2022 Audi Q5 Sportback

Audi has long ago mastered the science of building premium luxury SUVs and the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback is its latest entrant. The regular Audi Q5 has become the bread and butter product offering from the lineup; it's the top-selling Audi vehicle in the US, closely followed by the other Q variants, so it would only make sense to expand its range with a 'coupe' body style. The four-door crossover coupe SUV, or whatever you want to call it, is a new breed of city-dwelling car that has spawned creations such as the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe, both competitors of the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback. This slick new offering is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot gas engine and is helped along by a hybrid-electric system. The total power output is 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, which is more than enough for this platform. As always, Audi nails the interior, and the drive and handling are impressive too. The Q5 Sportback undercuts its German competition on price and is a clever choice in this niche section of the market.

The new Sportback shares the 2022 Q5's stylish new Singleframe grille and large air intakes at the front end. LED headlights are standard, and Audi's matrix-design LED technology is no longer an optional extra on the two base trims this year - they are standard if you go for the top-spec Prestige trim. The side profile of the Q5 Sportback is noticeably sleeker than the standard Q5 and is actually 0.3 inches longer than the standard Q5. The Sportback is relatively attractive as far as Sportback SUVs go; just ignore the busy rear end. Standard exterior features on the base model include 19-inch five double-arm bi-color wheels, an S line exterior package, and power-adjustable and heated side mirrors. A panoramic sunroof is also standard. The Prestige trim adds features such as LED taillights with animation. Unlike the regular Q5, the Q5 Sportback deletes the roof rails.

The new Audi Q5 Sportback has very similar dimensions to the regular Q5, which means a wheelbase of 111 inches, a height of 65.4 inches, and a width of 74.5 inches. The Sportback is slightly longer than the 184.3-inch Q5, with a total length of 184.6 inches. The Q5 Sportback tips the scales at 4,178 pounds.

Audi offers the Q5 Sportback SUV in a selection of seven colors, starting with the only no-cost option, Ibis White, and followed by six options priced at $595: District Green Metallic, Florett Silver Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Mythos Black Metallic, Ultra Blue Metallic, and Daytona Gray Pearl. For those who want something more unique, Audi offers an exclusive special paint color option that allows new owners to choose any color under the sun for $3,900.

This is a premium luxury German SUV, so it goes without saying that it's going to, at the very least, have a decent turn of pace. The 2021 Audi Q5 Sportback enjoys the same power output as the standard Q5, totaling 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Its perky gas and mild-hybrid powertrain deliver a surprising lowdown punch, transferring into a seamless surge of power. The Q5 Sportback offers more power than the base versions of fellow Germans, the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe and the BMW X4, and Audi claims a brisk 0-60 mph sprint time of only 5.7 seconds, partly thanks to the quattro AWD system. The base Porsche Macan has the same 261 hp and more torque - 295 lb-ft - but is slower to 60 mph. The Audi's top speed is 130 mph. Although the Porsche is the more enjoyable car to drive fast, this Audi will never leave you wanting for more power. The Q5 Sportback is capable of towing a decent 4,400 lbs.

The turbocharged 2.0-liter TFSI inline-4 engine under the hood of the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback is joined by a 12-volt mild-hybrid system to help improve both efficiency and performance and delivers a respectable 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and a standard quattro all-wheel-drive system. Despite its notable size and weight, the Q5 Sportback never feels slow, and pick-up from the powertrain is impressive. In town, throttle response is sharp enough to get you out of tight spots in traffic and even fully loaded with kids and cargo, the Q5 Sportback doesn't hesitate to provide a good shove of torque. The same can be said for highway driving: the Q5 Sportback doesn't struggle to maintain or pick up speed on the open road and will happily overtake even when fully loaded. The seven-speed box is smooth but responsive enough when called on to make quick shifts.

The Q5 Sportback straddles a thin line between being a road car and a crossover SUV, and in this class, one would expect handling more akin to a sedan than a lumbering off-road SUV. That's exactly what Audi has gone for. The Q5 Sportback's suspension setup feels firm, which is appreciated on smooth city roads, where this crossover feels planted and ready to grip in every corner. Steering is light, which is perfect for heavy city traffic, but manages to feel crisp, responsive, and direct, once again filling the driver with confidence through faster bends. Even with the optional 20-inch wheels, the Q5 Sportback never feels jarring, even at lower speeds. On the highway, our test drive revealed that this is one seriously comfortable cruiser. The Q5 Sportback will naturally lean toward understeer when pushed to the limit, but it offers impressive corner exit grip.

Despite the additional hybrid assistance, the Q5 Sportback doesn't deliver massively impressive fuel economy figures, although it's in line with its major rivals. The EPA rates that the Q5 will manage 23/28/25 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycle. The rivaling Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe will manage a similar 22/28/24 mpg in GLC 300 guise and the base BMW X4 can return 21/28/24 mpg.

With a fuel capacity of 18.5 gallons, the Q5 Sportback should have a range of around 460 miles.

There are no surprises here: the Audi Q5 Sportback crossover features the same impeccable attention to detail, timeless design language, and build quality that we've come to expect from Audi, and this interior can be considered one of the best in its class, with the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe posing the stiffest competition. The dashboard design is sleek and minimalist, but the jury is still out on the floating infotainment display that slightly impedes forward visibility, especially for shorter folks. All models feature leather upholstery, an ambient LED lighting package, and a power panoramic sunroof that brightens the typically dark Germanic interior. The cabin is made all the more comfortable with conveniences such as three-zone climate control and heated front seats, with ventilated front seats and heated rear seats added as you move up the trim levels. At the top of the trim ladder, the Q5 Sportback features a head-up display.

The interior of the 2022 Q5 Sportback feels airy and will fit four adults with ease, even five in a pinch. Getting in and out is easy thanks to the Sportback's crossover ride height, and despite the sloping roofline, those in the rear won't have a hard time accessing the cabin either. That being said, there is lots of headroom on offer in the front, and although the Sportback body style reduces rear headroom, it's not so severe that it would dissuade six-footers from getting comfy. Legroom is also impressive both in the front and rear. The front seats are supportive and comfortable enough for long road trips, and come with heating as standard. On the top trim, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats are standard.

Audi builds spectacular interiors, and the Q5 Sportback is no different. The choice of materials and build quality on display here exudes class and sophistication. Leather is standard and the base model is offered with upholstery color combinations such as Atlas Beige and Granite Gray, Black and Rock Gray, Okapi Brown and Granite Gray, and Rock Gray and Granite Gray. The Premium Plus is offered with the $950 Warm Weather package which adds ventilated front seats and manual rear side window shades - these seats are offered in the same color choices. All models feature Gray/Brown Birch natural wood inlays.

Some coupe-style crossovers suffer from much smaller trunks but don't let that slick roofline fool you into thinking that the Q5 Sportback is no longer a practical family car. The Q5 Sportback offers an impressive amount of cargo space. With the back seats in the upright position, it has an impressive 24.7 cubic feet of space, crushing the 17.6 cubic feet on offer in the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe and the Porsche Macan, which also has a tinier 17.2-cu-ft trunk. Fold the back seats down, and you get an equally impressive 51.9 cubes. That's enough room for two Golden Retrievers, hiking gear, and a picnic basket.

Small items can be stored in the generous door pockets, seatback pockets, glovebox, center console bin, and storage compartments in front of and behind the shifter. There's a pair of cupholders for front passengers, and a pair for those seated in the rear.

The Q5 Sportback is a premium machine packed with high-end features. The base model is offered with a power tailgate, a power panoramic sunroof, illuminated aluminum door sills with S badging, three-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror with digital compass and Integrated Toll Module, LED interior lighting, a seven-inch driver info display, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, and heated front seats. Standard driver assistance tech includes Audi pre sense city, high-beam assist, front and rear parking sensors, Audi pre sense basic and rear, lane departure warning, and Audi side assist. The Premium Plus adds features such as a top-view camera, Audi virtual cockpit plus, active lane assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, and wireless phone charging. The Prestige trim includes ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a head-up display, and Matrix LED headlights.

The infotainment system in the Audi Q5 Sportback features an infotainment system with a 10.1-inch central touchscreen display. Standard features include Bluetooth streaming, HD Radio, a ten-speaker audio system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto integration. Premium Plus and Prestige models also benefit from the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital cluster with a 12.3-inch display. At the top of the range, the Prestige trim adds a head-up display, integrated navigation, and a hard-hitting Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with 19 speakers.

The 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback has not been recalled yet at the time of writing. The 2021 model was recalled twice. The first recall was issued for an axle assembly issue; a lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle on certain vehicles has been known to crack because of stress corrosion. The second recall was issued due to a seat belt locking retractor malfunction.

To protect you from any issues that may arise in the future, Audi covers the Q5 Sportback with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, a 12-year corrosion warranty, a four-year/50,000-mile drivetrain warranty, an eight-year/100,000-mile hybrid component warranty, and a four-year roadside assistance plan.

The NHTSA subjected the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback to a review and awarded an overall rating of five stars for crash safety. Frontal crash and side crash tests also scored five stars, with the rollover test resulting in a four-star score. The safety review from the IIHS was equally as impressive, with six top scores of Good given for the 2022 model. Last year's evaluation also resulted in a 2021 Top Safety Pick+ title for the Audi SUV.

The Q5 Sportback is packed with standard driver assistance technology such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, cruise control, a rearview camera, and automatic emergency braking. Audi pre sense city, basic, and rear are all included from the base model, as are front and rear parking sensors. From the mid-spec Premium Plus, active lane assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist and a top-view camera are added, while the top-end Prestige gets a head-up display with traffic sign recognition. Each Q5 Sportback comes with six airbags as standard, but rear-passenger side airbags can be added for an additional $350.

The SUV coupe body style is still a relatively new invention, but for some reason, people are attracted to these oddly shaped machines, and Audi can ill-afford to miss out on sales when its arch-rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW count their dollars. The good news is that the Q5 Sportback translates well as a coupe crossover and feels every bit as capable and comfortable as the regular Q5. The slinky exterior styling might be divisive, but this car is undeniably brilliant.

The combination of the 2.0-liter TFSI engine and quattro AWD delivers enough punch and, despite riding slightly stiffer than the regular Q5, the Sportback is still a comfortable machine to drive around town and on the highway. Rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class coupe and BMW X4 are superior cars in their own way; the BMW being better to drive, and the Mercedes-Benz being a more comfortable and technically advanced machine. That leaves the Audi comfortably in the middle, and there's nothing wrong with that.

The price of the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback begins at an MSRP of $49,900, making it nearly $2,000 cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class coupe. The price of the Q5 Sportback in Premium Plus trim is $53,300, while the top-of-the-range Prestige costs $58,600. These prices exclude tax, registration, and a destination fee of $1,095. Fully loaded, the Prestige trim can top out at over $64k including destination - but that amount includes the special exterior color for $3,900.

The 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback is available in three trims, namely Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. All models share an identical drivetrain - a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four gas engine with 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, coupled to a seven speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive.

The base Premium trim has as standard 19-inch alloy wheels, an exterior S line package, full-LED headlights, and a power panoramic sunroof. Inside, leather upholstery, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, a seven-inch driver-information display, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with a digital compass are all standard. The infotainment system has a 10.1-inch touchscreen and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a ten-speaker audio system. Safety and driver-assistance features include six airbags, Audi pre sense basic, city, and rear, Audi side assist, and lane-departure warning.

The mid trim is Premium Plus and adds to these features an extended leather package, a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit driver-information display, wireless phone charging, and, from this year, an electrically adjustable steering column. Added safety features are adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, active lane assist, and a top-view camera.

The flagship Prestige adds to these Matrix-design headlights with washers and animated LED tail lights. Inside, it gains front seat ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, rear door shades, navigation, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system. Added safety features include traffic-sign recognition and a head-up display.

The base model can be kitted out with the $1,100 Convenience Package, which adds features such as an Audi advanced key, memory for the driver's seat, auto-dimming/power-folding exterior mirrors, and a heated steering wheel.

Exclusive to the Premium Plus, the $950 Warm Weather package adds manual rear sunshades and ventilated front seats. The $1,500 Navigation package adds MMI navigation plus and a six-month trial subscription to Audi Connect Prime and Plus. For the music fans, a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with 19 speakers and 755 watts of power is available for $950.

Both Premium Plus and Prestige owners can also go for the new $2,500 Black optic sport package that adds 21-inch five-double-spoke alloy wheels with summer tires, blacked-out exterior trim, sport suspension, Aluminum Rhombus inlays. The Black optic package adds 20-inch wheels instead and the blacked-out trim for a lower $1,300.

Rear-side thoracic airbags are also offered for $350, available to all models.

Audi has managed to undercut its main rivals, the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, by over $3,000 in base trim, which means you can skip the Premium trim altogether and go straight for the $51,800 mid-level Premium Plus and still pay around the same as an entry-level model from either BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Going for the Premium Plus will get you all the base features such as a panoramic sunroof, lane departure warning, and automatic climate control, but adds a electrically adjustable steering wheel, the 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit display, a top-view camera system, and driver aids such as active lane assist and adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist.

The Q5 is one of Audi's most popular models and competes with vehicles such as the BMW X3. The Q5 and Q5 Sportback share most of their features, but there are some notable differences, especially to the exterior. The Sportback showcases a sleeker side profile, a redesigned bumper, and a slightly longer overall length. On the inside, the Q5, with its higher roofline, offers more cargo space, although the difference here isn't massive. Under the hood, both share the same base 2.0-liter TFSI engine, but the Q5 is also offered as a plug-in hybrid with 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque; these superior powertrain specs make the PHEV significantly quicker than the Sportback. The Q5 is offered in the same three trim levels as the Sportback, namely Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige, and shares a similar list of standard and optional features. At the end of the day, the standard Q5 offers more space and is cheaper. For us, the choice is obvious.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe is another German coupe-like SUV that fills a gap in the market that no one knew existed. As with the Q5 Sportback, the GLC is based on an actual SUV but has had its roofline chopped, making it less practical and more expensive. The Merc starts at $51,650, making it over $3,000 more expensive than the Audi in base spec. Under the hood, you get a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine producing a less powerful 255 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. On the road, the Mercedes doesn't feel much slower, and is arguably more entertaining to drive while returning similar fuel economy figures. On the inside, the GLC-Class Coupe is one of the only cars in this class that matches the Audi for interior quality and style, and the features list is impressive. It might be more expensive and slightly down on power, but the GLC-Class Coupe exudes class and would be our choice.