2022 Audi SQ5 with a turbocharged V-6 under the hood has introduced the 2022 SQ5 and SQ5 Sportback to upgrade the power of the regular Q5 SUV’s high-tech luxury equation to good effect.
2022 Audi SQ5 made merely one change to the SQ5 and SQ5 Sportback for 2022: Carbon fiber inside trim is now standard. The rest of the performance-oriented crossover carries over unchanged.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2022 Audi SQ5 keeps things simple with one powertrain. Audi’s throaty turbocharged V-6 makes good power, and standard Quattro all-wheel-drive puts that power to the road. This dynamic duo is let down occasionally by its eight-speed automatic transmission, which can be slow to change gears and sometimes serves up syrupy shifts.
The SQ5’s 5.1-second zero-to-60-mph run is objectively quick, but it’s not quite as speedy as the 4.3-second effort of the GLC43. With its accurate, firm steering, there’s plenty of fun to be had tossing the SQ5 through the twisties, especially if equipped, as our test vehicle was, with the optional torque-vectoring rear differential.
Even entry-level SQ5s have a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system that can direct up to 85 percent of the available torque to the rear wheels. The SQ5’s ride is comfortable—a compliment in this class—but a little too soft for true performance driving.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The SQ5’s EPA fuel-economy ratings aren’t particularly impressive, but most competitors have similar numbers. Also, the SQ5 outperformed said numbers in our real-world highway fuel-economy test.
Our Prestige test vehicle delivered an impressive 28 mpg highway over the course of 200 miles at a steady 75 mph, outpacing even the Cadillac XT5 which offers nowhere near the same amount of performance as the Audi. For more information about the SQ5’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The 2022 Audi SQ5 ‘s exterior may be a little dull, unless you opt for the sexier Sportback body style. But inside, both come standard with sculpted sport seats and their available quilted-leather coverings leave no doubt as to this crossover’s upscale intentions.
Heated, power-adjustable front seats are standard in every SQ5, as are three-zone automatic climate control and Audi’s practical, attractive design. Other comforts will cost extra and can include heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and additional leather trim for the front row. We fit the same six carry-on boxes into the SQ5’s 27-cubic-foot cargo area as we did in the Macan’s 18-cubic-foot luggage compartment.
Call that an impressive result for the Macan or a disappointing one for the SQ5, but either way, it puts the Audi near the bottom of its class for real-world carrying capability. The Sportback variant reduces storage space behind the rear seats by 3 cubes (25 total), and folding them flat opens up 52 cubes of cargo volume.
