- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DTT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
230kW, 650Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2009)
2013 Audi SQ5 Review
2013 AUDI SQ5 REVIEW
Vehicle Style: Performance luxury SUV
Price: $89,400 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 230kW/650Nm 3.0 litre twin turbo diesel V6 | 8spd auto
Fuel Economy claimed: 6.8 l/100km | tested: 10.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The 'performance diesel SUV' category isn’t exactly what you’d call overpopulated.
In fact, outside of the oil-burning version of the Porsche Cayenne and the substanitally more expensive M50d variants of the BMW X5 and X6, there’s only one other diesel SUV with any kind of sporting cred.
Audi calls it the SQ5, and at $89,400 it’s the most affordable diesel performance SUV out there.
Sure, you can get yourself into a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 for $77k, but the thirst of that monster’s petrol-guzzling 6.4 litre Hemi V8 will quickly swallow the difference.
But is value the only appealing facet of the SQ5?
Not by a long shot. It’s disturbingly good fun to drive, sounds great for a diesel and features a family-friendly cabin that will keep the rest of your brood happy during the day-to-day. Let’s take a closer look.
INTERIOR | RATING: 3.5/5
Quality: As with most Audis, the SQ5’s interior is both meticulous and stylish (if not entirely fault-free).
Materials and construction is top-notch, but if we had to nitpick we’d draw attention to the (optional) carbon trim around the centre console. In places, the clear coat was so thin that the carbon weave texture showed through.
But elsewhere, there’s nothing to complain about. The black Nappa leather upholstery is sumptuous and offset by silver contrast-stitching, and there’s no shortage of soft-touch surfacing.