Months in fleet: four
Miles to date: 12,370
What can we say? We love driving our Audi Q5. Evidence supported by the fact that we've racked up yet another 4000 miles on the odometer in four weeks time. The total is now 12,000.
Senior Web editor Phil Floraday has a theory behind the popularity of the Audi, saying "the Q5 is exactly what a lot of consumers are shopping for these days. It rides higher than a sedan, doesn't look like a minivan or a station wagon, and offers all-wheel-drive and a smooth six-speed automatic transmission."
We all agree that the Q5 behaves well on the road compared to other crossovers, specifically our Four Seasons Subaru Outback, which tends to wander constantly on the highway. As copy editor Rusty Blackwell put it, "The Q5 is no sports car, but it's more tied down than most crossover/SUV things."
The Q5 was the first choice for assistant web producer Evan McCausland, who had to make a road trip to the Windy City for the Chicago Auto Show. It ended up being a wise decision as a storm dropped up to 10 inches of snow, paralyzing the region. "This crossover was remarkably comfortable during the trip to Chi-town and back, and sure-footed even when Mother Nature tossed us her worst." McCausland also noticed the small touches, adding, "It's refreshing to see some European automakers still equip their U.S.-bound models with fog taillights. They came in plenty handy during my drive to Chicago - whiteout conditions on I-80 made it hard to see any vehicles on the road, let alone our Q5, which wears a lovely shade of blanc."
McCausland went on to call the Audi Q5 the best value in the luxury-crossover segment. Hopefully we'll stand by the statement following the completion of our eight remaining months with the Q5. Be sure to check back next month to see what our Q5 has been up to and where it's been. ...next page >>