2023 Audi Q5 Owner’s Manual

It is standard to expect anything from today’s Audi to be a head-turner, but in a calm, cultured, non-flashy way, and that is precisely what you get with the Q5.

The 2023 Audi Q5 carries over from last year’s model, bringing you precise lines and the best in comfort, build quality, and features, wrapped in a refined exterior that is easy on the eyes, albeit with a performance quotient that is subpar when pitted against category superstars like the Porsche Macan and Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

With this year’s Q5, Audi maintains the status quo, offering a setup almost identical to last year, with the only notable changes being a shuffling of the features available across the various trim levels. These changes include adding a Bang and Olufsen sound system on the “45” Premium Plus trim, adding OLED taillights to the range-topping “55” plug-in hybrid, and the standardization of adaptive cruise control for all trims.

Elsewhere, things remain largely the same, with the Q5 staying true to its technophile target audience rather than lending itself more to the driving enthusiast crowd.

The dull handling (for its class) and otherwise mundane driving profile of the Q5 may be less than what adrenaline junkies may expect luxury compact crossover (who are better off with the more performance-oriented SQ5 or the Porsche Macan). Still, you do get your choice of a trio of decently-powered engines.

The base Q5 40 has a 201-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine that should provide enough power for most casual drivers. The mid-range 45 trim adds a decent power boost, offering a similarly specced engine that produces 261 horsepower. However, the change is even more dramatic with the plug-in hybrid that adds an electric motor to up the combined output to a zesty 362 HP.