this Q5 is how well it handles, despite that extra weight. The battery pack is housed under the boot floor, and Audi engineers have done a bang up job in ensuring it retains that dynamic prowess it's known for.
We drove on some delightfully twisty roads in the Gold Coast hinterland for this launch event, and the Q5 didn’t miss a beat.
It maintained composure when pushed into tight corners, and had plenty of grip. And the electric urge coming out of those corners - providing you have battery charge left - only helps the experience.
Typically sharp Audi steering is indeed present and welcome.
Riding on 20-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, and with a sporty bent, you’d think the ride quality would be impacted. But that was another pleasant surprise.
The Q5 soaks up corrugations with the standard suspension set-up, and the tyres have a decent sidewall. So no unpleasant sharp bumps detected.
The cabin is reasonably well insulated from most outside intrusion as well.
The Stelvio has most of the major items that I like to see on a family car and the standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, driver attention monitor, traffic sign recognition, lane keeping aids, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera, daytime-running lights, front and rear parking sensors, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
It's important to note though that the safety systems only scored a 60 per cent with ANCAP.
It has autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and car detection and is operational from 7.0 - 200km/h.
The Veloce has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was done ages ago in 2017, which means it will expire this December. It also only has six airbags, which is low for a family car but the curtain airbags cover the back row.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats and three top tethers in the second row but two seats will fit best.
You can just squeeze a 0-4 rearward facing child seat in but it will encroach on front passenger comfort.
The Q5 plug-in counts an impressive level of safety gear, including eight airbags in total, although that does not include a front centre airbag.
It comes with the usual suite of driver aids, including Audi’s ‘pre-sense city’ system that activates emergency braking at speeds up to 85km/h, ‘pre-sense front’ emergency braking up to the Q5’s maximum speed, as well as attention assist, an active bonnet, a tyre pressure monitor, and hill descent control.
It also features adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, safe exit assist, cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera with an excellent display.
While the rest of the Q5 range is covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating dating back to 2017, the Q5 plug-in hybrid remains unrated for now.
The ongoing costs aren’t too shabby on the Stelvio because it comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and you also get five years roadside assistance.
It’s a 24/7 complimentary service that covers a host of items but check out the terms and conditions for more information.
There’s capped priced servicing for five years or up to 75,000km, whichever occurs first.
Services cost an average of $573, which is competitive for the class and servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
The Q5 comes with Audi’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This was an increase on its previous term that Audi announced at the start of 2022. The PHEV is also covered by an eight-year/160,00km battery warranty.
Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and Audi offers a capped-price service plan for five years that costs about $3500 all up. That’s a little pricer than BMW and Volvo’s plan.