A versatile everyday model: the Audi Q5

• Freedom of movement: enhanced and adaptable habitability
• On- and off-road performance: air suspension with adaptive damper control
• Eye-catching day and night: active digital light signature and second-generation OLED digital taillights

The new Audi Q5 stands out for its versatility. Since 2008, the first two generations of the SUV have impressed countless customers with their qualities. Today, the third edition of the Audi Q5 demonstrates its versatile and versatile characteristics in southern Spain. From mountain biking to dinner on the town, Dominic Stern, product marketing expert for the Audi Q5, takes us on a day trip.

We meet Dominic Stern in front of a hotel in Malaga. Working in product marketing, he is familiar with all the features of the new Audi Q5; his role in the development process was to best represent the customers’ interests. “It was important to us that the third generation of our best-seller could also be clearly identified as an Audi Q5. Since 2008, the model has been a great success for the brand. In addition to its sporty design with clearly defined surfaces and lines, the new Audi Q5 impresses above all with its exceptional suitability for everyday use. And that’s what we want to demonstrate today.”

Comfortable, spacious, and offering plenty of storage space

Dominic prepares the car for a trip to the countryside and installs a bike rack with a mountain bike on the swiveling towbar. Thanks to the air suspension’s adaptive damping control, he can lower the car slightly to facilitate loading. A particularly practical feature of the Audi Q5 is the adjustable rear seat. It can be moved lengthwise and its angle can be adjusted, allowing the trunk volume or rear passenger comfort to be increased as needed. With the rear seats folded down, the storage volume increases to 1,473 liters, depending on the model variant. Dominic comments: “I’m always impressed by the adjustable rear seat, and here in the trunk, it’s very clear how we’ve directly implemented customer wishes. For the first time, the trunk protection can be stowed in a specially designed compartment under the floor in just a few simple steps. It’s extremely practical!”

As Dominic removes the child seat from the back seat to stow more gear, he explains, “The Audi Q5 is also a perfect family vehicle.” He points out the attachment points. “A child seat can be attached to both rear seats as well as the front passenger seat—and we offer this as standard.” Other practical features include a larger storage compartment under the center armrest and numerous smaller storage spaces for sunglasses, keys, and other everyday items. A 15-watt inductive and cooled charger in the front center console, as well as two USB-C ports in the front and two in the rear, provide power for smartphones and other devices. The ports can even provide up to 100 watts as an option, enough to easily charge a tablet or laptop.

On mountain roads with air suspension and adaptive damper control

Dominic takes his sunglasses out of the storage compartment and heads towards the mountainous hinterland of Malaga, but the Audi Q5 first leaves the parking lot in electric mode. “Audi stands for ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ (Editor’s note: Advance through technology). That’s why we’re now using the new, efficient and powerful MHEV plus technology for the Audi Q5. Thanks to a small component in the transmission, called a powertrain generator, we not only reduce fuel consumption, but also enable partially electric driving.”

We drive through picturesque landscapes. The Audi Assistant provides easy access to information about cities and places of interest along the route. The intelligent voice assistant can also be used to control many vehicle functions, such as the temperature or opening the windows. The AI-powered digital assistant is integrated into the vehicle and is represented for the first time by an avatar on the central MMI touchscreen and on the head-up display.

We stop off the paved road to hop on our mountain bike. Along the way, Dominic adjusts the suspension to suit the terrain. He explains: “The adaptive air suspension offers a good balance between comfort and sportiness. I can easily set the appropriate modes using Audi drive select and, for example, raise the vehicle by around 30 millimeters in off-road mode, or even up to 45 millimeters at low speeds.”

Safe and stylish night driving thanks to cutting-edge lighting technology

It’s now early evening, and the sun is slowly setting over the horizon. With its new Matrix LED headlights, the new Audi Q5 safely navigates the approaching dusk and nightfall. We make a short stop at the hotel before heading into town for dinner. This is where the interior lighting of the Audi Q5 really comes into its own. It highlights the clearly designed interior even in the dark, and the combination of contour lighting and ambient lighting creates an overall ambiance. The standard progressive steering helps us maneuver through Malaga’s narrow streets.

After dinner, Dominic parks the car at the hotel. It has been a beautiful and eventful day. He takes a last look at the Audi Q5, which bids us farewell with the dynamic lighting of the Coming Home function. With their 266 segments, the second-generation OLED digital rear lights generate a new image several times per second using a specially developed algorithm. Dominic concludes: “The new Audi Q5 is simply a pleasure to drive, whether as a practical everyday companion or as a versatile vehicle for vacations.”