2022 Audi Q5 35TDI review

This new luxury SUV has a mind-boggling stat that very few cars on sale today can match and it won’t break the bank.

Audi Q5 35TDI.

Launching a new luxury car with diesel power in 2022 feels like setting up a barbecue across the street from a vegan convention.

But Audi’s latest contender suggests there’s plenty of sizzle left in this sausage.

Priced from $68,350 plus on-road costs – about $76,000 drive-away – the new Audi Q5 35TDI is the cheapest option in Audi’s mid-sized SUV range.

Audi’s cheapest Q5 has amazing fuel economy.

It costs half as much as the all-electric Audi e-tron while delivering at least three times the range.

Road trippers might be drawn to a machine combining thrifty 4.8L/100km fuel use with a generous 70 litre tank to theoretically offer more than 1400 kilometres of driving between fills. And thrifty types will appreciate the near-$5000 saving offered by the two-wheel-drive diesel model, as opposed to its more powerful all-wheel-drive cousin.

It can travel more than 1400km on a single tank.

The new Q5 35TDI is powered by a detuned 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that makes 120kW and 370Nm – 30kW and 30Nm less than the existing Q5 40TDI Quattro.

The result is a car that doesn’t quite match the imperious traction and easy progress of its all-wheel-drive cousin, requiring an even nine seconds to dispatch a 100km/h dash normally completed in 7.6 seconds.

It also misses out on desirable features such as a digital dashboard and Quattro all-wheel-drive. Look closer and you’ll also find that tech such as adaptive cruise control, multi-mode suspension and wireless phone charging are also missing.

But it looks handsome on multi-spoke 20-inch wheels that join updated bumpers and LED headlights.

The cabin has plenty of features for a base variant.

And you get a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, plus a leather-lined cabin with heated seats, smart keys, ambient lighting, three-zone climate control and a powered tailgate.

Driver touchpoints are lovely – the soft-touch leather steering wheel and gear selector are well-positioned, and metallic buttons for the engine starter and electric handbrake feel premium.

Running changes to this second-generation Q5 included the selection of a physical controller for its multimedia system, though we’re happy to report there are dedicated knobs and buttons for the climate controls, stereo volume and driving modes – as opposed to the less intuitive touchscreens in newer Audis.

The Q5 is packed with safety tech.

The interior is spacious in the front and rear, with plenty of USB points and cupholders to keep occupants happy.

A full-colour 7-inch driver display nestled between conventional gauges is handy, but it’s hard to see it as anything less than a cheap substitute for the widescreen “virtual cockpit” found in more expensive models.

Safety is accounted for by eight airbags, front and rear auto emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alerts.

Other touches include a clever link between the Q5’s roof racks and an electronic stability control system that automatically accounts for a higher centre of gravity when carrying a load.

While we didn’t have time to test the roof racks, this doesn’t feel like the sort of car that relishes heavily-loaded journeys.

The Q5 35TDI is a great open road cruiser.

It’s the tardiest member of the Q5 family, one that responds to throttle inputs with a noticeable delay as the turbo takes a moment to wake up. The front wheels occasionally scrabble for traction under a heavy right foot, though that can be managed with a degree of finesse.

It’s quiet on the open road, with less wind and tyre noise than most high-riding crossovers.

Steel springs and regular shocks in this entry-level Q5 make easy work of round-edged road elements such as speed bumps and highway depressions, but there is a degree of harshness over sharper imperfections that you might not expect from a luxury brand.

Diesel engines can sound and feel coarse, but Audi’s expertise with the technology results in an impressively refined motor.

One that suggests diesel still has a place in premium showrooms.

VERDICT 4/5

Cheaper to buy and run than the regular Q5, the new entry-level model makes a good case for diesel motoring.

AUDI Q5 35TDI VITALS

PRICE About $76,000 drive-away

ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 120kw and 370Nm

WARRANTY/SERVICE Five-year, unlimited km / $3140 for 5 years

SAFETY Eight airbags, front and rear auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert

THIRST 4.8L/100km

CARGO 520 litres

SPARE Space-saver

Originally published as 2022 Audi Q5 35TDI review