Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI quattro S line 2022 Review

Underpinning the Audi Q5 Sportback model range, the entry-level 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI quattro S line is priced at $77,700 plus on-road costs.

That’s about $800 less than the BMW X3 xDrive20d – the more closely aligned BMW X4 now has only petrol engines – but nearly $8000 higher than the cost of the Q5 SUV (wagon) with the same powertrain, although the Sportback does offer leather-accented front sport seats and heated, fold-in, auto-dipping power door mirrors.

That extra expense is also explained in part by the Sportback’s S line trim, which comprises a revised grille and bumper, an S line rear spoiler and diffuser in selenite silver finish, S line badging and 20-inch alloy wheels in lieu of 19-inch alloys.

Inside, the S line package adds illuminated door sills, and the Q5 Sportback also features black cloth headlining, and decorative trim in aluminium or gloss black.

Ultimately though, the consumer is paying more for a lower roofline.

Also standard in the Q5 Sportback at this trim level are features such as powered tailgate with gesture control, three-zone climate control, power seat adjustment for the front seats, keyless entry/start and a leather-bound multifunction steering wheel.

The infotainment system on board incorporates a 10.1-inch touch-screen, eight-speaker audio, Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, two simultaneous Bluetooth connections, digital radio, satellite navigation and wireless charging for mobile phones.

An embedded SIM card handles the live traffic reporting, weather, fuel prices, parking information and telematics.

The Q5 Sportback tested came with matrix LED headlights – part of the Technik option pack for $4308. In isolation that seems like a fair whack to pay on top of a car already costing $77,700, but the headlights alone are almost worth the price and you do get dynamic front and rear indicators as well, plus a Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system, privacy glass and a head-up display.

When you put things in that context, the option pack is worth the price.

The other options are a five-spoke design and a special finish for the 20-inch alloy wheels ($308), which are wrapped in Michelin 255/45R20 tyres, plus Manhattan grey colour co-ordination for bumpers and wheel-arch trims ($692) and District Green metallic paint ($1531).

All up, the Q5 as tested costs $86,002 before the on-road costs.

The warranty covers defects for up to three years (no limit on kilometres travelled during that period) and Audi also provides three years of roadside assistance.

Services are scheduled 12 months apart, or every 15,000km, whichever occurs first. Audi also provides a five-year service plan package $3140.

The 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback is rated five stars for crash safety, according to ANCAP’s 2017 test protocol. That test is now run on the basis of a five-year-old regime that in theory should be outdated by now.

Nevertheless, the Q5 Sportback promises to be pretty safe in a crash, with a 93 per cent score for adult occupants, 86 per cent for kids and 73 per cent for vulnerable road users.

It’s only really let down by a 58 per cent figure for Safety Assist technology.

The five-star rating is shared with the conventional Audi Q5 SUV, the Sportback version being similarly equipped with frontal airbags, side curtain airbags and thorax-protecting side-impact airbags front and rear.

Driver assist technology runs to autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, rear AEB, driver fatigue monitoring, lane change warning, lane assist, exit warning, rear cross traffic alert, park assist, 360-degree camera vision and tyre pressure monitoring.

In addition, the Q5 Sportback features auto on/off LED headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

The test car’s optional Technik pack mentioned earlier upgrades the headlights to matrix LED units which actively mask the high beam for oncoming cars. These are state-of-the-art headlights.

The diesel engine of the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI is the quietest of its type I can recall.

If you listen carefully as it builds revs you’ll hear a distant susurration, and at 1500rpm (equating to 100km/h on the speedo), the engine whistles slightly. But there is practically no other noise.

And the seven-speed dual-clutch (‘S tronic’) transmission is a great match for it.

You may occasionally discern a clutch engaging or disengaging – particularly on the overrun – but this is an undeniably smooth and fuss-free transmission. It has shift paddles as well, for timely downshifts as required.

As refined as this vehicle is, however, it’s no SQ5. Audi claims a 0-100km/h time of 7.6 seconds.

The Q5 Sportback 40 TDI goes well enough for most buyers, and there’s little turbo lag, but the number ‘40’ in the badge tells you that this powertrain is on the lowest rung of the model walk-up.

We’ve become rather spoiled for choice in recent years, and 400Nm no longer seems as impressive as it once did.

Still, the torque is adequate to hold high gears on all but the steepest of hills, and performance is essentially linear right up to the 5000rpm redline (about 4700rpm in reality).

There’s an upside to the leisurely power delivery, of course. The Q5 Sportback with this powertrain is quite economical.

On a night-time test the Q5 Sportback returned a fuel consumption figure of 7.8L/100km, which is considerably higher than the claimed figure of 5.4L/100km, but still commendable in the real world for a vehicle like this.

No doubt a contributing factor in the solid feel of the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI quattro S line on the road is its weight, which the federal government tells us is 2030kg (tare).

And presuming some of that weight is insulating material, it lends itself to quiet cruising at touring speeds with no powertrain noise present, although there is a rustle of wind and some muffled road noise.

The Q5 Sportback also appears to suppress very well the assorted squeaks and rattles often heard on typical country roads.

Naturally too, the Q5 Sportback rides very well. However, although that extra weight doesn’t seem to have a lot of influence on overall grip and performance, you do notice it in the way the tyres protest, or how the brake pedal feels.

Yet it remains a secure-handling vehicle and it will out-corner medium SUVs from volume-selling brands.

Set the Audi Drive Select system to Dynamic and the steering sharpens up a bit, but it’s also quite acceptably safe in ‘Comfort’ mode. Most drivers will likely prefer to leave it in the softer setting and enjoy the lightly-weighted steering.

From behind the wheel, the Q5 Sportback is everything you expect an Audi to be.

Most controls are located correctly, other than the Drive Select switch, which is nearer the front passenger’s position. The very comfortable driver’s seat – in combination with the steering column – offers more than enough adjustment for the driver to set up the right configuration for optimal control and comfort.

In combination with the optional head-up display, the Virtual Cockpit Plus instrument cluster – easy to use and offering two different viewing modes – delivers the level of instrument sophistication expected nowadays.

As we’ve said, the optional LED matrix headlights are superb too, and when you add in the large-format mirrors, 360-degree camera and blind spot monitoring system it’s practically impossible to overlook any potential hazard on the road while driving the Audi.

The infotainment screen is not large by prestige SUV standards, but it is easy to use, other than the handwriting recognition facility. Just when I thought I had the hang of writing my home address for the satellite navigation with my left hand, this Q5 variant changed my mind again.

On any road less than billiard-table smooth it’s nigh impossible to write something more legible than the scribblings of a drunk monkey.

If you’re driving, just use the voice control to enter a destination for the satellite navigation to guide you there. And if you’re the front passenger, ask the driver to activate voice control for you.

There was one little problem with that, however. The car on test had a fault in its voice recognition system. It would not respond to my commands, whereas the SQ5 that I’d driven previously had no such problem.

For those who want their car to be a four-wheeled handbag or backpack, the Q5 Sportback offers plenty of nooks and crannies for stowing oddments. There are two cup holders in the centre console, with a slot for a mobile phone in addition to the inductive charging tray.

A small storage bin for coins and other knickknacks resides near the transmission selector and, additionally, there is a large bottle holder in each of the four doors and map pockets behind the front seats.

The whole look inside is pleasing to the eye, with plenty of carbon-fibre, aluminium and piano-black gloss decorative trim splashed around the cabin.

There are also multiple means of recharging your portable devices, including the inductive charging already mentioned, plus USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as a 12V power outlet. There’s another 12V outlet and two USB-A ports (charging only) for the rear seat occupants too.

The hip point of the Q5 Sportback is fine for kids who have outgrown booster seats, and they will appreciate the adjustable vents and controls for the third zone of the climate control system, along with the two cup holders in the fold-down centre arm rest.

Accommodation is generous back there for adults too, although taller passengers (over 180cm) may find headroom and legroom to be marginal.

Overall, however, the Q5 Sportback meets the needs of most passengers, particularly given its lower roofline, and outguns the X4 in this regard.

Folding in a triple-split ratio, the rear seats don’t lower completely flat, but they do provide a surface flush with the boot floor for transporting larger and heavier loads with relative ease.

Finger pulls in the luggage compartment allow the user to lower the seats from the boot, which can be opened – and closed – using motion gesture that actually works.

Audi claims that the fully-lined boot will hold 510 litres, which is pretty handy and just 10L less than the Q5 wagon. LED strip lights illuminate the compartment from either side, which is a nice touch.

There’s a Vredestein inflatable space-saver spare under the floor and a luggage net that can be secured using four tie-down points. Added nets are located inside the quarter panels, between the wheel-arches and the tailgate, for accepting smaller items that would otherwise roll around loose.

The ‘coupe SUV’ fad is one that defies logic, to be frank about it. SUV buyers – especially those heading off on holidays – will load their cars to the hilt.

A ‘hatchback’ type of load compartment can limit how much you can take with you, to say nothing of the access constraints, stooping to enter the cabin by the rear doors.

Yet by and large, Audi seems to have pulled off a design coup.

The 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback is easier to enter and leave – with more rear seat headroom too – than the BMW X4. It’s a generally practical machine that delivers refinement and presumed low running costs throughout the year.

More performance would be good to have, but that’s available too, if you need it. For a price…

How much does the 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI quattro S line cost?
Price: $77,700 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/400Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)