Audi SQ5 review

We’ll start with the engine and that ‘MHEV Plus’ setup that Audi has introduced. Essentially, it means there’s a small 1.7kWh battery and two electric motors (one on the back of the DCT gearbox and one that acts as a starter generator), but it does more than your usual mild-hybrid systems because – as well as being able to provide an extra 24bhp boost to fill in for any turbo lag – the electric motor can also drive the wheels at very low speeds.

Oh, and it allows the combustion engine to switch off when coasting, and there’s regenerative braking to keep the battery topped up.

Tell me more about the combustion engine…

It’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 that feels supremely strong. There’s 362bhp and 406lb ft of torque which is plenty for powering down the outside lane of the motorway and then some. Audi reckons on a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and if you stick it into its sportier modes the gearbox adds in a bit of shunt to its full-throttle upchanges for a little bit of extra drama. The engine burbles away nicely too, and there are even faint pops and bangs on the overrun. Grown up ones, you understand.

It feels well-judged for an S-badged Audi. It’s really rather rapid but doesn’t shout about it all that much. Make of that what you will. The hybrid system also works fairly hard to ensure solely electric power is used as often as possible, particularly around town. The handover between electric and internal combustion is reasonably smooth, and the presence of the system means Audi can claim 33.6mpg for both the Sportback and the SUV.

On a spirited drive in a Sportback we saw 26.1mpg, but pulled 31mpg from the SUV while applying less gusto.

How are the brakes?

Because of that hybrid system there’s now regenerative braking on the SQ5. Audi has tried to blend this with actual friction braking by making the pedal really quite firm, and it’s a decent effort.

There is a slight step change in feel through the pedal when the pads actually hit the discs, but overall there’s more feedback than you’d find in other hybrids. It responds better to big stops than gentle modulation, say, around town.

Is it comfortable?

On first impression it actually seems to ride better than the standard Q5, at least on the adaptive air suspension that we've tried it with. Yep, it’s certainly firm (especially at lower speeds) but despite the 21in wheels the SQ5 isn’t overly unsettled by large bumps in the road.

Dynamic mode is rather harsh on the ride, but Comfort frees up the suspension to be more forgiving. That'll be the optimum choice most of the time. The SQ5 is well damped and there's a satisfying tautness to the body control - no sign of any roll through corners whatever mode you're in.

Likewise there's an alacrity to the weighty steering, although there’s not a huge amount of feel or feedback, and while there’s massive grip it’s not exactly the most exciting thing on a twisty back road. The X3 M50 offers slightly more dynamic handling.