Audi’s Q5 is a accomplished exceptional SUV, but until now we haven’t activated it in 3.0 V6 TDI form, with the ambit bound to aloof 2.0 TDI turbodiesel and 2.0 TFSI petrol versions.
While best models in this chic are still awash with a smaller, cheaper and added able 2.0-litre diesel, a beyond V6 makes affluence of faculty in already aesthetic cars like the Q5. It serves up easy, effortless canoeing adeptness and adds accuracy to the package. There ability be a banking amends to pay on the acquirement amount and active costs, but these cars still add up with bigger diesels beneath their bonnets.
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The Jaguar F-Pace 3.0d Portfolio has accurate this for a few years now, and is our accepted favourite exceptional SUV with a big diesel. So, does the Audi’s beyond agent bend it advanced of the Jaguar? Let’s acquisition out.
For: Agent feels muscular, berth affection and tech, bland and controlled ride.Against: Achievement not absolutely as absorbing as F-Pace’s, trails the Jag on amount amplitude slightly.
When Audi launched its all-new second-generation Q5 aback in 2017, a 3.0-litre V6 TDI was consistently in the artefact plan. But the close said this agent would chase at a after date. That time has now come, and it’s been account the wait, because this larger, smoother TDI enhances the Q5’s accustomed characteristics alike further.
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At the beginning of that is refinement. The V6 pulls smoothly, and it’s absorbed up to an eight-speed automated and Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive arrangement as standard. It produces 282bhp and 620Nm of torque for effortless performance.
This achievement is some way bottomward on the Jaguar’s, but the Q5 is 74kg lighter, which offsets the F-Pace’s added oomph. This meant it was quicker from 0-60mph at our analysis track, demography 6.2 abnormal to the Jag’s 6.9-second effort.
In-gear achievement is added to do with torque, and while the lighter Q5 still akin the F-Pace amid 30 and 50mph in third and fourth, the added torque-rich Jag had the bend amid 50 and 70mph in fifth accessory and aloft – by a abundant 2.7-second allowance in eighth.
The Audi offers above ride comfort, though, because our Q5 was adapted with the £2,000 adaptive air suspension. That’s a cher option, but the Q5’s amount advantage gives you allowance to burrow into the extras. Besides, with the arrangement fitted, in Abundance approach it floats serenely over all but the harshest, best broken tarmac. Riding on 20-inch alloys (a £900 extra), it feels adjustable but controlled, and exhibits about as abundant activity as the adventurous F-Pace.
The council doesn’t bear any feel, but the accoutrement is direct, although base this and actuality advancing with your inputs causes the car to roll. You could consistently about-face the dampers to Activating mode, but the Q5 feels harsher here, with that affectionate ride reduced, as with anatomy lean.
Sportier S band trim has a slick, sumptuously akin cabin, with abundant body affection and expensive-feeling abstracts that bolster the air of sophistication. It’s helped by a acceptable account of kit: LED lights, half-leather, half-Alcantara electric sports seats and a sportier bodykit feature, and so do sat-nav, cruise and altitude control, advanced and rear parking sensors, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
On top of that, our car had the £1,395 Technology Pack, which adds the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit affectation and a beyond 8.3-inch awning on top of the dash. You additionally get wireless charging and three years’ affiliated services.
For: Surprisingly active handling, aesthetic engine, able amplitude and acumen that don’t affect styling.Against: Lacklustre infotainment system, autogenous affection no bout for the Audi’s, pricier than Q5.
The F-Pace apparent new breadth for Jaguar. It was the brand’s aboriginal SUV, and although it was entering a aggressive breadth abounding of rivals that had been acid over a cardinal of generations, the British close got the compound appropriate aboriginal time; the F-Pace went beeline to the top of the class.
Under the bark the car uses abundant of the aluminium ability Jag acquired through the development of its accepted XE and XF saloons. Yet admitting application some of this failing actual in its construction, the F-Pace is absolutely a bit added than the Audi, at 1,954kg.
You do feel this on the move, but the anatomy accoutrement does its best to annul the bulk, because the council has aloof the appropriate akin of attention for a car of this type, and there’s abundant anchor to aback up how bound the Jag reacts to your inputs.
It feels added activating than the Q5, acknowledgment in allotment to the four-wheel-drive system. In Activating approach especially, you can feel the F-Pace ambiguity torque to the arbor that needs it most, advocacy activity and traction.
There’s affluence of torque, too – 700Nm from the 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 – and added ability than in the Audi, at 296bhp. However, as we’ve seen, that added weight meant the Jaguar couldn’t bout the Audi off the line, alike if it aloof had the bend in gear.
Another breadth area it trails the Audi is ride quality. Our F-Pace featured Jag’s £1,185 Adaptive Dynamics Pack, which has a arrangement that consistently adjusts the adaptive dampers aural the ambit bent by the active approach you’ve called (these accommodate Normal and Dynamic, additional settings for adverse weather).
In the absence abundance ambience the Jaguar rides acquiescently on 19-inch alloys, but it still doesn’t accept the plusher, added fluid-feeling abeyance ascendancy of the Audi. You apprehension this over bigger bumps in particular.
It’s still accurately refined, though. Helped by the smooth-shifting eight-speed automated box and purring engine, which never feels stretched, whisking the car forth involves acutely as little accomplishment as it does in the Audi.
It’s a abashment that the autogenous affection can’t bout the akin of clarification the Jag serves up. Admitting the college price, the F-Pace’s abstracts don’t feel as big-ticket or as concrete as those in the Q5, with some awkward ergonomics not allowance things.
While abate agent Q5s accomplish added banking sense, this 3.0 TDI is beautifully built. Air abeyance ensures it rides well, additional it’s cheaper to buy and run than the Jag. It’s not as practical, but is far from cramped, and is the higher-quality, added solid, added advanced-feeling vehicle.
The F-Pace is still a ablaze SUV that’s quick, bland and aesthetic in 30d AWD Portfolio form. But although it’s added applied than the Q5, it trails on affection and isn’t as comfortable. It’s additionally added pricey, and at this akin the sub-standard infotainment agency it aloof misses out on the win.
Pictures 2023 Audi Q5 – 2023 Audi Q5
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