2022 Audi Q5 35TDI review

With the new limited edition 2022 Audi Q5 35TDI, Audi brings to market an intelligently positioned mid-size premium SUV that not only lowers the Q5's barrier to entry in terms of purchase price but in these times of soaring fuel prices, combines a well-timed combination of efficiency with smart packaging and useful features.

A considered trimming of some extraneous luxuries means the Q5 35TDI offers much of the premium ownership experience that buyers have come to expect of Audi’s exceedingly popular Q5, at the lowest price of entry currently available in the range.

This second generation of Q5 launched in 2017 and recently underwent a facelift for 2022 that brings updated tech and sharp styling tweaks. While the new 35TDI powertrain configuration initially arrives with limited edition status, it’s expected to permanently join the Audi Q5 range in the near future.

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Based atop Volkswagen Group’s tried and tested MLB Evo platform, the Q5’s architecture is a known quantity and there are good bones to build from. Helping lower the cost, too, sees the new Q5 35TDI ditch its rear driveshafts, opting for an Australian-first front-wheel-drive Q5 experience.

The familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel mill has also had its wick turned down, sending 120kW/370Nm forwards via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

What it might lack in muscles, however, it makes up for in fuel efficiency – says Audi – with a claimed combined consumption figure of 4.8 litres per 100km.

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The lack of some omitted features is noticeable but, by and large, the new Q5 35TDI trades well on its premium build, presentation, feel and comfort – making the daily grind that bit more bearable.

Pricing and Features

With a manufacturer’s list price of $68,350 (before on-road costs), the new Q5 35TDI undercuts the most affordable series production Q5 40TDI by $4350. It also pips entry-level premium rivals such as the $69,490 Volvo XC60 B5 Momentum, $73,900 BMW X3 sDrive 20i, and $78,114 Mercedes-Benz GLC200 (all before on-road costs).

For your dollars, the Q5 35TDI comes generously equipped as standard, featuring: 20-inch Audi Sport Y-spoke alloy wheels, LED headlights with daytime running lights and LED rear lights, keyless entry and start, electric tailgate with gesture control, heated exterior mirrors and windscreen washer jets.

There's also heated and electrically adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, three-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirror, adjustable 30-colour ambient lighting, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring the latest Audi MMI system, wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, DAB+ radio, high beam assist and privacy glass in the rear and rear side windows.

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A welcome safety suite includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and pedestrian detection, front and rear parking sensors, active lane keep assist, light and rain sensor and a rear view camera.

The $1769 optional Assistance Package also adds adaptive cruise control with autonomous stop and go, self-steering parking assistance, exterior mirrors with heating, folding and auto-dipping functions, and a 360-degree camera.

Sadly, due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert and exit warning are currently unavailable for order on the initially limited edition Q5 35TDI.

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Comfort and Space

Sliding into the Q5 sees you greeted by a smart and airy monochrome cabin, swathed in leather and premium-feeling soft-touch materials. It’s a very nice place to be. There’s a welcome mix of both physical button shortcuts for most main features, combined with the intuitive and fluid latest iteration of Audi’s MMI infotainment system.

Conventional analogue gauges flank a seven-inch digital colour display (no full-faced Virtual Cockpit here) and offer their own charm with instantly clear legibility combined with the handy digital display, which can be cycled through various information readouts.

The lack of a wireless phone charger is perhaps the most noticeable omission; however, buyers of this particular variant aren’t being punished. The feature is currently unavailable across the entire Q5 range thanks to the aforementioned semiconductor shortage. An easily-accessible USB-A port and a 12V socket will take care of your charging needs.

Sliding into the Q5 sees you greeted by a smart and airy monochrome cabin, swathed in leather and premium-feeling soft-touch materials. It’s a very nice place to be.

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There’s a stack of adjustment to be found in both the driver’s seat (electric) and steering column (manual), catering for drivers of all shapes, big and small. Set the seat at its lowest, the wheel at its closest, and the driving position even feels a bit ‘sporty’. Conversely, the seat goes quite high for those short of stature, or simply for maximising forward visibility over traffic.

Moving to the back row, at 175cm tall and seated behind my own driving position, there is an abundance of space for adult occupants, in the outboard seats, at least.

There is ample headroom above, plenty of knee room to the seat ahead and shocking amounts of toe room (it should really be described as feet or shoe room in this instance) beneath the hugely adjustable front seats.

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For those at the back, there are also map nets behind the front seats, two rearward air vents with their own climate control interface, two USB-C ports and a conventional 12V socket.

Out back, the boot opens with a handily large aperture to a flat-floored 520 litres of cargo space. Fold down the versatile 40:20:40 second row, via the handy release tabs, and this swells to an impressive 1520 litres.

There are also floor-mounted fastening points and two netted storage receptacles at either side.

The electric tailgate is a boon for overall quality of life. If you've never tried it, it may sound novel, but it’s a genuinely transformative and welcome convenience feature in practice.

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On the Road

Prod the starter button and set off, and the Q5 instantly reveals itself as a polished and comfy commuter. In-cabin noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) suppression is as good as you’d expect from this class.

The steering is light in typically Audi fashion, but it’s accurate and you’ll never find yourself entering a corner having misjudged the amount of lock to input.

It’s not completely devoid of feel, either, offering subtle but welcome feedback through the hands that communicates the gist of the road beneath without becoming terse or fidgety.

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A modest turning circle of 11.6 metres, smaller than the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3, eases navigating the urban sprawl.

The throttle calibration is conservative and a little lazy by default but, despite only mustering up a maximum of 120kW from 3250-4200rpm, there’s none of the powertrain lag that afflicted another larger 170kW 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel Volkswagen Group SUV I drove recently.

Off idle, the mill feels a little breathless, but the feeling is fleeting as torque soon swells into an admirable 370Nm, accessed from as low as 1500rpm. Once up and running, the Q5 makes ease of meaningful progress and certainly doesn’t find itself lagging behind the pack when setting off from the traffic lights.

Prod the starter button and set off, and the Q5 instantly reveals itself as a polished and comfy commuter. In-cabin noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) suppression is as good as you’d expect from this class.

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Varied drive modes with their own damper settings offer a wide bandwidth of ride and comfort across a variety of scenarios. Comfort mode does what it says on the tin, with a cushy ride that glides over small imperfections and soaks up large compressions with ease at inner-city road speeds.

Alloy wheels measuring 20-inches are smaller than the 21-inch rims available further up the range, and further contribute to a cushy ride with chunky 255/45 tyres.

At slower urban speeds, however, the soft damping of Comfort mode can make the car take longer to settle after large bumps in the road. Dynamic mode antidotes this by firming up the dampers just so, offering a nicely tied-down feeling without becoming overly harsh or uncomfortable.

Dynamic mode also livens up the throttle pedal response nicely to what might be described as ‘default’ in other vehicles.

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While Audis are often hallmarked by the brand’s signature Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the new 35TDI stands unique in the Q5 range as an Australian-first front-driver.

While this might negate much of its all-terrain image and ability to tackle snow-covered roads, it’s an easy trade-off to make for those who stick to sealed metropolitan roads, long-distance highway commuters and weekend road-trippers alike.

There are a number of benefits to the two-wheel-drive Q5. Lower cost is primary, but it also makes the whole car lighter (weighing 65kgs less than the Q5 40TDI Quattro) with flow-on benefits to fuel efficiency.

On that note, Audi claims the 35TDI to be the most fuel-efficient diesel SUV in Australia, harnessing 12-volt mild-hybrid technology to yield a claimed combined consumption figure of 4.8 litres per 100km on the ADR test cycle.

With a 70-litre fuel capacity, that's a theoretical 1400km of cruising range from one tank. That may be feasible on a long-distance highway trip, however, over our four-day loan, our real-world range came in under 1200km in mostly urban driving.

Dynamic mode also livens up the throttle pedal response nicely to what might be described as ‘default’ in other vehicles.

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Dynamically, around town, there’s little disadvantage to be found with only two driven wheels. The 35TDI claims nine seconds from 0-100km/h – trailing just 1.4sec behind the more powerful Quattro-driven 40TDI.

The front end will push into understeer once the limit of adhesion is breached, but you’d have to be acting rather silly or careless to reach that threshold in normal urban scenarios.

A rain-soaked period of Melbourne weather saw electronic stability control (ESC) intervention rearing its head upon early power-down out of corners around town, but it’s a largely seamless and well-calibrated system that combines with wheel-selective torque vectoring-by-brake.

Virtually the only giveaway of this dynamic mechanism stepping in is subtle illumination of the dashboard ESC icon in your periphery.

The driving experience, overall, is relaxed, easy and instantly approachable.

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Ownership

All Audis delivered after January 1, 2022 are supported by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

There is also an included five-year paintwork warranty plus a 12-year bodywork corrosion warranty.

Audi’s fixed service intervals occur every 12 months or 15,000kms.

Owners are able to extend their servicing, warranty and roadside assistance packages for up to 10 years by purchasing two-year Audi Advantage programs back-to-back at the time of buying a new car, adding to the five-year standard warranty for up to nine years of coverage.

For Q5 and SQ5 models, two years of Audi Advantage coverage costs $3700.

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VERDICT

With the considered cutting of some superfluous luxuries, Audi has created a compelling and efficient premium family-friendly SUV for the value-minded customer.

Yes, the lack of certain features, like wireless phone charger, adaptive cruise control and auto-dipping mirrors are noticed, but these are minor gripes when viewed through the lens of long-term ownership.

It’s a lovely thing to live with and still presents itself as a more expensive car than its $68,350 (before on-road costs) suggests.

Buyers are getting the premium Audi Q5 experience, more affordably than ever, with the build quality and comfort we’ve come to expect of the German marque. It may not boast the glamour or visual theatre of other rivals, but that’s part of Audi’s pragmatic appeal.

Virtually any driver will feel instantly at home behind the wheel of the Audi Q5 – it’s a car that knows its remit and the new 35TDI, in particular, executes it with carefully measured poise.

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Technical Specs