Audi's Q5 brings the expertise of a brand that rarely disappoints to the SUV market, but can it overcome being launched at just the wrong time? Kevin Hackettreports.
THE TIME between the first stirrings of a new idea for a car and rolling out the first production model can often be five or six years. When Audi's board first sanctioned development of what was to become the Q5, the world was a different place; SUVs were de rigueur not persona non grata.
So, has Audi's seemingly unstoppable march for world domination reached its first real hurdle? Is the Q5 a bit of a sitting duck, launched at exactly the wrong time?
Thankfully, if you've an open mind and have a love of quality engineering, this is a car that impresses. And if you thought the gargantuan Q7 was a step too far, its new, more compact brother might be the perfect compromise between luxury road car and an SUV. Whatever that really means.
Audi's brand image has been meticulously honed for many years, particularly in western Europe, and the Q5 does nothing to detract from the prestige of the marque.
It's a handsome, cool-looking vehicle that immediately appeals to both sexes - tapping into the lifestyle that Audi is so keen to be associated with.
Exquisite detailing abounds and there are even subtle horizontal lines over the wheelarches in a deliberate move that harks back to the iconic ur-quattro.
Whether on the world's rally circuits or the legendary endurance race at Le Mans, Audi has been learning a lot from motorsport over the past 25 years.
See the quattro badge and you know instantly that there's a safe, stable and tractable drivetrain under the trendy bodywork. And cars of this type really do need permanent four-wheel drive if they're to offer genuine all-round usability.
Pity then that Audi chose Valencia to launch the Q5. Drive off road here and you're more likely to end up in a Paddy field than a boulder field (parts of the Spanish countryside around Valencia looks more like Vietnam than Spain), so we'll have to wait a while to see if this is a genuine alternative to a Discovery or Range Rover.
Step inside and the cabin architecture closely resembles the A4 and there's a feeling of cosiness missing from some of its competitors.
There's plenty of usable space inside, too, meaning this is a practical family car as well as a way of telling the neighbours you're doing alright, thank you.
With the seats in place there's a capacity of 540 litres.
Put them down and you've got 1,560 litres at your disposal, which is more than enough for most.
Everything you look at in the cabin is supremely tactile. You can't help but run a finger over the dashboard to feel the undeniably superior build quality. The switchgear is delightful to use and is all sensibly laid out, helping the driver to concentrate on the important business of actually driving.
There's a new satellite navigation system that shows a birds-eye view of your journey, with the landscape in topographical relief. The detail is astonishing, with buildings appearing in 3-D - it guarantees hours of fun for your passengers, then.
Cars like this often have all the aerodynamic efficiency of a skyscraper but here things are nice and slippery.
With a Cd of just 0.33, Audi has enabled the Q5 to be as quiet and as frugal as possible. The engines - 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre diesel, 3.0-litre diesel and, later, a 3.2-litre petrol - have been refined and engineered to pollute and drink less.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine is turbocharged for extra punch and the 3.0-litre diesel develops a substantial 500Nm (368lb ft) of torque, keeping true to Audi's philosophy of building cars not compromised when it comes to performance.
Two transmissions will be available throughout the small range: the 2.0-litre TDI will offer a six-speed manual as standard, while the 3.0-litre TDI and the two petrol engine models will come with Audi's impressive new DSG dual-clutch, seven-speed S tronic system.
The less powerful versions are better suited to a manual shift simply because they felt a bit breathless with the S tronic.
The DSG work particularly well in the 3.20-litre FSI.
Floor the throttle and take charge of the gear ratios using the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifts and the engine note turns all macho before the scenery becomes a blur.
This is a very capable on-road performer and the S tronic box allows for seamless shifts - either up or down - without lifting off the gas. And it all happens in less than one-hundredth of a second. Manual? You're history.
Despite the Q5's obvious physical girth, corners can be taken at silly speeds without the need to dictate one's will beforehand.
Get the entry speed wrong and the car will sort itself out in a heartbeat, performing a little wiggle but regaining composure before you've had a chance to apologise to your passengers.
It corners flat, with an assuring feel that the car's electro-mechanical systems are always there, always looking out for your wellbeing.
Give or take the odd millimetre, this car is the same size as BMW's X5, which means it's competing in crowded waters. The Q5, though, feels more sporting than its rivals and has an undeniable cachet about it. It will no doubt become a major model-line for Audi even in our cash-strapped times.
Once the A1 is launched Audi will have pretty much every corner of the market sewn up. And on the basis of its current range of cars, from the awesome R8 to the flawless A5 and beyond, that's no bad thing.
Factfile: Audi Q5 3.0 TDI
Engine:2967cc V6 turbo diesel putting out 240bhp and 500Nm of torque
Transmission:six-speed manual or seven-speed S tronic, four-wheel drive
Max speed:225 km/h
0-100km/h:6.5 seconds
Fuel economy:7.5 l/100km (30.5mpg)
CO2:183g/km
Price:TBA but 2.0-litre TDI will start at €38,300
On sale:October 2008