The 2023 Audi Q5 Sportback is the ideal small crossover for the luxury shopper who enjoys the cockpit space of the Q5, but who also values the style of a fastback design. Of course, you lose functional cargo space, but for the many buyers who just use the front seats and don’t load the car up all the time, this is a perfect solution. It provides 24.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 51.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The Q5 Sportback was introduced for the 2021 model year and carries over into the 2023 model year largely unchanged.

Trims for the Q5 Sportback are Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. A sportier version of this crossover is also available in the SQ5 Sportback model, covered in a separate review. Standard features on the Premium trim include leather upholstery, sport front seats, three-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and a power liftgate. It also comes standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

Moving up to the Premium Plus adds Audi Virtual Cockpit (a fully digital instrument panel), a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and additional driver-assistance features. The Prestige features Matrix-design LED headlights, a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium stereo system, ventilated front seats, a head-up display, and navigation.

The Q5 Sportback comes equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which makes 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to Quattro all-wheel drive. The Q5 Sportback also comes with Audi Drive Select, with Comfort, Auto, Dynamic (sport), and Individual drive modes. Fuel economy for the Q5 Sportback is 23 mpg city, 28 highway, and 25 combined. The Q5 Sportback requires premium fuel.

Standard driver-assistance features in the 2023 Audi Q5 Sportback include forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. Safety tech that’s either optional or standard on higher trims includes a head-up display, traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera, and traffic-jam assist, which can stay in the lane and move with the flow of traffic at low speeds.

Base MSRP for the 2023 Audi Q5 Sportback is $50,300 for the Premium trim. The Premium Plus trim starts at $54,200, and the range-topping Prestige starts at $59,300. The S5 Sportback comes with a four-year/50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranty.