Audi: Easy-going and confident

Audi's Q5 delivers practicality without sacrificing image. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Audi's Q7 is a battering ram of a car. It's a "look at me, see how much money I've got" vehicle that oozes conspicuous consumption, allied with an unconcern for the public good that tips into arrogance.

But the Q5 is a different kettle of fish, albeit still an upmarket catch. For its ethos is practicality and easy family living, which also means relatively compact dimensions. It feels like a high-riding wagon rather than a leviathan, and a remarkably brisk one too.

This 2.0-litre four-cylinder, common-rail diesel engine is a goodie. Peak torque of 350Nm is available from 1750rpm to 2500rpm. This powerplant is mated to a seven-speed double clutch transmission that changes briskly, or can be controlled via the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Seven speeds let you make the most of whatever pull is on offer, or choose the most efficient (read frugal) cog for the current conditions.

Progress feels effortless, whether you're highway cruising, or hauling out of corners. Corners? No, the Q5 isn't a sports car. But this soft-roading recipe is a good one. The body is well controlled, and the quattro all-wheel-drive ensures sure-footed confidence even over gnarly winter conditions, and a slight rear bias to impart a hint of life to the handling.

That confidence comes in part from some hidden driver aids. For example, if you fit a roof rack you raise the car's centre of gravity, which makes it less stable. But with the rack fitted the stability control activates a smidge earlier.

So what's she like to live with? Rather easy. There's plenty of space in the elegant cabin thanks to the almost 3m wheelbase, its length enabled by fitting the differential ahead of the clutch and behind the engine, thus allowing Audi's engineers to reposition the front axle well forward - no doubt also part of the car's stability at speed.

Meanwhile, the seats are well shaped for support and comfort, while the second-row seatbacks adjust or fold flat to increase luggage capacity from a useful 540 litres to 1560 litres.

And let's not forget all the fruit: the eight airbags and rear parking aid, the auto air and cruise control.

Not to mention the many options that can considerably lift this car's $79,900 base price. Climate-controlled seats add $2500, the electric open-close tailgate that was such a popular party trick with the test car adds $1400, you can even have a climate-controlled cup holder for $350. Or Satnav and integrated TV for eight grand ...

Some of this stuff is OTT, but the $1500 side assist is worth considering, for it flashes when there's a car in your blind spot.

Audi's standard 2.0-litre Q5 is priced similarly to BMW's smart 320d wagon, and offers a viable alternative to that car. It may not handle quite as well nor drink so frugally if driven briskly. But it does deliver extra cabin space, quattro all-wheel-drive and just as much image as the more conventional car.

AUDI Q5 2.0D

We like
Practical family wagon with bags of style and lots of useful techie features

We don't like
Doesn't handle as well as a conventional car; tech bits considerably boost cost

Powertrain
1968cc common rail turbocharged diesel, 125kW, 350Nm, seven-speed DSG transmission drives all four wheels

Performance
0km-100km/h in 9.5 seconds, 6.7l/100km

Safety
ABS with stability control, and six airbags

What it's got
Auto air, cruise control, test car with optional 18-inch wheels ($2000), auto boot lid ($1400), side assist ($1500) and bluetooth ($1500)

Vital stats
4629mm long, 540-litre/1560-litre boot, 75-litre fuel tank