The new Q5 is strong enough in lots of key areas to be an even stronger contender in the hotly contested premium SUV class. It’s still not as involving as an X3 or an F-Pace, but it is an accomplished cruiser with a nicely finished cabin, and practical enough for most needs. We’ll hold off on a full five stars until we get full specs, including the crucial CO2 figures – but this is a very complete package, if a slightly predictable one.
The Audi Q5 has been one of the German brand’s best-selling models since it launched back in 2008. Now it’s getting an all-new generation – and Auto Express has driven a very late prototype as senior engineers gave the car the green light for production.

Due on sale at the start of 2017, with deliveries due from April, the new Q5 sits on a shortened version of the MLB Evo platform that underpins the latest Q7, and gets many of the same benefits. Chief among these is a loss of around 90kg compared with the car it replaces, helping engineers to deliver improved fuel efficiency and lower CO2 figures

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This is all the more impressive given that the Q5 grows for its new generation; it’s now 4.66m long, 1.89m wide and 1.66m tall, so longer and a little taller than the car it replaces. Most significantly of all, its wheelbase grows by almost 20mm, to 2.82m; this is designed to bring real benefits in cabin space, particularly for rear-seat passengers.