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Small SUVs
- Best compact SUV overall 2011 Chevrolet Equinox *Est. $22995
- Sportiest compact SUV 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan *Est. $23720
- Best small luxury SUV 2012 Audi Q5 *Est. $35200
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- Powerful
- Fun to drive
- Comfortable ride
- Beautiful cabin
- Great crash-test performance
- Towing capacity
- Complicated controls
- Limited rear visibility
- Less cargo room than some rivals
- Big hump intrudes on middle rear seat
- Expensive
Free Price Quote for 2010 Audi Q5The 2010 Audi Q5 is the best vehicle of its kind, experts say. In tests, the athletic, luxurious Audi beats other small, premium, five-passenger SUVs from Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz. The 2010 edition carries over with only minor equipment changes from 2009. For a detailed review, see our page on the 2009 Audi Q5 (Base MSRP: $37,200).
Fuel economy for the all-wheel-drive Audi carries forward unchanged from 2009, at 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway/20 mpg combined for the 270-horsepower, 3.2-liter, V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission.
The Audi Q5 is one of the safest SUVs you can buy, tests show. In government tests, it earns a perfect 5 stars in front- and side-crash tests and 4 stars for rollover avoidance. In separate tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Q5 earns the highest rating of Good in front-, side- and rear-crash tests, as well as roof-crush tests, earning it a 2010 Top Safety Pick Designation. Standard safety features include antilock brakes, stability and traction control and front, front-side and curtain airbags (rear side airbags are optional).
As before, the 2010 Audi Q5's base MSRP is one of the highest in its class at $37,350.
Our Sources
1. Car and DriverDetails/Subscribe
The Audi Q5 wins this SUV shootout, with performance and beauty that Car and Driver testers find "irresistible." A link leads to a buyer's guide summary for the 2010 Audi Q5, which is an Editors Choice.
Review: 2009 Audi Q5 vs. 2009 BMW X3, 2010 M-B GLK350, 2010 Volvo XC60, 2010 Lexus RX350 -- Comparison Tests, Patrick Bedard, June 2009
2. Motor TrendDetails/Subscribe
The 2009 Audi Q5 (largely unchanged for 2010) wins Motor Trend's small premium SUV contest, too. Editors say it is "unmatched" in styling and performance, both on- and off-road.
Review: Comparison: 2009 Audi Q5 vs. 2010 Lexus RX 350 vs. 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 vs. 2010 Volvo XC60, Edward Loh, July 2009
3. Motor TrendDetails/Subscribe
Motor Trend testers aren't as impressed with the Audi Q5 this time around. Testing it against other Sport/Utility of the Year contenders, they say the Q5 is very agile but still "won't pry many sales away from the Lexus" RX, thanks to its higher price and smaller cargo bay.
Review: 2010 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year: The Contenders: 2010 Audi Q5, Kirill Ougarov, October 2009
4. Edmunds.com
The Audi Q5 is one of the most agile SUVs you can buy, with a roomy, upscale cabin and excellent safety. Its rivals -- including the Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35 and Mercedes-Benz GLK350 -- are all worthy competitors, editors say, but the Audi is their Top Recommended pick.
Review: 2010 Audi Q5 Review, Editors of Edmunds.com
5. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org ranks the Audi Q5 against other SUVs based on the nonprofit's expert testing of performance, comfort and safety. However, the Q5 -- now in its second year --still has not amassed enough reliability or owner-satisfaction data, so it gets no ratings in those categories.
Review: Audi Q5, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
After testing most SUVs on the market, editors here say the Audi Q5's refinement and passenger and cargo versatility are "unmatched by most compact SUVs at any price." It's named the ConsumerGuide.com Best Buy in the premium, compact SUV class.
Review: 2010 Audi Q5: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Editors here say they like most premium SUVs, "but we never had a clear favorite until we drove the Audi Q5." The cabin "oozes with both style and quality," and testers particularly like the Q5's push-button drive selector, so you can choose Comfort, Automatic, Dynamic or Individual mode depending on your mood.
Review: 2010 Audi Q5 4-door 3.2 QUATTRO Premium Sport Utility, Editors of Kelley Blue Book
8. SaferCar.gov
The Audi Q5 earns the highest 5-star front- and side-crash ratings in government tests, with 4 stars for rollover avoidance.
Review: 5-Star Safety Ratings, Editors of SaferCar.gov
9. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Audi Q5 matches the safety scores of most other SUVs in this class and performs well enough in rollover roof-strength tests to be named a 2010 Top Safety Pick at this independent, insurance industry-funded organization.
Review: Midsize Luxury SUVs, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
10. FuelEconomy.gov
The Audi Q5 delivers an estimated 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway, costing an average $2,310 per year in premium gas, this federal website shows.
Review: 2010 Sport Utility Vehicles, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov
11. ConsumerSearch.com
The 2010 Audi Q5 carries over largely unchanged from 2009, so our comprehensive report on that model is still valid. It links to a variety of expert reviews of the Audi Q5.
Review: 2009 Audi Q5, Editors of ConsumerSearch, June 2010
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