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NEW VEH ICLE AUDI Q5

The earlier Audi Q5 wasn’t outdated by any means and was selling well by segment standards. The second most

successful premium brand in the country today, however, wanted to strengthen its foothold in the segment by

bringing in an improved variant of the mid-size SUV. The new Q5 is what most of us look for – greener, leaner,

quicker and overall much better. Our detailed review lends an insight into the technologies that went through an

improvisation cycle.

NEW AUDI Q5 — PERFORMANCE ENHANCED

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INTRODUCTION

Audi’s ‘Q’ series of SUVs has been a suc-

cess in India since its launch, owing to

the striking and voluminous looks, gen-

erous equipment levels and appreciable

performance and comfort. Through its

mid-life cycle, the Q5 was due for an

update in order to keep it competitive as

ever. The highlight about the facelift is

its 360° approach, which translates into

an improvement for all kinds of con-

sumer expectations. Although not many

major systems have been replaced,

almost everything has become more effi-

cient than in the older Q5. The major

change though comes in the form of

reworked engines, which offer more

power yet higher efficiency.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION – SUBTLE

& PLEASING

The new Q5’s design change is an evolu-

tion of the older one and hence it could

be hard to differentiate between the two

versions from a distance. Getting closer

to the vehicle though reveals some differ-

ences to the keen eye. The most obvious

one is the new headlamps and the LED

pattern. The grille, bumper and air dam

design too has been revised and helps

the new Q5 come across as a slightly

sharper vehicle.

The flatter roofline lends the Q5 with

a dynamic and more road-hugging look.

All changes maintain the dimensions of

the older Q5, while providing a better

and wider look from the front yet a

sharper view from the side. The frontal

area of 2.65 sq m results in a low drag

coefficient of 0.32. The result of this was

evident during our test and even at

speeds exceeding 150 km/h, wind whis-

tle was almost inaudible, translating into

a quiet cabin.

With the designers completing their

job, it was time for the material engineers

to pitch in and their contribution has

lightened the Q5 considerably. The hood

and tailgate are now made from alumin-

ium and the tailgate alone is lighter by 8.1

kg than a similar steel part. The engineers

used a variety of steel options in various

areas to lower weight while achieving

higher tensile strength. The body-in-white

consists of 9.1 % form-hardened steel, 3.3

% ultra-high-strength steel, 12.3 %

advanced high-strength grades, 44.5 %

high-strength steel and 30.8 % deep

drawn steel. The result of all this is an

appreciably low kerb weight of 1,680 kg

for the Q5 2.0 TDI.

POWERTRAIN – EVOLVING

EFFICIENCY

The engines options for India include two

diesels and one petrol option – a 2 l and 3

l TDI and the 2 l TFSI engine. Our test car

was equipped with the 2 l TDI unit, the

one that has continued to sell the most.

The unit develops 177 hp and a peak

torque of 380 Nm between 1,750 and

2,500 rpm. Audi claims a 15 % increase

in fuel-efficiency along with a considera-

ble increase in power. The engine now

features one of the best specific outputs in

its class at 88.5 hp/l.

As is the case with the TDI line-up, the

2 l engine features direct injection and

turbocharging. This configuration

increases overall efficiency and reduces

the size and weight of the engine. Varia-

ble turbochargers ensure the throttle

response is smooth and almost instanta-

neous throughout the rev band. The

engine does a good job of moving the

almost two-tonne SUV at a brisk pace.

During our test the 0-100 km/h accelera-

tion run was recorded in 9.4 s using a

handheld GPS device.

Power and efficiency is further helped

by the common rail system, which can

create a maximum pressure of 29,000 psi

or 2,000 bar. This high pressure leads to

better combustion of fuel, resulting in

higher power and lower emission. Com-

bined with multi-hole nozzles and piezo

injectors the 2 l TDI is one of the most

power-dense yet efficient engines in its

class. Our test included an equal split

between highway and city run during

which the Q5 delivered an indicated fuel-

efficiency of 11.8 km/l, while ARAI certi-

fied fuel-efficiency is 14.6 km/l. Given the

Panoramic roof lends a spacious feel to the cabin New LED design does away with the diagonal pattern

Combination of various grades of steel along with aluminium adds torsional rigidity while reducing weight

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NEW VEH ICLE AUDI Q5

weight, segment and performance of the

vehicle, this is an appreciable number.

The vehicle also boasts of low carbon

emissions at 159 g/km in a combined

cycle. This has partly been made possible

due to the use of exhaust-gas recirculation

(EGR) and its implementation. In TDI

engines, the EGR redirects a significant

amount of exhaust gas to the cylinder,

leading to a lower concentration of oxy-

gen in the air-fuel mixture. These exhaust

gases then prevent chemical reactions

from taking place in the cylinders. The

result of both these changes is a reduction

in combustion temperature, which in turn

lowers the formation of nitrogen oxides

and overall emissions.

The engine is mated to Audi’s well-

known seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch

unit. The transmission responds well and

up-shifts are realised pretty quickly.

Downshifts are a tad slow in standard

mode but identifiable only when pushing

hard. One good thing is the ability to con-

figure various systems to suit the driver’s

requirement. One can programme the

engine and suspension to be in comfort

mode, yet have better performance from

the gearbox by putting it in dynamic

mode. A unique thing about the transmis-

sion is its integration into the engine’s

thermal management system. This signifi-

cantly shortens the warm-up phase and

saves energy.

NVH levels are appreciably low and

the cabin is pretty silent even at speeds of

150 km/h. The overall performance of the

reworked engine is significantly better. A

centrifugal pendulum in the dual-mass

flywheel significantly contributes to the

low-sound from the engine. Although the

changes in the reworked engine are not

massive, their effects are easy to notice.

People who’ve driven the Q5 earlier will

immediately notice these changes and

appreciate them. The Q5’s powertrain

emerged as a well-sorted all-rounder for

us, owing to the flexibility of TDI engines

to be reworked from mild to extensive lev-

els for various applications.

DYNAMICS

Audi’s ‘Q’ range of vehicles is well-known

for the ability to handle more like a car in

most cases. The Q5 continues on the

same line and reflects good dynamic

properties. Needless to say, the famed

Quattro works brilliantly in the Q5 as it

does on all other Audi vehicles. Body roll

is minimal and the plush ride quality

makes for comfortable seating even at

high speeds.

The differential’s location in front of

the clutch and torque converter also helps

overall stability. This placement allows for

the front axle to be pushed to a more for-

ward position, leading to a longer wheel-

base and better distribution of axle loads.

The addition of torque-vectoring in the

new Q5 adds considerably to the handling

of the vehicle and high-speed manoeuvres

are now easier to pull-off. In a nutshell,

the software monitors and determines

which wheel is about to lose grip. A frac-

tion of time before the slip occurs, the sys-

tem gently brakes the wheel in order to

maintain traction.

The retuned spring, damper and stabi-

lisers add further to the dynamic package

of the Q5. Even off-road, the Q5 handles

well and is able to tackle bad terrains

with ease. The off-roading capability is

testified by a ground clearance of 200 mm

and approach & departure angles of 25° .

A major and welcome improvement

comes in the form of a new electrome-

chanical power steering system, claimed

to lower fuel consumption by 0.3 l per 100

km. The steering is significantly better

than the older unit and now offers better

feedback at high speeds. With a gear ratio

of 15.9:1, the unit is pretty direct in

nature and offers good confidence when

driving fast.

The Q5 was already a dynamically

sound vehicle and with the updates it has

A diagramatic explanation of the S tronic's working in the 1st and 2nd gear

The rear three quarter view resembles other models from the 'Q' family

63autotechreview March 2013 Volume 2 | Issue 3

now got even better. It delivers the com-fort and supple ride quality of a car cou-pled with the off-roading benefits and space advantage of an SUV.

INTERIORS & SAFETY

The interiors of the Q5 feature subtle touches aimed at enhancing the opulence of the cabin. The new interior colour schemes help add a fresh feel to the cabin in this mid-cycle update. The centre con-sole is slightly angled towards the driver, translating into a wraparound effect and better ergonomics. The instrument nee-dles and steering column stalks have been redesigned and add in a small way to the high-quality effect.

Front seats are well-cushioned and offer good support all round and are per-fectly suitable for long drives. Legroom at the rear is good but the thigh support is less than adequate and could be an issue for tall people during long journeys. A compensating factor here is the rear seat rest angle, which can be set between 24° and 30°. The flexible seating is something owners will greatly appreciate as one can use various seat settings to accommodate things ranging from mountain bikes to large cases.

The MMI Navigation plus unit is the

top-of-the-line infotainment system for the Q5 and features a DVD drive and 60 GB of hard drive in addition to the usual con-nectivity features. Display is taken care by a seven-inch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. One also has the option to play music from the phone via a Blue-tooth connection, saving time and mem-ory space.

SAFETY

Like any other premium carmaker, Audi has ensured safety levels at par with global competition and technology availa-bility. The Q5 comes loaded with a wide array of safety technologies including air-bags all round, ABS with EBD, ASR and ESC. A notable technology here is the Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), which adds proper off-roading credentials to the Q5’s resume. The system can operate on various surfaces and can automatically brake the wheel on slippery surfaces. The system can operate up to a maximum speed of 100 km/h, thereby making the Q5 capable of handling almost any ter-rain. Another new inclusion is the assis-tance system, which can detect a lapse in the concentration of the driver and sug-gest a break.

OUTLOOK

The Q5 is a well-sorted vehicle with sig-nificant multi-tasking abilities. The mid-cycle update has now added a fair bit of zing to the new Q5 as well, and it’s a bet-ter performer in almost all areas. At this time one needs to consider Audi’s scala-ble and flexible platforms, which are exactly in line with its parent Volkswa-gen’s global strategy. A fair bit of Audi’s products are in mid-cycle stages and this is where Audi’s flexible platforms are con-tributing significantly. The electromechan-ical steering seen in the Q5 for example, was launched earlier in the refreshed A4. Similarly, Audi has a bouquet of scalable technologies, which it can easily modify for a specific application and lend a func-tionally useful update to the consumer rather than a visual one.

The pricing is competitive and given the vast number of technologies one gets access to, the Q5 returns good value for its sticker price, starting at ` 43.16 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi.

TEXT : Arpit Mahendra

PHOTO: Bharat Bhushan Upadhyay / Audi

Changes in the cabin are subtle and not won't make their presence felt in the first go

MMI Navigation Plus comes with a 60 GB hard drive

All controls in the cabin are ergonomically designed

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