Audi Q5 range expands with 3.0 TDI

It’s no SQ5 diesel but punchy new TDI finally delivers six-cylinder resolve for Audi’s latest Q5

Audi Australia has confirmed the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI six-cylinder diesel will come Down Under in September, priced at $83,900 plus on-road costs.

It will be the first range-topping turbo-diesel V6 to join the Audi Q5 line-up since the second-generation mid-size SUV was launched locally in mid-2017.

With plenty of pent-up customer demand for a beefy diesel medium SUV, the Q5 3.0 TDI is expected to account for up to 15 per cent of all Q5 sales.

Power comes from a heavily revised 210kW/620Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 that belts out more torque than the near-$100,000 Audi SQ5 260kW/500Nm.

The potent Audi Q5 3.0 TDI’s engine drives through a conventional eight-speed automatic with steering wheel paddle shifters fitted as standard.

Ripping to 100km in just 5.8sec and with a top speed of just under 240km/h, the new model undercuts six-cylinder diesel competitors such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC ($89,900) and BMW X3 ($84,900).

On top of the quattro mechanical centre diff, splitting torque 40:60 front to rear in nominal conditions, the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI is claimed to consume fuel at 6.3L/100km.

It comes with eight airbags as standard, plus a raft of driver aids including autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist.

Like the rest of the Audi Q5 range, it comes with a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Other standard features for the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI include 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights and a smorgasbord of interior tech, including a 12.3-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ instrument display and 8.3-inch central infotainment display.

As well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, the new six-cylinder diesel Q5 will be fitted with Audi connect, which includes a SIM card to deliver high-speed 4G data downloads for Google Earth maps and also integrated Google search functionality via voice input.

A powered tailgate with kick-to-open functionality is also standard, as is keyless entry/start, tri-zone automatic climate-control, a 10-speaker 180-Watt stereo, leather-appointed and heated sports front seats, power-adjustable steering, auto-dimming and heated wing mirrors, plus a 360-degree surround-view parking camera.

The rear seats slide fore and aft, creating between 550 and 610 litres of boot space, which expands to 1550 litres with the 40:20:40-split seats folded flat – more than enough room for a bicycle.

There’s also loads of stowage accessories such as bike racks, a roof box, luggage dividers and even a kayak holder for keen paddlers.

Audi Australia’s corporate communications chief Shaun Cleary told motoring.com.au that the new Audi Q5 3.0 TDI is likely to be the only V6 diesel model available in Australia for the foreseeable future, although he wouldn’t rule out the more powerful Audi SQ5 diesel available in Europe.

“The previous SQ5 diesel sold over a third of all [Q5] models in the first 12 months of arrival in Australia,” he said, adding that local product planners were struggling to make a solid business case for Audi’s new SQ5 TDI.

Currently, the petrol-powered Audi SQ5 launched in 2017 makes up “a bit less than that at 20 per cent” of Q5 sales, said Cleary.

There is also the hard-core Audi Q5 RS to consider — a vehicle expected to grind out a stomach-churning 331kW and 600Nm from its 2.9-litre turbo-petrol V6, taking the fight to the ballistic Mercedes-AMG GLC 63.

Unlike BMW with its X3 and Mercedes with its GLC, Audi does not yet offer a cut-price 2WD version of the Q5, with all models featuring quattro AWD.

In Australia, sales of the Audi Q5 were down 6.5 per cent in 2017 compared to the year before (3364 units versus 3599).

However, for the first four months of 2018 sales have spiked 110 per cent — from 709 last year to 1494 this year – as supply issues ease.

How much does a 2018 Audi Q5 cost?
Q5 design 2.0 TDI — $65,900
Q5 sport 2.0 TDI — $70,700
Q5 sport 2.0 TFSI — $73,211
Q5 sport 3.0 TDI — $83,900
SQ5 TFSI — $99,611