New Audi Q5 Sportback review

The most hardcore SUVs are a bit like hiking boots: tough and comfy, but also bulky and noticeably heavier than a regular car. The Audi Q5 Sportback, though, is more of a hiking shoe – trading some ruggedness for a low-cut look and a bit more mobility.

The latest Q5 Sportback coupé SUV – which is based on the new Q5 SUV – promises to carry over the previous version's tidy driving manners and relatively spacious interior while gaining a host of upgrades.

It gets Audi's latest generation of fuel-saving mild-hybrid engines and a redesigned interior, for example. On the outside, you can still tell the Sportback apart from a regular Q5 by the lack of roof rails and its sloping rear roof.

The Audi Q5 Sportback's main rivals are the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupé, so how does it compare with them for driving manners, practicality, interior quality and more? Let's find out…

Like the Audi Q5 SUV, the Q5 Sportback’s engine range currently consists of one petrol TFSI and one diesel TDI option. Both are 2.0-litres producing 201bhp, with power sent via Audi’s Quattro four-wheel drive system.

The diesel’s 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds makes it a bit brisker than the BMW X4 xDrive20d (7.9 seconds) and Mercedes GLC Coupé 220d (at 8.1 seconds). Meanwhile, the petrol’s time is only slightly quicker (7.2 seconds).

The Q5 Sportback's mild-hybrid system gives it the edge over rivals too. Typically, this sort of tech provides a tiny amount of electrical assistance when you’re accelerating to help out the engine. Here, there's enough battery capacity to drive on electricity alone for short stints at low speeds.

Granted, you need to be gentle with the accelerator pedal, but it does make more of a difference in everyday driving than other mild hybrids, whether you're crawling silently in traffic or reversing into a parking space.

So far we’ve tried the diesel, and it has plenty of muscle to be flexible and effortless in everyday driving. Both engines give the Q5 Sportback an official towing weight of 2400kg, but the diesel’s low-down shove will make it the more capable tow car.

The mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines are due to be joined by a petrol plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – we'll let you know what it's like when we've driven it.

So far we’ve driven the Q5 Sportback with optional adaptive air suspension. It’s available on S line trim and above and delivers a really smooth, controlled ride at all speeds, even with large 20in alloys fitted.

We can’t say for sure if it’s worth stumping up for because we haven’t tried the standard "sports" suspension you get on S line and Edition 1, or the "comfort" set-up fitted to entry-level Sport.

The air suspension allows you to adjust the firmness, and in Dynamic mode it stiffens up to make the Q5 Sportback feel more composed and agile.

The Q5 Sportback isn’t the most smile-inducing car when it comes to handling but it is competent and confidence-inspiring. There’s plenty of grip, only a small amount of body lean and the steering is reassuringly accurate, building up weight more naturally than a GLC Coupe’s.

Refinement is impressive, with low levels of road and wind noise. There’s a faint grumble from the diesel engine at low speed but it fades into the background at a cruise.

The Q5 Coupé is also available as a performance SUV – to read about that see our Audi SQ5 review.

"I like that the mild-hybrid system is capable of driving the Q5 Sportback at low speeds with the engine off, replacing the diesel sound with a faint whine of the electric motor." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

The Audi Q5 Sportback has the same interior as the Q5 SUV so while there are some soft materials, there are more cheap-feeling plastics used than in the previous-generation model. It's a step down from the BMW X4 interior and not much better than a Mercedes GLC Coupé.

The control lay-out is fairly minimalist and there are no longer the physical air-conditioning controls you'll find in an older Q5 Sportback. That's a pain because it means you have to aim for small icons on the main infotainment touchscreen or use the voice-control function to make adjustments.

Otherwise, the interior has plenty of positives. The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive, and places you higher up than in most cars. It lines up neatly with the steering wheel and pedals, although if the steering wheel is set low, you might find that it obscures the top corners of the digital driver's display.

The front window pillars are easy to look around at junctions, while the large side windows provide a clearer over-the-shoulder view than you get in an X4 or GLC Coupé. The rear windscreen is relatively big so you get a good view out when looking in your rear-view mirror.

All Q5 Sportbacks come with front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera to help guide you in and out of parking spaces. The pricier Edition 1 trim gets an upgraded 360-degree camera.

The large touchscreen measures 14.5in and is curved towards the driver to make it easier to see and reach. It responds quickly enough when you prod it but it’s not that easy to read or operate at a glance because the text and icons used are mostly small.

With Edition 1 trim you also get a 10.9in touchscreen for your front-seat passenger, allowing them to take control and make adjustments for the driver. Thanks to polarising tech, the driver can't see what's on that second screen.

"I think it’s great that despite its sloping rear roof the Q5 Sportback hasn’t been compromised on visibility by much at all." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Front-seat occupants of the Audi Q5 Sportback have lots of head, leg and shoulder room to stretch out, while storage is generous, including a cubby under the central armrest, two cupholders and a wireless charging tray for your phone. The door bins hold little more than a drinks bottle though.

There’s enough leg room in the back for two six-footers, even when they're sitting behind someone of a similar height.

While the Sportback’s sloping roof means there’s significantly less rear head room than in the Q5 SUV, there’s just enough clearance for a 6ft occupant to sit without brushing their head against the ceiling. It’s similar to a Mercedes GLC Coupé and better than the more confined BMW X4.

A sliding rear bench comes fitted on S line and Edition 1 trims, and you can recline the backrest for a slightly more laidback seating position. With the rear bench slid right forwards, there’s still an adequate amount of leg room for an adult to sit comfortably on a short journey.

Fitting a third adult in the back of the Q5 Sportback is going to be a squeeze. Whoever sits in the middle will be straddling a chunky hump in the floor and the slightly raised seat base will bring their head into the ceiling.

With the back seats slid back as far as they go, the Sportback has 515 litres of boot space below the load cover. On paper, that's less than all versions of the GLC Coupé (with 545 litres) but not far behind the X4 (525 litres).

The Q5 SUV has just five litres more boot space below its load cover, so for buyers who don't plan to load up their car to the roof, practicality is similar.

The Sportback's rear seats split and fold down in a 40/20/40 split and you can drop the seatbacks by pulling handles on the walls of the boot. You get a powered tailgate on all versions.

"I’m just over 6ft tall and found rear head room in the Audi Q5 Sportback absolutely fine" – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The Audi Q5 Sportback costs slightly more than an equivalent Q5 SUV and given that it's a bit less spacious, it’s hard to recommend unless you really love the way it looks.

Against its rivals, an equivalent Sportback S Line TDI costs slightly more than a BMW X4 xDrive20d M Sport. That said, it’s still more affordable than an entry-level Mercedes GLC Coupé 220d AMG Line.

The Sportback's mild-hybrid tech means fuel economy is better than you might expect: the TFSI petrol can officially achieve 40mpg on smaller wheels, which is slightly better than the GLC 300. Meanwhile, the diesel’s official figure of around 47mpg is competitive against the X4 xDrive20d (around 46mpg), but trails the GLC 220d (around 53mpg).

If you're looking for a company car and want to keep BIK tax down, you'll be better off waiting for the plug-in hybrid Q5 Sportback. To save even more on tax, consider an electric SUV such as the similar-sized Audi Q6 e-tron.

Entry-level Sport trim comes with plenty of kit, including three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats and a 360-degree parking camera. We suspect it's all you need.

The main reason to upgrade to S line trim is probably the bigger (20in) alloys and sportier bodykit it brings, but it also adds sliding rear seats and tinted rear windows, plus it’s the cheapest trim available with the air suspension.

Edition 1 trim adds the second infotainment touchscreen for the front passenger, electric front seats, 21in alloys, matrix LED headlights and some extra active safety aids.

On the subject of safety, the Q5 SUV achieved the full five-star rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2025. It provided strong protection for children but could have been better protecting adults in a front impact. All versions come with automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic-sign recognition, lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.

The Q5 Sportback is too new to feature in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Audi as a whole finished in a disappointing 24th place out of 31 car brands. BMW and Mercedes both did better.

Audi gives you a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. BMW and Mercedes give you the same term but with unlimited mileage.

"The Q5 Sportback doesn’t come with roof rails as standard to help it look sleeker but I'd be tempted to have them fitted as an option." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

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