Just in time for winter, Automobile Magazine has taken delivery of a 2010 Audi Q5, the latest addition to our four-seasons fleet. To blend in with the elements, our new five-passenger crossover wears Ibis white exterior paint complemented by a beautiful black leather interior. Under the hood is a 3.2-liter V-6 with 270 horsepower sent through a six-speed automatic transmission and Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system.
The Q5 comes pretty well equipped for its base price of $38,125, so we kept the list of optional equipment on our test vehicle modest-well, relatively modest. We added the premium plus package at $4050, which gives us a huge panoramic sunroof, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, heated front seats, Bluetooth, a music interface with ipod cable, auto-dimming interior mirror with compass, and a power tailgate. We also chose Audi's MMI navigation plus package at $3000; this includes navigation with voice control, a rear-view backup camera, and single CD and DVD player bringing our as tested price to a respectable $45,225.
To keep the ride quality as livable as possible for twelve months on Michigan roads, we chose to stay with the stock eighteen-inch alloy wheels. We did replace the stock all-season tires with Michelin Latitude Alpin winter tires to help us carve through the snow and ice. The decision to stay with the standard wheel size was based on a previous experience with the Q5 on its optional nineteen-inch wheels [see our April 2009 issue]; said European Bureau Chief Georg Kacher: "Even with the optional Drive Select set to comfort mode, the Audi, with its nineteen-inch Goodyear all-season tires, felt too stiff".
Despite that criticism, the Audi Q5 went on to take first place in that comparison test beating out the Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 and Volvo XC60 T6. We suspect it will fare even better on its smaller wheels. We look forward to starting our year-long relationship with Audi's attractive new crossover. Be sure to check back for the latest updates on our Audi Q5. ...next page >>