Audi India might launch the facelifted Q5 SUV in a petrol-only avatar towards the end of next year
German automaker Audi AG has unveiled the facelifted 2021MY Q5 compact luxury SUV (technically a ‘compact crossover’) for international markets. A compelling alternative to the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Audi Q5 has gone through a subtle yet significant overhaul for the 2021 model year.
Global sales are expected to commence by the end of this year while it would take almost another year for Audi India to introduce the same (after the new A3 compact sedan). Just like every other product coming under Skoda Auto Volkswagen India group, the India-spec Audi Q5 facelift would be a petrol-only model.
Changes in the new Audi Q5 include a refreshed front profile complete with new full-LED headlamp clusters (with optional ‘Matrix LED’ upgrade), revised grille configuration and larger air dams. There are new wheel options (17-21 inches) and colour choices. At the rear, the bumper houses a dual-exhaust setup (no fakery here). Thanks to the added ‘edginess’ of the bumpers, the crossover has grown a bit (+19mm) though the overall silhouette remains identical to its predecessor.
Besides looking great, the full-LED lighting systems incorporate a host of advanced illumination technology. In fact, customers can choose between three rear-lighting signatures for the ‘digital OLED’ system. Audi has always been strong in the field of automotive lighting and one could argue that the current trend of DRLs was flagged off by late-2000s Audi models.
On the inside, the 2021MY Audi Q5 facelift gets a bigger 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen (the old version was an 8.3-inch unit). The Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument console also spans 10.1 inches. HUD is optional. The infotainment system is loaded with Volkswagen Group’s MIB3 software and is claimed to be 10x stronger in processing. Standard functionalities are plenty and the new ‘Functions On Demand’ feature opens doors to additional tech. For instance, users can add the enhanced Navigation Plus suite that can evolve by itself through OTA updates.
Coming to the engine department, the 2021MY Audi Q5 primarily comes with a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine (with 12V mild-hybrid setup). It generates 261bhp (+13bhp) and 370Nm of torque. A higher PHEV variant based on the same power plant pushes the figures to 362bhp and 500Nm. The performance-focused SQ5 churns out almost 350bhp and 500Nm of torque from a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol mill.
Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine is good for 201bhp and 400Nm. A 7-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission is standard across the range and sends power to all four wheels via a front-wheel-biased Quattro configuration. Audi India (online sales now active) would most likely update the existing 2.0-litre TFSI petrol unit to BS6 specifications. It currently makes around 245bhp and 370Nm of torque.
