Audi SQ5 review

All SQ5’s come with luxurious diamond-stitched Nappa leather seats, which only enhance what is already one of the best interiors in the business for out-and-out quality. There are textured, squishy plastics where you want them on the dashboard and doors, behind which everything feels solid. Even operating the precision buttons and switches imparts a sense of Teutonic excellence that Porsche and BMW can’t completely emulate.

The driving position is brimming with adjustability, from the reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, to the multi-way powered driver’s seat, which includes four-way electric lumbar adjustment. The relationship between the pedals, seat and steering wheel is very good, so you won’t suffer the offset driving position that blights the GLC.

Just like the standard Q5, visibility is excellent. The SQ5’s relatively slender front pillars and tall windows mean you’ll have no trouble seeing out at junctions and roundabouts. Happily, front and rear parking sensors are standard and a rear-view camera is available as an option, should you fancy a bit more help in the parking department. LED headlights are standard, with Matrix adaptive headlights fitted on the top-spec Vorsprung trim.

Audi's excellent MMI Navigation Plus infotainment system comes as standard. Okay, this system isn’t as up-to-date in terms of features as the touchscreen version Audi uses in its most recent cars, including the A6, but it’s easier to use and less distracting to use on the move. Everything is controlled using a rotary dial controller and shortcut buttons between the front seats, which you use to scroll through easy-to-follow menus. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring are both standard, too.

Wireless phone charging and Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel are also included in the price.