The Evolved SUV

Audi’s SQ5 is aims to be an iron fist in a velvet glove.

- Lionel Kong

With a name that sounds like a Singapore Airlines flight number and billed as the sportiest of the Audi Q family, the SQ5 has big shoes to fill. It has the help of a 3.0-litre turbocharged engine, an eight-speed automatic gearbox and active four-wheel drive, so on paper at least it’s a pretty formidable package.

How does that translate into real-world dynamics though? With a power output of 354hp, the SQ5 is a veritable wolf in sheep’s clothing. It looks every bit like the luxury SUV from the outside, though drivers familiar with the base model Q5 will realise that the SQ5 sits visibly lower on its wheels, thanks to the sportier suspension set up. The engine note is suitably civil at low revs, but there is a hint of menace with the way the exhaust note snaps and pops when the car is started up.