Social climbers

By choosing one of these two fuel-efficient premium large SUVs, the upwardly mobile needn’t face an uphill struggle when it comes to costs

NEW

Audi Q5 40 TDI quattro S line

List price £46,515 Target Price £43,461

Historically a class act, the Q5 now has mild hybid power for greater economy

Jaguar F-Pace D200 R-Dynamic S

List price £45,025 Target Price £42,940 More efficient engine and updated infotainment galvanise the biggest Jaguar SUV’s appeal

IT’S THE NATURAL way of things; luxuries that were once considered an elite treat eventually trickle down into the mainstream. Just look at how many designer brands are now routinely discounted on any suburban high street.

Rather like posh handbags and perfume, the large, premium SUV is no longer an aristocratic preserve. With ever more efficient mild hybrid diesels on offer and tempting monthly deals and cash savings to be had, cars like the recently updated Jaguar F-Pace D200 seem to offer the best of everything; an upmarket image, sporty dynamics, decent practicality and reasonable running costs are all covered.

With that in mind, it’s not hard to see why these SUVs are so popular. And few are more so than the Audi Q5, which has long set the benchmark at the premium end of the large SUV class. Here we’re testing the diesel Q5 40 TDI, which

has also been updated within the past year to include mild hybrid technology. Can the F-Pace, with its new, more efficient diesel engine and modernised interior and infotainment, usurp the Q5’s top-dog position?

DRIVING

Performance, ride, handling, refinement