Audi Q5 Sportback plug-in hybrid review reveals a family gem

Luxury marque Audi offers short journey electric benefits with a petrol engine back-up in its Q5 SUV.

Starting from about $130,000 drive-away is the Audi Q5 Sportback 55 TFSI e Quattro S Line.

There was this bloke rapt regarding his Tesla Model 3 purchase. Until life got in the way.

Regular travels required constant thought and preparation to ensure battery life.

But the straw which broke the Tesla camel’s back was a holiday. Booking an Air BnB about 300km from home, unbeknown to our intrepid Model 3 driver the quaint property which looks amazing in the pictures was about 20km out of town.

With the only electricity access a standard 10-amp power point, it was a logistical nightmare.

Immediately after that trip the Model 3 went on the market.

It’s stories like those which add credence to vehicles like Audi’s plug-in hybrid Q5. Powered primarily by a feisty petrol engine, you can also plug in and charge the small battery for about 50km of pure EV range.

Available in both standard SUV and Sportback guises, we sampled the latter which has a retail price of about $112,000 – add on-roads and you’d be looking at just over $130k to become the owner.

What do you get?

For the six figures the Q5 lives up to feature expectations. Luxury basics like tri-zone aircon, heated front seats, electric tailgate (which can also open with a kick under the rear bumper if your hands are full), phone charging pad with wireless smartphone mirroring, 10-speaker stereo and a panoramic sunroof are all covered.

The hybrid models also gain the “S line” treatment which includes Nappa leather trimmed seats with fancy diamond pattern stitching and brushed aluminium inlays.

Collectively it’s a sporty package and rides on massive 20-inch alloys.

Our test car had only one optional extra, metallic paint which added $1990.

Those wanting the best of everything can spend an extra $4700 for the Technik package that adds OLED tail-lights, head-up display and a 755 watt Bang and Olufsen sound system with 19 speakers.

Warranty coverage is the standard five years, while a five-year servicing plan is more than $3000 with intervals annual or every 15,000km.

Nappa leather seat trim, 10-speaker stereo, phone charging pad, digital cockpit and a large central infotainment screen are among the internal features of the Audi Q5 Sportback 55 TFSI e Quattro S Line.

How was the drive?

The combination of electric and petrol power has delivered a super quick SUV. It’s the quickest of the mainstream Q5s, setting the RS and S variants aside, with a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds.

Smooth and quiet, the ride is pure prestige. While bordering on firm, the hybrid Q5 is a pleasure to pilot on good surfaces with only coarse chip bitumen and the odd pothole or rail line managing to spoil the serenity.

Electric prowess delivers torque-laden acceleration and the shift between petrol and battery power is seamless. The driver can choose to use pure EV power, a combination, or save the battery capacity for stop-start conditions.

Accurate and direct steering, along with all-wheel drive, ensures ample driver confidence.

Attack corners with too much enthusiasm and the typical SUV body roll is a companion, yet overall it’s a beautifully refined daily cruiser.

The Sportback boot is smaller than the wagon version, but it was enough to handle about 10 grocery bags. It also has boot levers enabling fast drop of the rear seats in a 40-20-40 configuration.

Claims of 2.0L per 100km seem far-fetched.

Our test saw an average of just over six litres for every 100km – thrifty for a two-tonne five-seat SUV – the only way to get close would be a lot of short trips of less than 50km and constant charging at home. It takes about eight hours on a standard power point to completely recharge.

Boot space remains reasonable in the Audi Q5 Sportback 55 TFSI e Quattro S Line despite the underfloor battery.

Would you buy one?

Kel: Super appealing, one family trip with five aboard remained comfortable and everyone remarked on the quiet ride. The awkward console set-up was my only real issue, as the nook in front of the shifter really didn’t fit much more than the key and you couldn’t have anything in the cup holders if you wanted to use the wireless charging pad. For those wanting a prestige electric car without the charging frustrations, the Q5 has ample charisma.

Grant: With the new electric Q4 coming soon for similar money, some may argue that the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t until you have a depleted battery and need to get a reasonable distance in a hurry. This is a quality luxury hybrid which delivers a beautifully refined ride with the benefits of electric without going all in.