PARIS MOTOR SHOW: New Audi Q5 still a year away

After a long teaser campaign and an even longer series of spy shots, Audi has finally revealed the replacement for its original Q5, which goes on sale in Europe early next year.

Australians will have to wait a while longer, however, with the second-generation Q5 not due in local showrooms until late 2017, by which time the current model will be well over eight years old.

Not that customers seem to mind though, since the outgoing model continues to prove popular, although it's no longer Australia's – and the world's, with 1.6 million sold globally -- most popular luxury SUV, being outsold this year by the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Lexus NX and BMW's larger X5.

For the second generation, Audi sticks to the same mid-size, five-seat wagon formula, but brings weight savings of up to 90kg, first-in-class technologies like adaptive air suspension with damper control, quattro all-wheel drive with ultra technology and 30 driver assistance technologies.

Five engines will be available from launch, although it's not yet been confirmed which ones will come to Australia, where the current range opens at $63,600 and includes turbocharged 2.0- and 3.0-litre petrol and diesel engines.

The new Q5's body design is evolutionary but distinguished from its predecessor via a more aerodynamic, more heavily chromed single-frame grille, a tapering greenhouse, a wrap-around tailgate and rear diffuser-integrated exhaust outlets.

In typical Audi fashion, lighting plays a big styling role, with headlights available as LED or high-resolution Matrix LED with dynamic turn lights, and tail-lights offered with optional dynamic turn signals.

Along with 14 exterior paint colours, European customers will be offered five newly configured equipment lines: sport and design, design selection, S line sport package and S line exterior package. The design line features contrasting grey lower body mouldings, which are body-coloured on sport models.

Growing in nearly all of its dimensions, the MkII Q5 – which will be built in Mexico -- measures 4660mm long, 1890mm wide and 1660mm high, and rides on a 2820mm wheelbase.

Audi claims class-leading aerodynamics (0.30Cd) and interior acoustics, and cargo space grows by 10 litres to between 550 and 610 depending on the model, with a total of 1550 litres.

Apart from seven-mode air suspension with body-lowering function, new options include steering wheel heating, ambient lighting (standard with design selection), hands-free tailgate opening, head-up display, WiFi hotspot, inductive smartphone charging, MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and an 8.3-inch display, 3D Bang & Olufsen sound, rear-seat entertainment with twin seatback-mounted tablets and Audi's 12.3-inch 'virtual cockpit' digital instruments.

Of course, infotainment upgrades has also occurred, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while driver assistance systems are bundled into three packages – Tour, City and Parking.

They include driver aids like adaptive cruise control (ACC) with traffic jam assist, Audi active lane assist distance warning alerts, cross traffic assist rear, the new exit warning system, collision avoidance assist and turn assist.

Audi pre sense city autonomous braking, semi-automatic parking, and camera-based traffic sign recognition will also be available.

Of the five engines on offer from launch in Europe, just one will be petrol, although all will be more powerful than before (by up to 20kW) as well as more efficient.

Opening the German range is the Q5 2.0 TDI 120kW quattro S, although a 110kW version will be available elsewhere and 140kW 2.0-litre and 180kW 3.0-litre V6 engines round out the diesel range, the latter outputting 2 10kW and 620Nm.

On the petrol side is the 185kW 2.0 TFSI, which consumes just 6.8L/100km. In Germany, six-speed manual, seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch and eight-speed tiptronic (3.0 TDI) automatic transmissions will be available, the latter two fitted with a fuel-saving freewheel function.

Wheel sizes range from 17-inch alloys, with design and sport equipment lines riding on 18-inch wheels and the S line sport package and Audi design selection come with 19-inch wheels. Wheel sizes up to 21-inch will be optional.

Front-wheel drive versions will be available alongside AWD model overseas, suspension is via newly developed five-link arrangements at both ends and there's also a new electromechanical power steering system, with variable-ratio Dynamic steering as an option.