• Loads of boot space
• Great cabin storage up front
• Just enough passenger room

How much space is there?

With 540 litres of boot space the Audi Q5 boasts better luggage room than its contemporary A4 Avant. It can also carry more than other alternatives from the late 2000s, such as the BMW X3 and Volvo XC60.

It’s easy to load bulky or heavy objects. The Audi Q5’s boot is wide and it has a small lip, which means you just walk up and dump items down. There’s also some extra storage hidden beneath the boot floor.

Rear legroom is passable rather than palatial, but the Q5 is still practical enough for families. It was also optionally available with a sliding seat that allows each seat on the bench to fold and slide back and forth independently. We reckon it’s an option that’s worth hunting out.

In the front, there’s plenty of stowage space. You get deep door pockets, a large central cubby and a good-sized glovebox. Another clever option was a ‘climate cup holder’ which can cool drinks down to three degrees or heat them up to 58 degrees.

Safety

• Mk1 Audi Q5 was last tested in 2009
• Its rating is now old enough to have expired
• But it should still protect you well in a crash

Euro NCAP crash tested the Audi Q5 in 2009, and it scored the maximum five-star rating. The safety body has tightened up its test criteria a lot since then, but the Q5 should still be a safe pair of hands in an accident. It’s worth noting it scored impressively well for child safety, too.

Every Q5 came as standard with electronic stability control (ESP), as well as advanced hill descent control for off road driving. All cars also featured six airbags and with Isofix child seat mounting points in the back.

Watch the Mk1 Audi Q5’s crash test video