2025 Audi SQ5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Audi offers the 2025 SQ5 and SQ5 Sportback in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels, priced from $66,095 to $74,295, with a $1,295 destination charge. Our test vehicle had the standard body style, Prestige trim, Glacier White paint, and the Black Optic Package. Those upgrades brought the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to $74,740, including destination. The Black Optic Package eliminates the standard matte silver trim, but doesn’t include black wheels, so you can actually see the intricate design of the 21-inch rims (20-inch wheels are standard).

Generally, modern Audis exhibit soft, curvaceous styling devoid of defining character. Nevertheless, the new SQ5 looks good. Owners choosing the SQ5 Prestige can even customize the appearance of the digital daytime running lights, OLED taillights, and ambient cabin lighting. The interior remains high-tech and filled with high-quality materials, but with more warmth than before despite the triple-screen dashboard. In particular, the SQ5 Prestige’s Fine Nappa leather is just lovely. It would be nice if Audi offered it in more than just black and red.

A lower-grade leather with diamond-stitched Dinamica artificial suede inserts is standard on the Premium and Premium Plus trim levels, along with an unusual flat-top and flat-bottom steering wheel with shift paddles, illuminated front door sill inlays, and stainless steel pedal caps. Additionally, the interior features a black headliner, aluminum accents, and extended leather trim on certain surfaces.

Few analog controls exist. Importantly, those remaining include the power windows, stereo volume and tune/track selection, and stalks jutting from the steering wheel. The electronic shifter is simple and reasonably intuitive. Normally, the Audi SQ5’s lack of traditional switchgear would cause consternation, but the Audi Assistant voice recognition technology is so good, you might not care.

Audi equips the SQ5 with a sweetheart of a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine. It produces 362 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. That gets the SQ5 from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, according to Audi. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system are also standard.

Sport-tuned adaptive air suspension is standard, and compared to the new Q5, the SQ5 has larger wheels, lower-profile tires, and bigger front brakes. Audi Drive Select offers several driving modes; we used Balanced most of the time, and Dynamic mode for testing in the local mountains. The official EPA fuel economy rating is 22 mpg combined. We observed 20.4 mpg during testing.

A series of atmospheric river storms plowed into Southern California during our 10 days with the SQ5, giving us a chance to test its traction and stability on the rain-soaked roadways. Aside from one instance of unexpected hydroplaning, the Audi proved sure-footed at all times. After things dried out, the SQ5 was nothing but delightful no matter where or how we drove it. In fact, we liked it more than the Audi S5 we tested the week prior, and not only for its easier entry and exit, roomier interior, and extra cargo space. Aside from a little more ride and handling chop in the SQ5, the SUV’s benefits outweighed any drawbacks compared to the S5 sedan.

Satisfyingly fast, the SQ5 sounds good when accelerating, and feels good when you’re hustling it. In Dynamic mode, the powertrain burbles on upshifts and rev-matches downshifts, adding to the turbocharged V6 engine’s already harmonic note. Cruise the freeway in Balanced mode, and the SQ5’s interior seems much quieter than the S5’s.

The P255/40R21 summer tires on our test car (all-seasons are standard) supplied extraordinary grip in curves and corners. The upsized brakes bite with instant authority, and unwanted body motion is masterfully tamed by the air suspension. Yet the firm ride quality didn’t beat us up when driving the often-crumbling surface streets of West Los Angeles and Santa Monica.

We have a few minor complaints. The SQ5’s progressive steering feels a little light, even in Dynamic mode. However, the wheel itself was great for shuffle steering down Mulholland Highway to the beach. Also, when driving in heavy traffic in Balanced mode, it can take a moment for the engine to restart when vehicles ahead resume moving. The DCT can also sometimes contribute to uneven power delivery in urban environments.

Like other compact crossovers, the Audi SQ5 can carry five people if you insist, but it’s better suited to four adults unless the back seat is occupied by children.

With Premium trim, the SQ5 includes a triple-zone automatic climate control system, a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, and heated front seats wrapped in leather and artificial suede. Premium Plus models add a heated steering wheel and a panoramic glass sunroof. The Prestige trim adds ventilated and massaging front seats and the aforementioned Fine Nappa leather upholstery.

Get in the driver’s seat, reach to grab the handle to close it, and you’ll instead find a touch-sensing control panel for the door locks, exterior mirrors, child safety settings, and seat memory functions. Reach farther out to grab the armrest to close the door. Or, pull on the upper lip of the storage bin toward the bottom of the door panel, as we did. The seats themselves are outstanding. Though heated in the Prestige, the rear seat isn’t quite as satisfying, feeling too low and lacking optimum leg support. At least there is enough room for adults, thanks to adequate legroom, headroom, and footroom.

Audi has improved the in-cabin storage space, and the center console features practical cupholders and a shelf for charging a smartphone. However, the bin underneath the height-adjustable center armrest remains small.

Behind the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat, the SQ5 provides 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space (25.4 cubic feet in the Sportback). Since Audi provides an inflation kit instead of a spare tire, there is a huge underfloor compartment as well. Levers located in the cargo area release the rear seatbacks, increasing cargo capacity to 57.1 cubic feet (53.1 cubic feet in the Sportback). An illuminated arrow projected onto the ground shows where to kick your leg under the bumper to activate the hands-free power liftgate—an effective and appreciated touch.

Audi Digital Stage is the name the automaker gives to the collection of screens stretching across the SQ5’s dashboard. The Premium and Premium Plus trim levels include an 11.9-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus digital instrumentation display and a 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen for the Multimedia Interface (MMI) infotainment system. Prestige trim adds a 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger.

Other standard features include a navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Audi Assistant. Simply say, “Hey Audi,” and the assistant is ready to recognize and respond to conversational requests. Audi Connect Care, Nav, and Plus plans provide connected services. Additionally, the Audi Application Store offers ways to customize the look of the Audi Digital Stage and access to apps for streaming music, video, games, and more.

Upgrades starting with the SQ5 Premium Plus include a sensationally good 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen high-end 3D surround-sound system and a configurable head-up display. The SQ5 Prestige adds Dynamic Interaction Lighting, an ambient lighting feature that flashes green when using the turn signals, glows red when the heat is increased, and emits a blue glow when the cabin temperature is decreased. It is the very definition of a surprise-and-delight feature.

During our testing, with the Audi Connect service plans active, we found the Audi Digital Stage technology to be user-friendly. However, when a passenger rode in the SQ5, they barely used the 10.9-inch screen on the right side of the dashboard, suggesting it is more of a gimmick designed to keep pace in the luxury brand screen-size race.

Standard safety features include: 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 a safe exit assist system.

Choose the Premium Plus trim, and Audi adds its Adaptive Cruise Assist technology, which pairs the adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist for highway use. The Premium Plus also adds a surround-view camera system, which helps to make parking easier. In addition to these features, Audi claims the Active Front Assist system—its umbrella term for automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning—also features front cross-traffic assist, intersection turn assist, and evasive steering assist.

We also unearthed additional safety features in the MMI safety settings menu. They include an undefined Rear Turn Assist function and Emergency Assist, which takes over if the driver monitoring system detects an unresponsive driver. According to the test vehicle’s window sticker, the steering wheel offers hands-on detection capability when Adaptive Cruise Assist is engaged.

That all sounds great. However, Audi does not offer low-speed, hands-free traffic jam assist for the SQ5, and we wished it were available while slogging into downtown L.A. for a meeting. Also missing in action is a hands-free driving technology, which you can get in many modern vehicles at different price points.

Furthermore, though the steering wheel is supposed to recognize when a driver is holding it while using the Adaptive Cruise Assist system, the SQ5 issued regular warnings to hold the steering wheel, even though we were already doing so. That irritation paled in comparison to what happened when the SQ5 hallucinated a potential collision and slammed hard on its brakes for no reason.

We had just finished running the SUV down Piuma Road near Malibu. Where it intersects with Malibu Canyon Road, there is a small left kink as you approach the intersection’s traffic light. As we steered left into that kink while bringing the SQ5 to a halt, another vehicle turned right off Malibu Canyon onto Piuma. In response, the SQ5 alerted us to “Danger on the Left!” and then slammed on its own brakes. There wasn’t any danger, but if another vehicle had been following us closely, like one of the many motorcycles that like to run hard on Piuma and the nearby roads, there sure would have been some. For the motorcyclist.

Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had released safety ratings for the new SQ5 at the time of publication. That also goes for the redesigned Q5 on which it’s based.

The Audi SQ5’s primary performance SUV rivals include the BMW X3 M50 xDrive, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, and the Porsche Macan. The BMW and Mercedes have slightly more expensive base prices than the Audi. Surprisingly, the Macan’s base price is lower, but the entry-level model available at that price is also much slower.

All four offer a four-year/50,000-mile warranty. Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche also provide complimentary roadside assistance for the duration and mileage limits set forth by the warranty, while BMW provides four years without a mileage restriction. The BMW also offers complimentary scheduled service for three years; Audi is adding this perk for 2026.

Of this trio, the BMW is also the most fuel-efficient, at 27 mpg combined. The Audi enjoys a slight edge over the Mercedes and Porsche in gas mileage. An outlier is the Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered, a 455-hp plug-in hybrid with 36 miles of electric range that averages 28 mpg when used as a hybrid. While the Volvo is expensive at nearly $80,000, it also comes fully loaded at that price. It matches the BMW’s warranty and roadside assistance and includes two years of free maintenance.

While the Audi can’t match the value in the BMW or the powertrain flexibility and efficiency of the Volvo, the SQ5 is a likeable performance-tuned luxury SUV. We enjoyed everything about it except for its driver-assistance systems. From the lack of a hands-free option, to the steering wheel that couldn’t tell we were holding the rim, and especially the unprompted emergency braking, the tech simply didn’t meet expectations. We’ve experienced several unwarranted braking events in Audis over the years, at least one of them similarly severe. They ruin trust in the technology, and the company needs to significantly step up its game in this area.