Is the 2025 Audi SQ5 a good car?

The 2025 Audi SQ5 earns 7.17/10 from our experts. The model scores 9/10 across Look and feel, Form and function, and Technology.

It’s a compact luxury crossover SUV that’s aimed at giving you sporty, luxurious, and fun-to-drive character without the usual SUV dynamic compromise. The redesign adds a new vehicle architecture, more power, more practicality, and next-generation technology, and the standard or Sportback body styles give you a choice between traditional utility and a racy roofline.

The trade-offs are clear: poor fuel economy and a lack of hands-free driving tech. Even so, the SQ5’s strengths in comfort, performance, and technology make it appealing if you want an SUV that still feels engaging on twisty roads.

Good and great deals account for 30.3% of listings, which gives you some room to shop selectively.

Is the 2025 Audi SQ5 reliable?

The 2025 Audi SQ5 is presented as a well-rounded luxury SUV with strong performance, comfort, and technology, and its redesign brings more practicality along with the new architecture. The performance setup is straightforward and robust: a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive are standard.

Audi also notes that the SQ5 is sure-footed in wet conditions and remains composed when driven hard, which supports confidence in everyday use. On the cost side, Audi is adding complimentary scheduled service for 2026, which is a helpful ownership perk to keep in mind if you’re comparing long-term running costs.

For used buyers, the main long-term ownership risk is that the driver-assistance tech may be frustrating if you expect it to work flawlessly every day.

What should I look for when buying a used 2025 Audi SQ5?

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 96.5% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

You should still run a history report and prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if you’re considering a higher-mileage example or one with optional equipment. Focus on overall condition, tire wear, brake condition, and whether the tech and driver-assistance systems behave consistently during a test drive.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige are the trim levels offered. The Premium and Premium Plus use a lower-grade leather with Dinamica artificial suede inserts, while the Prestige adds Fine Nappa leather and lets you customize the appearance of the digital daytime running lights, OLED taillights, and ambient cabin lighting. The base trim still includes a high-end interior, but the upper trims add more luxury and visual customization.
• Powertrain: The SQ5 uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 362 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. Audi says it reaches 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, and the official EPA fuel economy rating is 22 mpg combined.
• Safety package: Standard equipment includes automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, a semi-autonomous parking assistance system, and safe exit assist. Premium Plus adds Adaptive Cruise Assist with lane-centering assist and a surround-view camera system. Audi also says Active Front Assist includes front cross-traffic assist, intersection turn assist, and evasive steering assist.
• Infotainment: Premium and Premium Plus include an 11.9-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus display and a 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with a navigation system and Audi Assistant. Prestige adds a 10.9-inch passenger touchscreen.
• Fuel efficiency: The SQ5 is rated at 22 mpg combined, and testing returned 20.4 mpg.

Which 2025 Audi SQ5 trim should I buy?

The 2025 Audi SQ5 is offered in 3 trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige.

Here's the short version:

• Premium: This is the entry point, but it still gives you the core SQ5 formula: the turbo V6, Quattro all-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension, the dual-screen Audi Digital Stage, wireless smartphone integration, and a strong standard safety list. It’s the trim to consider if you want the SQ5 experience without paying for extras you may not need.
• Premium Plus: This is the best-value trim for most shoppers because it adds the 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D surround-sound system, a configurable head-up display, Adaptive Cruise Assist with lane-centering, and a surround-view camera system. If you want the most useful upgrades without jumping to the top price, this is the one to target.
• Prestige: This is the luxury-focused choice. It adds the passenger touchscreen, Dynamic Interaction Lighting, and the more upscale interior presentation with Fine Nappa leather and customizable lighting elements. Choose this if you want the most premium cabin and the most visual flair.

For safety, the Premium Plus is the key trim to watch because it adds Adaptive Cruise Assist and the surround-view camera system.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2025 Audi SQ5?

This looks like a moderate, selective-buyer market, so you can shop carefully without expecting every listing to be a bargain.

• Deal availability: 30.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 254 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 96.5% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $58,196.98, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2025 Audi SQ5 safe?

The 2025 Audi SQ5 had no IIHS or NHTSA crash ratings released at the time of publication.

It earns a 4/10 safety score from our experts.

Standard safety equipment includes automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, a semi-autonomous parking assistance system, and safe exit assist. Premium Plus adds Adaptive Cruise Assist with lane-centering assist and a surround-view camera system.

The main caveat is the driver-assistance behavior: Audi does not offer low-speed hands-free traffic jam assist, and the system can issue unnecessary steering-wheel warnings and even brake unexpectedly.

Should I buy a 2025 Audi SQ5 or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2025 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2025 if:

• 30.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 96.5% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• The redesigned SQ5 brings more power, more practicality, and next-generation technology.

The bottom line: If you want the newest SQ5 with the redesign’s added performance, practicality, and tech, the 2025 is the one to focus on. If you’re more price-sensitive, it makes sense to shop carefully and compare listings against the broader market, since the year’s pricing range still leaves room for value hunting.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 28, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.