Audi gives its strong-selling Q5 a major makeover for 2025 as the company adds more style, performance, and luxury to the SUV in an attempt to build on its strong sales numbers and also expand its arsenal of luxury SUVs.
Audi attempts to sharpen its SUV game with the 2025 Q5.
The Audi Q5 has always been a strong seller for the German luxury brand with the model having strong demand in multiple markets. That includes the U.S. where 44% of the Q5’s sales come from with the European home market being responsible for another 35%. With these two markets being strong battlegrounds for the Q5, Audi knows it can’t afford to play it safe with the Q5 as the model faces competition from a growing pool of luxury SUV rivals.
As such, the 2025 Q5 is shaping up to be a pivotal chapter in the Q5’s story as the revamped SUV attempts to win over a new generation of buyers with its revamped exterior and interior while also attempting to keep loyalists happy with its new engines and sharper platform.
Revamped exterior styling gives Q5 fresh vigor
The Q5 gets an all-new architecture and revamped exterior stytling for a more assertive look.
The exterior styling of the Q5 has always been known for having a soft rotund look to it with the last two generations of the Q5 embracing that particular styling theme. The 2025 model changes all that by giving it a more aggressive personality with the front fascia getting a new front grille and narrower headlights that are angled for a meaner appearance. The lower air intake beneath the grille connects the larger side air intakes and acts as a cradle in the front fascia. The side profile gts a swooping design line and the rear is defined by a modern interpretation of Audi’s lightbar design for its taillights. In other markets, the 266 OLED elements in the assembly will be able to flash signals to drivers behind the SUV but we won’t get that feature in the U.S.
Larger wheels also help enhance the Q5’s profile and the whole thing is underpinned by the company’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture which is an evolution of the MLB Evo platform that underpinned the second-generation model. The renaming of this platform also helps Audi simplify some things in its record-keeping with the PPC platform complimenting the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture that will be used on the A6 E-tron.
Q5 interior gets more tech
The interior pitches the Virtual Cockpit system for a new Digital Stage setup.
Slip inside the Q5 and you’ll find that the cabin takes full advantage of the PPC platform. A new steering wheel leads the eye to the revamped infotainment and digital instrument cluster. The Virtual Cockpit system has been scrubbed and in its place is a new glass panel that now houses both of these items under one large pane of glass. Dubbed the “Digital Stage” system, this setup consists of a 14.5-inch center display with the gauges being handled by a slightly smaller 11.9-inch screen.
An optional heads-up display has more glass coverage than before with the front passenger getting a 10.9-inch screen to help them be a figurative co-pilot for the driver on long journeys. A cooled wireless phone charging tray provides space to charge a phone or a mobile device while four charging ports allow multiple devices with one of the ports having the ability to charge up a laptop. The rest of the cabin features high-quality sustainable materials including fabrics and textiles that promise to give the cabin a modern upscale look.
More Audi Stories
- Audi Expands All-Electric Offerings with New A6 E-Tron
- Audi’s Best-Selling Q5 SUV Teased Ahead of Complete Makeover’s Debut
- Audi Teases Q6 E-Tron, Confirms March 18 Unveiling
Q5 performance gets an upgrade
More torque and hybrid technology dominate the Q5’s performance updates.
In addition to the updates that Audi made to the Q5’s exterior and interior, the brand also gave the Q5’s powertrains some much-needed attention. Q5s in the U.S. will get two gasoline engines with base models getting a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 201 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque with the latter figure going up by 15 lb-ft when compared to the outgoing model. The beefier SQ5 retains the 3.0-liter V6 but while it continues to make 362 hp, the torque figure has also gone up too with the updated engine now producing 406 lb-ft of torque.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic will be standard across the lineup with the SQ5 being forced to trade in its eight-speed automatic to comply with this change. The updated powertrains also allow the updated suspension and steering systems to continue playing their supporting roles with Audi saying that the revised tuning in both of these items improves handling and ride comfort. Audi wasn’t ready to talk about fuel economy but did confirm that all non-PHEV models will be equipped with a mild-hybrid system to boost fuel economy and performance.
When can I buy one?
Audi confirmed that ordering for the 2025 Q5 is currently open in Europe but stopped short of revealing pricing or when ordering for other markets like the U.S. is slated to take place. Look for the Q5 to begin making its way to dealerships next year with variants like the PHEV and the Sportback making their respective appearances later on. U.S. pricing will be revealed closer to the model’s launch but expect ti to be a noticeable step u over the existing pricing ladder that’s in place for the 2024 model
If the 2025 is anything like the 2024, save your money and get a Hyundai of similar size. They are very similar inside I feel and Hyundai has just about the same tech.