Don't think Audi's forthcoming Q5 is simply a dressed-up version of the Volkswagen Tiguan, because that's not the way the four-ringed marque does things these days.
The Q5 might be of a similar size and compact-crossover genre to the Tiguan, but it's based on a different platform (from
the A4/A5 models), will feature more powerful engines and pick up some of Audi's latest driver-assistance technology.
It'll also be a lot more expensive. While the Tiguan sits in the $50,000 bracket, the Q5 has been launched at A4 prices in Europe - about $80,000.
"We will take the Q5, probably in 2009," says Audi New Zealand boss Glynn Tulloch. "It's available with most of the A4 engines, certainly the upper end, so where it sits in the market depends on which engines we take."
Tulloch predicts the local version of Q5 will sit "a little bit above" the Land Rover Freelander, which costs $70k.
The Q5 has been launched in Europe with 2.0-litre petrol, plus 2.0 and 3.0 turbo diesels.
The entry petrol version gets a six-speed manual gearbox, while the two diesels get a seven-speed S-tronic automated transmission, and all have quattro four-wheel-drive.
Also available is the Drive Select system from the latest A4, which allows the driver to choose different modes for the (optional) Dynamic Steering and Adaptive Suspension systems.
The electronic stability programme has been retuned to recognise loose surfaces. It also automatically adjusts if a load is fitted to the roof rack, to compensate for the higher centre of gravity.
The "rear bench seat plus" slides 100mm lengthwise to provide a load-through facility. The front passenger seat can be outfitted with a folding backrest to transport long objects.
The optional storage package features an attachment point in the passenger-side footwell to which various storage fixtures can be attached.
