Written by Ted Welford Updated: 28 August 2024

Report 1: Welcome

We welcome the plug-in hybrid Audi Q5 50 TFSI e to our long-term test fleet
Reports by Tom Wiltshire

This is not a particularly new car. Okay, yes, this one is new – the 23-plate gives that away, but the Audi Q5 family SUV as an institution is getting on in years. This second-generation car, though facelifted in 2021, was first launched in 2016, making it something of an elder statesman.

Many of its rivals are similarly aged, though. The BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace and Volvo XC60 all launched in 2017, and have had similar nips and tucks over the years to keep things fresh. We’ll be running this Q5 for six months to see if it feels its age or if it successfully matches up to the competition, including models that are in some cases six or seven years further down the line.

Which Q5 do we have here?

We’ve opted for our own specification here, which might explain why the Q5’s only just arrived despite m’colleague Alan Taylor-Jones placing the order over two years ago. The first thing you’ll notice is the eye-catching paint job. ‘District Green’ wouldn’t have been my choice (the Q5 has a rather lovely metallic navy in its colour roster) but there’s no denying it stands out. Unless you park it by the bins, as I’ve discovered. Perhaps ‘District Council Green’ might have been more apt.

We’ve paired it with silver hardware, instead of going for a black pack – that means chrome round the grille, air intakes and window line, and sensible, 19-inch alloy wheels in silver. The headlights are Matrix LED units, and the silver roof bars did actually come with a full set of hardware – which I may experiment with this summer, as I quite fancy a roof tent.

Inside, we’ve gone for grey Nappa leather rather than the standard black, a move that really lightens up the interior. That’s sorely needed, as the Q5 can be a little dark if, like us, you haven’t optioned a panoramic roof.

We’ve added three other options – cabin pre-conditioning for £100 seems a no-brainer, while the £225 Storage Pack adds a useful array of luggage nets, additional cupholders and a lockable glovebox.

Finally, the Comfort and Sound Pack adds niceties like the aforementioned Matrix LEDs, a wireless charging pad and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. Notable by its absence is much additional driver assistance equipment – many cars offer these items as standard now, but our Q5 comes with standard non-adaptive cruise control and only basic lane-keeping aids.

The final thing of note on the car’s exterior is the badge – TFSI e. That indicates that we’ve gone for the plug-in hybrid Q5, which pairs a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol with an electric motor. A combined 299hp and 500Nm of torque mean this is quite punchy, while the 36 (official) miles of electric range should be useful for my regular pootlings.

First impressions

Electric mileage is all well and good, but initial weeks in the Q5 immediately expose a flaw of most PHEVs that really grinds my gears. With a fully charged battery and a full petrol tank, our car’s complete range is around 360 miles. There are full EVs that’ll go further than that.

Otherwise, there’s little in here to annoy or frustrate. Unlike a lot of newer models that shunt every control possible onto a touchscreen, Audi’s retained a good degree of physical switchgear in the Q5. Not only do you get a full array of climate controls on a massive, easy-to-use panel beneath the infotainment screen, but there’s a selection of shortcut buttons underneath that.

The steering wheel controls are real switches too, and while the instrument panel is digital its default is to an analogue-aping twin-dial setup. It feels very conventional, for the better.

Storage space is a bit lousy, though. Other than two cupholders, the storage in the dashboard consists of three tiny slots – none of which are big enough to hold a smartphone.

As for driving it, refinement is the most impressive thing. When you’re just bumbling around town, it’s genuinely difficult to tell if you’re running on petrol or electric power since the engine’s so quiet – it’s easily drowned out by the stereo.

The powertrain responds well and is reasonably quick, though the ride and handling leave you in no doubts that this is a big, heavy car. ‘Agility’ isn’t high on the list here.

I’ll have six months to see if any more annoyances come to light – or, indeed, if any new qualities shine through. I’m hoping that, since I have a charger at home, the Q5 will fit pretty seamlessly into my life, and I can certainly make use of its capacious boot and rear seats to test the practicality.

Though first impressions are perhaps only a couple of degrees above lukewarm, I’m expecting a pain-free and rather comfortable six months.

Report 2: You’re plugging it in wrong

A second opinion on our Q5 as Gareth Evans takes the reins for a spell

Due to unforeseen circumstances I’ve been pootling around in this Q5 for a few weeks (They’re unforeseen because I broke Gareth’s Mazda. Sorry – TW) and it’s been a really interesting time to run a car like this. My first thought is that I’m getting old, or that my fashion sense is rather disastrous, because I really don’t like the shade of green it’s painted in, but it seems this isn’t an opinion shared by the general public. They absolutely love it! I’ve overheard several young people saying how cool it looks, and how much they want a car in this shade. It’s really quite depressing.  

Anyway, exterior looks apart, the same can’t be said for the inside. Audi has been renowned for its beautifully crafted cabins for decades, and this one is among the nicest I’ve experienced. The seats are finished in lovely quilted leather, everything is screwed together wonderfully well and after initially being somewhat bamboozled by the busy dash and screen combo, I soon learnt to love that too.  

The technology in this car really is hugely impressive. I’m a huge proponent of wireless Android Auto so that was a great start, but the screen, voice control and steering wheel controls are extremely simple to operate.  

I was a little disappointed to note Audi has removed the handy rotary control for the multimedia, though. That worked really well so feels like a retrograde step, but only a small one.  

Anyway, there’s nothing wrong at all with the way it drives. The ride and handling balance is excellent, meaning it’s a very comfortable car in which to do big miles. It’s got good ground clearance if you find yourself straying onto a field or two, and couldn’t be easier to operate: the hybrid engine and its gearbox are simply and flawless in operation.  

However, the biggest ‘but’ of the whole experience was the plug-in charging, which never worked. I’m led to believe that a recall may address this, but in my time with the car it still achieved over 40mpg on petrol power alone (Not according to the trip computer – TW). While the plug wasn’t operating, it was still getting tiny amounts of charge into the batteries so puling away from a standstill was silent, and it had surprisingly quick acceleration off the mark too.  

The additional benefit of electric running costs when the plug-in system is functioning correctly would be a huge benefit in running this car over a longer period, however I remain impressed with how it fared. I just wish you didn’t have to carry those dirty cables around everywhere in the boot.  

However, the boot itself is large enough for most items plus the cables, and the back seats fold down easily to liberate a longer load area.  

Overall this is a really good car, albeit an expensive one. If you’ve ever read any other Audi review, that verdict won’t be unfamiliar. However, the firm isn’t short of fans, and with very good reason.  

Would I buy a Q5? Based on these first impressions, absolutely yes. Would I pick the wrong colour? Probably…

As it turns out…

Back to Tom here, and I’ve since taken the Audi in to the garage both for some recall work and to investigate the charging issue. The former didn’t get finished, and the result of the latter is that we’ve been plugging it in incorrectly. No, honestly.

It turns out that the plug needs supporting from underneath while it’s being activated, or the locking pin that holds it in fails to engage. This is what’s been resulting in so many failed charges, as the car doesn’t realise until a couple of minutes later – by which time I’ve usually walked away.

It’s nice that there’s a simple solution, but I can’t help feeling like plugging the car in shouldn’t involve a song and dance if it’s to be a daily procedure.

Report 3: It’s what’s inside that counts

Forget our Q5’s ‘District Green’ paint for a minute – what about the interior?

I’ve now covered plenty of miles in the Q5 – enough to explore every aspect of its interior. It’s definitely a mixed bag in here, with some features I like very much and others I feel need to be improved.

I should start by saying my needs are pretty modest. I’m single without kids, so it’s usually just me in the car – and if I have passengers, they tend not to be of the sort that require bulky child seats or massive pushchairs. I’ve tried to use this logic to argue that I should be long-term testing an Alpine A110, but that’s fallen on deaf ears so far.

Still, there’s a lot of utility to be had in a sensible family SUV, and it has to be said that when I’ve had rear seat passengers in the Q5 they’ve had no complaints and rather a lot of compliments for the comfortable, quilted leather seats and the amount of space they have. Certainly, a six-footer can sit behind my driving position without too much difficulty, which is rare even in larger cars.

Storage for borrowers

I have more moans about the accommodations up front. The driving position is okay – though I’d much prefer to sit lower. It’s the cubbyholes and storage slots that rile me, as they really are useless.

The Q5 is seriously lacking for any smaller storage areas that can handle general pocket detritus. The area around the gear lever has a lidded cubby that can just about handle the keys, a small area underneath the climate controls big enough for a packet of fags and a long slot big enough for nothing useful at all.

Since my Q5 doesn’t have wireless charging, and the USB port is on the centre console, I have to trail the wire the full length of the dash so that my phone can sit in the sliding tray under the centre armrest. Oh, and that tray blocks the cupholders most of the time.

Yes, these may sound like small niggles – but they show a frustrating lack of thought on Audi’s part. Everybody has crap kicking round in their pockets, every car should have somewhere to sling it – especially ones purporting to be family-friendly.

Climate change

There are some good points further up the dash, though. I’ve said it before – I love that the Q5 has a full climate control panel. And it’s a really nice one with well-weighted switches and an LCD panel that shows what you’re doing with it.

I also get on pretty well with the infotainment. It’s a modestly-sized screen by today’s standards, but feels like it’s been designed for chubby fingers like mine so it’s not too much of a struggle to hit the right thing.

Plus, Android Auto works seamlessly, which is good since that’s mainly what I use out on the road.

Total recall

Just to follow-up on last month’s garage visit. I’ve since booked the Q5 in for work at my local dealer – Vindis Audi in Peterborough, where the recall work was completed.

It involved replacing the bolts that hold the high-voltage hybrid battery pack in place, a procedure that required the pack itself to be de-energised – which is why they garage couldn’t finish it last time I took it in, as I needed the car back on the same day. This time, I’d thought ahead and asked for a courtesy car.

Once I was equipped with a boggo-spec manual A1, the work was done in a matter of hours and I was back in the Q5 the same day. I’ve not had much experience with premium-brand servicing before, but this seemed pretty efficient – and I was kept nicely up to date and plied with some very posh coffee while I waited in the dealership. But it’ll take more than a toffee latte to win me over…

Report 4: Friday Night

Luke Wilkinson borrowed the Q5 to get him and four of his mates from Cumbria to Newcastle to see the Darkness in concert. Scroll down to find out how well it coped with five bodies on board.

We’re approaching the end of 2023, which means it’s almost time to decide how we’ll all improve our lives for the first few months of 2024 before abandoning our vows and reverting to our old, slovenly selves. I’m determined to stick to my New Year’s resolution this year, though, because I’ve promised myself that I’ll attend more heavy metal gigs.

I appreciate this change isn’t as wholesome or healthy as starting a new gym routine or adopting a plant-based diet, but my life has been severely lacking in live music since I left university – and it’s been making me miserable. After my studies, I thrust myself into an impoverished London lifestyle and simply didn’t have enough spare change to afford the tickets.

But I’ve now managed to claw my way out of destitution and, in December 2023, I made a head start on my 2024 resolution. Me and five mates made the perilous voyage from Cumbria to Newcastle, crossing the weather-stripped, rain-slicked Lake District, to see the Darkness in concert.

The Audi Q5 was my stand-in chariot for the event. I had organised a seven-seat SUV for the journey, to allow the lads and I to travel over together as one rowdy rabble. However, the car broke down before it arrived. I won’t point fingers at the brand in question, but I will say the car’s model name sounds an awful lot like the noise the final dregs of dishwater make as they descend the plug hole. Take from that what you will.

Now, the more observant of you will have already clocked that the Q5 only has five seats, but there were six of us attending the gig. Thankfully, one of my mates is an engineer for hire who managed to line up a couple of jobs near Newcastle that he could complete on the way. So, he travelled there under his own steam. Unfortunately, he lost some of his profit, because he was slapped with a bill for £25 for driving his old diesel Transit inside Newcastle’s low emission zone.

Back to the Audi. I didn’t receive many complaints about rear seat legroom or shoulder room from my mates, even though there were three of them squished on the Q5’s bench. I think the lads were just being polite, though. If I’m honest, space in the middle is rather tight due to the narrowness of the seat base and the rather wide transmission tunnel, but Andrew (he’s the unlucky muppet in the middle) was kept entertained by the Audi’s rear-seat heating controls. I think that helped to distract him from the slightly cramped conditions.

I was worried about boot space. We’ve mentioned this in previous reports. Our Q5 is a PHEV, and the battery for the electric motor lives under the boot floor, eating 85 litres of its capacity. There isn’t anywhere convenient to store the charging cables, either, which means they bite another chunk out of the SUV’s carrying capacity. The pessimist in me told everyone to pack light as a result.

As luck would have it for this particular trip, though, the Q5’s boot offered just enough space for us all to take a small suitcase and a jacket apiece. I even had enough leftover space for a crate of beer, which helped to soften the blow to the gents about the seating situation. However, if this was a family weekend away, and I needed room for a pram and a load of baby clobber, I reckon I would have been battling for space.

I found the Audi’s retractable vinyl parcel shelf quite useful, mind. I normally hate them but, with the boot piled high, its extra pliancy made it much easier to hide its contents and deter potential thieves. Handy, considering we were going to Newcastle.

The biggest issue I continue to find with the Q5 is its efficiency and its range. With all of us on board and a boot full of luggage, I averaged around 26mpg driving from Cumbria to Newcastle and back. A diesel Q5 could probably almost double that – and a diesel Q5 would be able to drive for more than 300 miles without needing to be refuelled. Even the BMW X5 PHEV can manage almost 35mpg with a flat battery.

Granted, I wasn’t able to charge the Q5’s battery all weekend, but that’s a reality many PHEV owners will find themselves in on longer trips. Your destination won’t always be conveniently near a charging station, either, which means you can’t always get the best efficiency from the technology.

This latter point seems like a rather trivial complaint, but I started my journey in Stamford before heading to Cumbria to pick everyone up. I then drove to Newcastle, drove back to Cumbria and then returned south. I refuelled three times in four days, which was tedious – and I spent my entire time with the car glaring at the range indicator like a hungry cat until it was parked outside my flat in Stamford.

My jaunt up and down the A1 cemented my belief that PHEVs simply don’t work over long distances. Audi’s claimed mpg figures are only achievable if you’re pottering around town on the electric motor, not burning any fuel. The PHEV system also adds quite a lot of weight so, when you’re running on petrol power alone, the engine needs to work harder than a Victorian chimney sweep to haul the car’s not-so inconsiderable weight along. It’s hopeless.

I also discovered an incredibly irritating function in the Q5’s gearbox. To save fuel, there’s it automatically knocks the ‘box into neutral when you lift off the throttle, allowing the car to coast. Sounds great, right? It isn’t. It’s a nightmare on the motorway because you don’t have any engine braking, which makes it more difficult to gauge your distance from the car ahead. You either need to stab at the brakes (which you should never do on a motorway) or put the car in Sport mode to force it to remain in gear.

I’ll stop ranting now, though. I’ll end the report by saying how much I appreciate that the Audi was there to help me in my time of need. Silly fuel economy notwithstanding, it was a comfortable way of getting to and from the gig.

Audi Q5 S Line 50 TFSI e long-term report
Current mileage	7,750
Real-world average fuel economy	31.2mpg
Official combined fuel economy (WLTP)	166.2mpg
Parkers mpp (Miles per Pound) calculation	23.0-27.6mpp
Car joined Parkers’ fleet	May 2023