Audi Q5 TDI Review - Soon To Be Available in the U.S.

MarcusW

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Location
Munich
TDI
Golf BlueMotion
2012 Audi Q5 3.0 TDI Quattro S tronic – First Drive and Review


By Christian Stampfer
Introduced in 2008 for the 2009 model year, the Audi Q5 is a compact crossover SUV, a segment created by BMW in 2004 with the introduction of the X3 Sports Activity Vehicle. Mercedes-Benz added an entrant a few months ahead of Audi with the GLK.

The Q5 TDI is one of several diesel-powered Audis we expect to see in the U.S. in the next 12 months or so from Ingolstadt.

The Q5 is manufactured at the Audi home plant in Ingolstadt, in Changchun (China), and Aurangabad (India). Several gasoline and diesel engines are available alongside a hybrid model. In the U.S., only two gasoline models, the four-cylinder 2.0 TFSI and the six-cylinder 3.2 FSI, are currently offered but that will soon change.…
Read the full story »


 

German_1er_diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Location
Ratzeburg
TDI
BMW 118d
Hm... For the American market, the Audis that come with DSG in Europe usually get the 8-speed automatic in America... I guess because Americans prefer torque converters?
 

Quanger

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Location
Toronto/Ottawa
TDI
Mk4 ALH TDi
Would audi ever produce a part time 4wd vehicle rather than fulltime 4wd. Reason being is that I am sure driving just the 2 rear wheels would yield much better mileage but would be more expensive to produce.
 

listerone

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Location
Connecticut
TDI
2018 BMW 540d
Made in India and China... hmm...

Pass.
Agreed.....but units made there would be destined for nearby markets and/or other Third World countries.The Chinese demand that world class products like Audis be built *there* because they want to steal the manufacturing/design secrets.Do some googling and you'll find a lot on the subject...including from VW itself.
 

wolfskin

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Location
Timisoara/Romania
TDI
Skoda Fabia Combi TDI
One thing I have to ask about the design of this car:

The rear lights block is completely assembled onto the trunk door (tail lights, break lights, turn signals, all). So suppose you've had to stop on the side of a country road in the middle of darkest moonless night. Add in a light fog, if you will. You have to get something out of the trunk.
How are drivers approaching from behind going to see you with the trunk door open and the lights pointing skyward?

I hope I'm missing something, or else this design is so dangerous it should be illegal.
 

DPM

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 16, 2001
Location
Newtownards, N. Ireland
TDI
2019 Rav4 AWD Hybrid, Citroen C4 BlueHDI
Pretty sure there's a second set of lights inside the trunk. Certainly that's what Vauxhall/Opel have done with the similar-looking Insignia estate.
 

whiplash willy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2012 4-Door Golf TDI 6MT w/NAV & Sunroof
Hm... For the American market, the Audis that come with DSG in Europe usually get the 8-speed automatic in America... I guess because Americans prefer torque converters?
No, it is because all auto manufactures send America the S**T that nobody else wants. Even US companys send the good stuff overseas, and don't offer it here!

I am sure we will get the less efficient 3.0L TDI engine, coupled with the least efficient transmission as our only option. Would it kill them to give the option of smaller more efficient engine options, and more then 1 transmission option per vehicle?
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
2.0tdi trickles down into the Tiguan? please, sir...
YES!! PLEASE! PLEASE!!!! Tiggy TDI!!!! :cool: I would consider selling my 05 ATD PD JWagen with all its mods and getting into a Tiguan TDI if this happens. :cool:

Vaporware until it's actually here though. :(
 

whiplash willy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2012 4-Door Golf TDI 6MT w/NAV & Sunroof
Agreed.....but units made there would be destined for nearby markets and/or other Third World countries.The Chinese demand that world class products like Audis be built *there* because they want to steal the manufacturing/design secrets.Do some googling and you'll find a lot on the subject...including from VW itself.
One of the episodes of Top Gear this season (18) talks about this. They went to China and drove a bunch of China's copies of vehicles. Just about every Chinese branded vehicle is a straight up copy of something else. They had a mini, smart car, and X5 copy to name a few.



Another interesting thing is that most manufactures produce extended wheelbase versions of their cars, because the people that can afford to by cars (No financing available) like to be driven around in them. In the Chinese market, the back seat is the most import feature!
 

LA_VW

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
2003 Golf TDI Automatic
Straight up copy except where emissions are concerned. While a large rear seat might be a priority for the Chinese, I gather clean air isn't.:confused:
 

German_1er_diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Location
Ratzeburg
TDI
BMW 118d
Towing capacity for the Q5 3.0 TDI is 2,000 kg. The 2.0 TDI is only rated to tow 1,800 kg.

http://www.audi.de/de/brand/de/neuw...eren/technische_daten_und.html&container=page

This is the German price list for the Q5. It shows that the premium for the 3.0 TDI over the 2.0 TDI is rather frivolous, but the hybrid costs another 5k€ over the 3.0 TDI...


Also... 170-hp 2.0 TDI quattro vs. 211-hp 2.0TFSI quattro: 126.05€ more for the diesel...
 
Last edited:

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Nice looking and love the diesel option but the Tiggy with a TDI would be more in my price range too.
 

atc98002

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Location
Auburn WA
TDI
2014 Passat TDI SEL Premium (sold back), 2009 Jetta (sold back), 80 Rabbit diesel (long gone)
YES!! PLEASE! PLEASE!!!! Tiggy TDI!!!! :cool: I would consider selling my 05 ATD PD JWagen with all its mods and getting into a Tiguan TDI if this happens. :cool:

Vaporware until it's actually here though. :(
And my Tiggy would be traded in a heartbeat...:mad:
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Towing capacity for the Q5 3.0 TDI is 2,000 kg. The 2.0 TDI is only rated to tow 1,800 kg.
Change that to pounds and you'll come close to about what the DOT will rate the SUV for towing in the states. Look at the jsw. In Europe, it's rated at 1500 kg but only 1000 pounds in the US.
 

dieselyeti

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Location
Fairfield CT
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE (DSG)
I'd be curious to drive a Q5 TDI. I did a week long review of the Q7 TDI back in November, and absolutely loved the car. A Q5 with the same power but less weight would be fun. Related: Next month I have a Touareg TDI coming to review, which should be an interesting counterpoint to the Q7 (same platform & engine, lower GVW)
 

Lex4TDI4Life

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Location
NorCal
TDI
2001 Golf-Ute TDI GLS 5spd Manual
I'd be curious to drive a Q5 TDI. I did a week long review of the Q7 TDI back in November, and absolutely loved the car. A Q5 with the same power but less weight would be fun. Related: Next month I have a Touareg TDI coming to review, which should be an interesting counterpoint to the Q7 (same platform & engine, lower GVW)
If you need a neighbor to give you a second opinion... :D
 

listerone

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Location
Connecticut
TDI
2018 BMW 540d
Straight up copy except where emissions are concerned. While a large rear seat might be a priority for the Chinese, I gather clean air isn't.
Having made several visits to Hong Kong and southern China...the most recent having been last year...I can assure you that you're correct.On the very clearest day you get in those areas there's a very strong haze.On the *typical* day you can barely see your hand in front of your face.I'm told that Hong Kong is that bad because of the pollution they get from several huge,nearby,industrial cities...Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
 

Trooper81

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2001
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
2000 New Beetle, 2011 Touareg TDI
Would audi ever produce a part time 4wd vehicle rather than fulltime 4wd. Reason being is that I am sure driving just the 2 rear wheels would yield much better mileage but would be more expensive to produce.

It wouldn't make a huge difference, look at the difference between automatic FWD tiguan and AWD tiguan. Hardly worth the mileage gains. Your better off having the benefit of the awd, which is pretty reliable i might add.
 

bhsramz

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2009
Location
DFW
TDI
2004 Jetta; 2005 JSW; 2010 Touareg w/ Air
I rented a 6-speed Q5 with the 2.0 TDI and Quattro in Germany last year. We were there in January and the AWD was nice to have at times. I had a Hummer H3 once upon a time, and the Q5 was much more powerful. Not to mention it had better cargo space, and was so much more comfortable. I might have to start saving for one of these to replace my wife's Beetle...
 

vw_leadfoot

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Location
GTA, Ontario
TDI
2010 Golf TDI Wagen
I'll only believe the TDI is coming here when I see it in the showroom....until then it's all speculation...
 

UTAH

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2001
Location
Salt Lake City/Las Vegas
TDI
2012 A3 TDI/DSG
I'll only believe the TDI is coming here when I see it in the showroom....until then it's all speculation...
Yep. I'm not usually a skeptic, but Audi and several other companies keep promising these diesels to us and do not deliver. I'll believe it when I can build one on the Audi site and order one from my dealer.

Bill
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Yep. I'm not usually a skeptic, but Audi and several other companies keep promising these diesels to us and do not deliver. I'll believe it when I can build one on the Audi site and order one from my dealer.

Bill
At least for Audi, they can pull the engines and approvals from VW. Should make them more believeable when they promise a diesel in North America than listening to GM.
 
Top