The best gets better, from refined design to sporty performance and versatility, the all-new 2018 Audi Q5 makes its US debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show

November 16, 2016 K. Pearson Brown

Just salivating over this beauty. I had the opportunity to drive last year’s Audi Q5 and fell in love with it. The perfect marriage of the size and space of a luxury SUV with the performance of a sports car.

HERNDON, Virginia, November 16, 2016, 9 AM ET – With the sporty performance of a sedan and versatility of an SUV, the all-new 2018 Q5, sets a new standard for the luxury SUV segment. Showcasing a full suite of available driver assistance systems and exceptionally competent driving dynamics paired with advanced infotainment features, the best gets better with the new Q5.
Following its North America debut in 2009, the Q5 helped fuel Audi of America’s growth to 200,000 sales in 2015 as the brand’s top-selling model. Now, the all-new 2018 Q5 will lead the largest product cadence in the Audi brand’s history over the next three years.
2018 Audi Q5
The 2018 Q5 applies the distinctive Audi “Q” SUV design language, further underscoring the sporty, independent nature of the vehicle. The exterior has been redesigned to feature enhanced lines including a flat, coupe-like roof line coupled with a strong, wave-design shoulder line and pronounced wheel arches which emphasize the standard quattro® all-wheel drive. The interior has a greater feeling of spaciousness and lightness thanks to the wing-design wrap-around dashboard and delivers even more technology such as the available Audi virtual cockpit, MMI® touch and standard Audi smartphone interface.
Featuring a redeveloped powertrain, the Q5 comes equipped with a 2.0-liter TFSI® four-cylinder engine and an all-new seven-speed S tronic® dual-clutch transmission which results in a 5.9 second sprint from 0-60 mph. The Q5 also features a new suite of driver assistance systems including standard Audi pre sense® city and available Audi side assist and rear cross traffic assist, designed to help drivers navigate the road and traffic with ease.
From the improved driving dynamics to the elevated design and advanced technologies, the 2018 Q5 further enriches the highly versatile segment leading Audi nameplate.
Design
Following the “Q-design” of the new Q7, the Q5’s exterior features sportier proportions including sculpted three-dimensional headlights that flow in harmony with the distinctive Singleframe® grille and clamshell hood to the wider horizontal rear of the vehicle.
The all-new Q5 also offers improved interior space compared to the previous generation, with more rear legroom and shoulder room, as well as increased cargo capacity with the second row seats folded down. The asymmetrical center console of the interior creates a driver-focused cockpit while a small number of controls with expanded functionality helps bring a greater ease of operation into the Q5.
Exterior design highlights include:

All-new front fascia with three-dimensional Singleframe® grille and horizontal lines which emphasize the width of the vehicle
Short front and rear overhangs maintain the vehicle’s muscular SUV proportions
Standard aluminum roof rails and rear spoiler
Power-folding, power-adjustable, auto-dimming heated exterior side mirrors with memory (standard on Premium Plus models)
Standard Xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights or available full LED headlights; standard LED taillights with dynamic rear turn signals
Available parking system plus with front and rear acoustic sensors
Standard power tailgate with available hands-free opening and closing function

Interior design highlights include:

Three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles
Wing-design wraparound dashboard with standard three-zone automatic climate control
Standard eight-way power front seats and four-way power lumbar adjustment for the driver or available twelve-way power front sport seats
Available panoramic sunroof (standard on Premium Plus and Prestige trims)
Standard ambient LED lighting or available ambient LED lighting plus package with 30 color settings
Split folding 40/20/40 rear seatbacks with recline functionality and fore/aft adjustment
Three LATCH child seat mounting points in rear seats

Powertrain and Performance
The Q5 is equipped with a new 2.0-liter TFSI® four-cylinder engine, coupled with a seven-speed S tronic® dual-clutch automatic transmission, to produce 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque and sprint from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, 1.1 seconds faster than its predecessor.
The Q5 also features a redesigned front five-link suspension to provide a comfortable yet agile ride for long distances. The 2018 Q5 also offers an available comfort adaptive damping suspension. This wheel-selective suspension system uses continuous electronic damper control, to enable various suspension and damping combinations that make up the Audi drive select modes.
Now offered as standard equipment on all Audi Q5 models, Audi drive select with five different modes – comfort, auto, dynamic, offroad, and individual, allows the driver to choose the option that best meets their driving situation and handling preferences.
The all-new Q5 also features a new system of quattro® all-wheel drive with ultra® technology that is optimized for performance and efficiency. The technology utilizes an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch along with a decoupling rear axle differential to achieve fully variable torque distribution. This quattro system with ultra technology allows for intelligent, proactive control of the all-wheel drive system to help predictively modify the torque application as the driver demands or the road conditions require.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL	ENGINE	TRANSMISSION	HORSEPOWER	TORQUE
2018 Q5	2.0 TFSI® quattro AWD	Seven-speed S tronic®	252 hp @ 5,000-6,000 rpm	273 lb-ft @ 1,600-4,500 rpm

Technology
The new Q5 features the latest in MMI and infotainment from Audi including the available Audi virtual cockpit, standard Audi smartphone interface, MMI® all-in touch® and Audi connect,® all of which help the driver to more easily view and control content while remaining connected.
Technology features include:

Available Audi virtual cockpit features a 12.3-inch display that delivers vibrant color at 60 frames per second with NVIDIA® quad core processing power. The virtual cockpit helps to enhance the infotainment viewing and navigating experience via the large Google Earth™ images (requires Audi connect PRIME) supported with 4G LTE (where available).
Available full-color head-up display projects relevant driving information directly in the driver’s field of vision.
Available for the first time in the Q5 model line, MMI® all-in touch® with handwriting-recognition technology includes ‘Menu’ and ‘Back’ functions, two touch keys for horizontal menu control logic, eight storage buttons for radio station presets and the ability to move the map or zoom in/out using swipe or pinch motions respectively.
Standard Audi smartphone interface provides Apple CarPlay™ and Google™ Android Auto integration via USB connection, making smartphone interactions easier and more seamless for the driver.
The available 19 speaker, 755 watt Bang & Olufsen® sound system with 3D sound creates almost true-to-life surround sound reproduction.

Audi connect®
Audi connect packages together all applications that help connect the vehicle with the internet, the owner and the surrounding infrastructure. Improved functions include online traffic info, weather updates, fuel prices, Apple Siri® Eyes Free integration for compatible devices, internet radio streaming as well as picture navigation and read-aloud personalized news headlines and Twitter® alerts among other features (requires subscription).
Supported by 4G LTE (where available), available in-car Audi connect infotainment, security and service features include:

Vehicle services such as vehicle status report, online roadside assistance and service interval notification
Automatic Crash Notification (SOS)
Manual Emergency Call (SOS)
Stolen Vehicle Locator

The Audi connect mobile application has also been updated to support new remote services designed for the US market which include Curfew, Speed, and Valet Alerts, remote lock and unlock capability and online car finder.
Driver assistance
The Q5 incorporates driver assistance features that are designed to help drivers confidently navigate the road and traffic.
Driver assistance features:

In the case of an impending collision, standard Audi pre sense® basic can intervene to help prepare the vehicle for impact. This process includes beginning to close the side windows and panoramic sunroof, pretensioning the front safety belts,
Standard Audi pre sense city helps detect cornering and stationary vehicles, as well as pedestrians, at speeds of up to 52 mph and can initiate full braking when a potential collision is detected.
Audi side assist (standard on Premium Plus and Prestige trims) provides blind spot monitoring via LED indicators on the exterior mirror housings at speeds above 9 mph.
Audi pre sense rear (standard on Premium Plus and Prestige) helps monitor the traffic following the vehicle and takes similar actions to Audi pre sense basic.
Vehicle exit assist (as part of Audi side assist) can help prevent incidents with a side assist warning light, which blinks and helps alert the driver when vehicles or cyclists are approaching from behind as the vehicle doors are opened.
Rear cross traffic assist (as part of Audi side assist) supports the driver when reversing out of a perpendicular parking space. Indicator arrows in the MMI® display can inform the driver of approaching vehicles, and in critical situations, a warning tone and brake jolt can be applied, prompting the driver to stop the vehicle.
Available Adaptive cruise control with stop & go and traffic jam assist helps maintain set distance from the vehicle in front, including braking and accelerating as needed. Between 0-40 mph, traffic jam assist combines acceleration, braking and steering guidance, which can help reduce the stress of driving in congested traffic.
Available traffic sign recognition (as part of the Driver assistance package) including vehicle speed warning can detect speed limits and displays the information in the Audi virtual cockpit or driver information system. Additionally, the system helps evaluate various driving conditions, no passing zones and school and construction zones.
Available Audi active lane assist observes lane markings and can provide gentle steering wheel warning vibrations if it is determined that the vehicle is approaching the edge of the lane without signaling.
Turn assist (as part of the Driver Assistance package) can detect the approach of oncoming traffic, when making a left-hand turn at an intersection (when the vehicle is traveling above 1 mph and below 7 mph and turn signal is activated).