Audi Q5 vs BMW X5

What's the difference?

Ever since returning from the launch of the new Audi Q5 I've been looking at old ones and thinking how lumpy and dumpy they look by comparison. The new Q5 will be an adornment to our roads in styling terms, it's a tour de force of interior design and its engines might well be the last barking gasp of its kind. So it's definitely worth a look if you're in the mid-size SUV space. And you don't want an EV yet.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

This is a luxurious prestige five-seater brimming with BMW’s latest design and technology that’s not only practical for weekly family duties but can also embrace spirited driving with the push of a button. A great all-rounder for families that like a sporty edge. 

Other than the closely related Porsche Macan, and maybe an Alfa Romeo Stelvio, it's hard to think of a better, smoother looking SUV than this new Audi Q5, with its revised Singleframe grille flanked by vertical air curtains, that look a bit like gills.

Audi claims the Q5 has "perfect proportions", which is bold, but it certainly looks sleek rather than bulky, with a nice silhouette and dynamic rather than Mumsy appeal.

The rear is particularly attractive with a three-dimensional light strip that ties it all neatly together. It's a more refined, sharper look than the Q5 it replaces.

Inside, of course, Audi has either taken its interior to another level of futuristic fabulousness, or put too many bloody screens in, all of which are too big, depending on who you ask. And how old they are. Kids will love it, however.

Interestingly, while every car company ever claims that its cabin has a cockpit feel, focusing on the driver, the Q5 really does. So much so that there's a raised edge in the centre console that quite noticeably cuts the driver off from the passenger. In the other front seat you do feel a bit removed, as if you're meant to leave the driver to it, which might be why you get your own screen to play with.

The latest front-end design features subtle revisions to BMW’s signature 'kidney' grille theme, highlighted by slimmer matrix LED headlights with chevron-shaped DRLs that incorporate the turn indicators.

There’s also an ‘iconic glow’ function, which illuminates the twin-grilles at night in-sync with the external courtesy lights when approaching and departing the vehicle. Lower front air-intake and tail-light treatments have also been revised.

The dash features a new curved instrument panel. Based on BMW’s latest generation 'iDrive' operating system, it consists of a 12.3-inch driver’s info display and 14.9-inch control display presented across the same seamless glass surface.

The control display’s touchscreen functionality has allowed dash buttons and switches to be minimised.

This new design dash has a blend of synthetic leather trim and dark brown/high-gloss woodgrain surfaces, along with new LED ambient lighting and gear-selector design.

The rear seat is sumptuous and spacious, even for someone my height (186cm). There’s ample knee and headroom and it can seat three kids in comfort, but for adult passengers wanting that 'business class' feel it would be ideal for two.

My only criticism of the new instrument display is that with more than 30 applications displayed on the expansive control screen, it can be distracting at times trying to visually locate and operate these functions while driving.

And, depending on sun angle, there were also complaints from different front seat passengers on different days about blinding glare caused by the dash’s high-gloss woodgrain inserts. Fortunately, the driver is unaffected by these reflections.

Audi is talking up the little things with the new Q5, like the fact that there's a much larger storage space under the centre armrest now - and it's true, you can lose your car key in it - plus numerous other storage areas, and an inductive and cooled charging tray so your phone won't get cooking hot and shut off, with 15 watts of power.

In exciting news for screen addicts/children, Audi is also very excited about its uprated USB-C ports, which can charge at up to 60 watts through the two in the front, while the rear passengers also get two more, rated at 100 watts. Which sounds like a lot, Audi says it's enough to run your laptop.

The new Q5 also gets a very useful adjustable rear seat, which can be slid lengthways and tilted, providing either more passenger space and less boot room or vice versa. With the rear seat down you get 1473 litres, but thanks to the new sloping rear design you get slightly less room in the Q5 SUV, with 520 litres behind the second row. The SQ5 gets even less at just 470 litres.

Another handy feature is that the snappy luggage cover can be stowed in a special designed compartment under the boot floor. Clever.

With its 2165kg kerb weight and maximum allowable weight of 2885kg, our test vehicle can legally carry up to 720kg.

That should be ample for five adults (even better for kids) and their luggage, of which up to 100kg can be carried on the roof rails using a rack or roof box (both in BMW's accessory range).

Powered upper and lower tailgates provide good access to the luggage area, which is carpeted and equipped with a roll-out privacy screen, load securing hooks, a 12-volt accessory outlet and a first-aid kit stored behind a removable side panel.

The space-saver spare and tools are stored below the hinged load floor, so all luggage must be removed to access them.

Internal luggage space with the rear seat upright is 650 litres (0.65 cubic metres) which expands to 1870 litres (1.87 cubic metres) with the rear seat folded flat.

A useful load-carrying feature when the rear seat’s backrest is upright is a hinged centre section that folds forward and flat to carry long and narrow items.

These can stretch all the way from the tailgate to the dash if need be, which could be handy for carting anything from skis to home hardware purchases (firmly secured, of course).

It’s also rated to tow up to an impressive 3500kg of braked trailer, which matches the class benchmark for one-tonne utes.

However, given that tow-ball download (TBD) is usually around 10 per cent of trailer weight, the X5’s maximum TBD rating of only 140kg could be a challenge if 3500kg towing is required.

Front of cabin storage includes a big bottle-holder and bin in each front door, a glove box and on the right-hand side of the dash a pull-out driver’s bin, both of which are felt-lined.

The centre console, in addition to its wireless phone-charging pad, USB-A port and 12-volt outlet, has two small-bottle/cupholders up front and a large box at the rear, housing a USB-C port and topped by a padded dual 'brochure fold' lid that double as an elbow-rest for driver and front passenger.

Rear seat storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each door and pockets on each front seat backrest. The rear of the centre console has two storage nooks for small items in addition to its air-vents, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. There’s also a handy tablet-mount and USB-C port on each front seat backrest, which is great for long trips.

Folding down the rear seat’s centre armrest reveals two pop-out small-bottle/cupholders. And under its hinged lid is a hidden felt-lined compartment that’s ideal for storing slim screened devices away from prying eyes.

Our test vehicle, to use its full name, is the X5 xDrive 40i M Sport. That breaks down to xDrive (intelligent all-wheel drive) and 40i (3.0L turbo in-line petrol six) with eight-speed automatic transmission.

M Sport denotes a package that's included as standard equipment which contains desirable goodies like enormous multi-piston M Sport brakes/adaptive suspension/aerodynamics, M leather-rimmed steering wheel, high-gloss black roof-rails and more.

All up, the list price is $138,900. However, our example has an optional ‘Enhancement Package’ which for another $6000 adds your choice of selected 22-inch alloy wheels (fitted with 275/35 R22 Continental tyres on ours), a tyre pressure monitoring system, metallic paint ('Skyscraper Grey' on ours), Harman Kardon 16-speaker surround-sound audio and 'Crafted Clarity' glass application (glass-handled shifter).

And this is on top of many standard features including three-zone climate control, automatic two-piece tailgate, digital radio, a head-up driver display, adaptive LED headlights with high beam assist, a panoramic full-length sunroof, wireless Apple/Android integration, 'Verino' quilted synthetic leather upholstery, numerous USB ports/12v outlets and more. However, there’s only a space-saver spare.

Numerous options include self-levelling air suspension, 'Merino' leather upholstery, active seat ventilation and massage functions, thermo-adjustable cupholders, LED-illuminated ‘sky lounge’ panoramic glass sunroof and Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound to name a few.

Does it seem strange to anyone else that a company so focused on reducing emissions through promoting EVs is still offering diesel engines? The reason, of course, is that so many Europeans still want them, because fuel is so damn expensive there, and yet Audi Australia says it will also offer them here.

That's where the range now starts, with the TDI diesel version coming standard with all-wheel drive, or Quattro, with outputs of 150kW/400Nm. Like every car in the new Q5 range, it uses a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is excellent.

Every Q5 also uses MHEV technology to reduce emissions and increase performance, which means it gets a 48-volt electrical system to support its combustion engines. This system means you start up, in most conditions, in silent electric mode, and you can even manoeuvre and park the car using only electricity, most of the time.

The electrical system is connected to a Powertrain Generator which provides additional torque of up to 230Nm, and a mere 18kW of extra power. Every little bit helps I guess.

Basically, it's a mild hybrid, meaning you get a mild amount of help, and the full plug-in hybrid Q5s are coming soon. Later this year.

Stepping up from the diesel you can have a 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder petrol engine, with either front or Quattro all-wheel drive and making 150kW/340Nm.

The range-topping all-wheel-drive SQ5 gets a very enjoyable 3.0-litre six-cylinder TFSI petrol engine with 270kW and 550Nm. It feels like more kilowatts, honestly.

The X5 xDrive40i is powered by BMW’s legendary 3.0-litre DOHC 24-valve in-line six with state-of-the-art technology.

This includes twin-scroll turbocharging, variable valve/camshaft timing and 48-volt mild hybrid technology (delivering up to 9.0kW and 200Nm) using an electric motor integrated with the transmission.

The combined effect is optimised power and throttle response (0-100km/h in 5.4 secs) with minimal fuel consumption and Euro 6d emissions.

It produces 280kW between 5200-6250rpm and 520Nm of torque (this can reach 540Nm with hybrid input) across a remarkably wide and flat peak torque band between 1850-5000rpm, which showcases its flexibility. There’s also auto start-stop and selectable drive modes.

This is paired with BMW’s smooth and sharp-shifting eight-speed torque converter automatic, which combines the best characteristics of a dual-clutch and traditional torque converter transmission.

There’s overdrive on the seventh and eighth gears to optimise fuel economy and the choice of rapid manual-shifting using the steering wheel paddles.

Power reaches its wide tyres through the xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system, which actively varies the engine’s torque distribution between the front and rear wheels to optimise traction at all times.

BMW’s ‘Efficient Dynamics’ also includes brake energy regeneration with recuperation display and many other standard features to enhance driving safety and efficiency.

The MHEV technology is supposed to provide some boost to fuel economy but the figures aren't super exciting. You'll be getting a claimed 5.9 litres per 100km from the 2.0 TDI diesel, or 6.5L/100km from the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

The V6 is going to cost you more at the pump with a claimed figure of 8.1 litres per 100km. You might want to wait for the PHEVs.

BMW claims combined average (WLTP) fuel consumption of 9.9-8.5L/100km. Our 415km test comprised a mix of suburban and highway driving and when we stopped to refuel the dash display was showing 10.2L/100km which was line-ball with our own 10.6L/100km figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 780km from its 83-litre tank using standard 91-octane petrol.

While the new Q5 might feel classier, techier and generally more expensive and Q7/Q8-like on the inside, it's pulled off an even more impressive feat in the chassis department, which no doubt owes a lot to the entirely new PPC platform, because it feels more like a powerful Q3 to drive than the Q5 of old.

That's not a comment on interior or load space, it's just that it feels smaller and more spritely on the road. It turns in better, holds its line better and resists gentle understeer right up to the point where you wonder whether your co-driver has lost his mind or is trying to kill you both.

Seriously, the SQ5 can properly get up and boogie in Sport mode (Audi says one of the things it's proudest of with the new car is how much more noticeable the range of difference is between the relaxed, or 'Balanced' and 'Comfort', modes and the more aggressive ones) and you really have to be going beyond sensible to find the edge of grip.

The SQ5's V6 also makes the kind of noises that now sound weirdly wonderful in an Audi, when so many of the new offerings are electric. Choose to shift the gears yourself and this can be a properly involving machine, and quite impressive for an SUV.

What separates it from the kid of fun you could have in its cousin, the previous Porsche Macan with petrol power, is the steering. It's not terrible, and it is sharp, but it just lacks a bit in the feel and muscle department. Being generous you'd say it's easy to drive but you just know that if this had an R badge the steering would be so much better, and closer to Porsche and BMW.

The diesel TDI model does not make glorious noises, and the whines and groans it does make - which seem loud by Audi standards, it's usually very good at quietening its diesels down - do not encourage you to shift gears yourself or drive it in a sporty fashion. It is a workhorse variant, with plenty of torque, and for a certain kind of customer who cares not for sportiness or excitement I'm sure it's a fine option.

One thing I did not expect to be doing on an Audi Q5 launch is clambering up and over a rock strewn mountain on properly rutted and rough gravel tracks, but that was an option here so I took the 2.0 TFSI on the optional off-road adventure and I must say I was both surprised and impressed.

The Q5 is not a mountain goat, or a Land Rover, but despite feeling like I was doing the gardening in a shiny suit, I managed to traverse a track that felt too serious and intense for a soft roader, and did so with ease and in comfort. The air suspension raises the Q5 a full 45mm in Off-road mode, so ground clearance was no problem - nor did I encounter any boulders - but the way the Quattro system dealt with the dirty stuff was impressive.

Overall, I can see that this TFSI model is the sweet spot in the range in terms of value and performance, and it really is all the Q5 you could need. It never feels underpowered, unless you've just stepped out of the SQ5, and you get all the benefits of the chassis and handling upgrades.

Personally, though, I'd have the SQ5 just for the rorty V6 noises alone. It feels like something new, but also the end of something wonderful.

It’s supremely comfortable, with front bucket seats that offer powered-adjustment of height, reach and backrest angle along with side bolsters that can tighten their grip of your upper torso.

There’s also two-way lumbar support, that adjusts not only how far it pushes your spine forward but also allows that pressure point to be raised or lowered.

Combined with its power-adjustable leather-rimmed steering wheel, it would be hard not to find a comfortable driving position.

Eyelines to all mirrors are good and over-shoulder blind-spots are minimal. Front and rear occupants can talk without raised voices thanks to low engine, wind and tyre noise at highway speeds.

As you’d expect, it has high build quality and a tangibly solid feel as though it was machined from a single block of steel, from the satisfying thuds of its closing doors to the absence of shudders or rattles on a variety of roads.

It also has two personalities, which can be switched in an instant. In 'Comfort' mode it will happily cruise around city and suburbs as a mild-mannered family car, fulfilling daily duties like work commutes, school drop-offs and pick-ups, supermarket shopping and the like.

However, flick the drive mode to 'Sport Plus' and you awaken, well, if not ‘the ultimate driving machine’ then something close.

Its optimised drivetrain and handling settings feel more like a sports sedan than a family car, which can turn any winding mountain road into an engaging experience.

It has impressive reserves of cornering grip and braking force, combined with sparkling engine response and fast sequential manual-shifting at your fingertips.

It feels impressively agile, with all-round response that belies its 2.0-tonne-plus kerb weight, backed by a symphony of sounds from its sublime in-line six.

Five-star ANCAP (awarded in 2018) includes front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, plus head airbags for front and rear seats.

The comprehensive 'Driver Assistant Professional' active safety menu includes AEB (city, interurban and vulnerable road user) and a multitude of others.

It also has 'Parking Assist Professional' and for young families there are ISOFIX child seat anchorages on the two outer rear seating positions and top-tethers for all three.

All Audis are now covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, up from its recent offering of three years, which is better, but could be better still.

There's no news on what servicing arrangements will be because the new Q5 doesn't lob until Q3, but in general the brand will let you prepay your services, required annually, for the first five years, with the regular Q5 currently billed at $3140 and the SQ5 billed at $3170.

BMW covers the X5 with a five year/unlimited km warranty and offers several service plans to suit different budgets and requirements.

For example, the 'Service Inclusive Basic' package covers all scheduled services over five years/80,000km for a total of $3450, or an average of $690 per year.