RobC

I have both a C7 S6 and a B8 S4. The S4 doesn't get driven much these days and as far as type of car goes, is a little redundant with the S6. To get more utility and perhaps use as a road trip vehicle, I'm considering trading the S4 for a Q5 TDI. Note I also have a 2004 Nissan Titan for "real" truck-duty stuff for hauling and towing.

Obviously the Q5 gives up the handling, dynamics, and fun-to-drive factors of the S4, but I've got the S6 for that. The S6 also seats 4 larger adults comfortably.

I'm looking for general comparisons about size, handling, and utility from folks coming from another Audi, what you do or don't like, or wish you had.

My other choice would be a low mileage CPO Q7 TDI for maybe a few thousand $ more. It drives more like a truck (I've driven both cars) but obviously offers more utility, lots of passenger space, and some more bells and whistles.

The Q5 I'm considering is a premium plus with MMI Nav, B&O, and S-Line Plus. The CPO Q7 is a prestige with technology package, cold weather, warm weather, tow package, and S-line.

Appreciate any comments or thoughts. Am I overthinking this and just need to decide if I need a smaller or larger SUV?

Transfer

I came from an E90 M3 which is more or less the same size as an S4 although the S4 I test drove had marginally more rear leg room. My impression of my SQ5 size is that it feels like a much bigger car. Wider and taller but with an excellent turning radius. The side mirrors are stupidly enormous and really inhibit cornering visibility which is part of what makes it feel large when maneuvering around town, parking, etc.. When it comes to driving dynamics, it drives like a slightly larger S4 and shrinks at speed. The TDI won't have as tight of a suspension as the SQ so at speed it may feel different. It sounds like gas mileage might be a factor for you, but if not, the SQ5 is pretty much an upsized, lifted S4 hatchback.

Passenger space and utility is certainly better than the sedans with plenty of room for large adults with average cargo. IMO the Q7 is too large unless you have 2+ kids and need to haul a lot of stuff. Some people like the big cars though. I'm just not one of those.

NABS4

^ +1. The Q7 is a big pig, and that's why my wife is driving an Odyssey as an interim vehicle until the 2015 model comes out. The next gen Q7 will be 7-800 lb lighter than the current version. It sounds like the Q5 is the right vehicle to fill the space between the S6 and Nissan.

The Q5 is a bit wider, has more headroom, and marginally more leg room than the S4. Additionally, the back seat in the Q5 has fore/aft adjustment.

idale

The quick and dirty comparison would be that the Q5 is approximately a B8 A4 allroad with the rear seat moved back 2" (2" extra legroom), rear end moved up 2", and raised slightly. The rear seat has 2" of extra legroom which can help when you've got people back there (shouldn't have any comfort issues with two adults back there -- middle will always be the tight spot).

I would say that if you were wanting something approximating your S4 but with more utility, then a Q5/SQ5 seems like it could be a good fit. I haven't driven an S4 to have any sort of comparison on the driving dynamics, but the TDI is certainly no slouch; I would think that you could get a decent bit of fun out of running the TDI in S mode.

Your choice does really seem like it should come down to whether you want a crossover (tall wagon) or a large SUV (truck). Both the Q5 and Q7 should be good vehicles, they just meet different needs. Seems like from what you're saying the Q5 should suffice, but only you can say for sure.

MP4.2+6.0

Having owned C1, C3, C4 and C5, and looked at 6 and 7, the Q5 is pretty close actually in general feel of interior room. Seems a bit surprising since it comes off the A5 platform, but when you work through it, things are stretched some. I had the C5 for years so went over it very carefully measurement by measurement to give my wife (the primary Q5 driver) a good sense of its size. Thus, if you try a Q5 against either an A4 or 5 in the showroom and against the A6, you will find a back seat that feels like A6 room and way more than the smaller two in the critical few inches of legroom that separate those two body sizes; width will feel just a smidge tighter. The Q5 finish is nice these days and a good value for its quality, but of course tracks closer on both price and luxury level to a B8 A/S 4 or an A/S 5, rather than a nicer C body.

The one thing it is clearly shorter on is overall length, since it doesn't have that trunk, plus the front overhang may be shorter; definitely is against the A6 that had the older long front clip before they got the torque converter behind the front diff with the current drivetrain designs.

Candidly, I think the Q7 is a pretty out of date design now. Both of its stablemates (Cayenne and Touareg) have been pretty well revised with the years, but the Q7 just left in much its introductory feel of years ago now. Truck like as the OP says, horrifically overweight. I got a 2014 TDI as a loaner last month for four days and a couple hundred miles, and honestly the Q5 (a Hybrid) felt like a comparative sports car! No one in the family--who generally like Audis--wanted to drive it after an initial taste. My wife even preferred to take my now 8 year old land yacht A8L over the Q7 loaner, even though she prefers an upright and higher up feel in general. The Q7 was also a take off on the C6 platform, and as of now is probably the only pre-MLB platform Audi left since of course the C6 has been gone itself a few years already. In plain English, that translates to both the general age of the design as well as to packaging inefficiency for its size compared to other more contemporary Audis.

I expect the Q7 will be revved to a new design pretty soon now, and before the Q5. From 35 years of owning Audis, a new design often hits the prior generation depreciation by like 20%, on top of the usual annual depreciation. I have always seen the steeper percentage depreciation on the bigger ones (C and D bodies, and presumably Q7's) both annually and when that model change happens, compared to the small (B) body ones. One of the reasons I have often bought the larger ones used so someone else takes the first big depreciation haircut. You mention the Q7 as a CPO possibility, but given the price deltas I bet the Q5 still compares favorably on the numbers, let alone the more contemporary feel.

RobC

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Yes, I agree ultimately it depends on whether I want something that's more fun to drive versus a truck-like Q7 with additional space for people and cargo.

I drove both the Q5 and Q7 back to back and the Q7 just felt massive in comparison and reminded me of my Titan with better handling. I suspect if I want to use it as a road-trip vehicle then the Q5 will probably make me happier. I still have the pickup for when I need to haul/tow big stuff.

I guess I should have sat in the back of the Q5. I'll do that on my next visit.

One more question: does anyone here have experience with the comfort package on the Q5? I like the ventilated seats on my S6, but in the Q5 you lack the massage at an additional $300 over the S6 option price. It seems silly so spend $2300 for a couple of fans and some extra leather on the doors and dash.

MP4.2+6.0

FWIW, in retrospect I should have pursued your same question more. I got the Sport package on mine, which I wanted for some of the other elements it has, plus the thigh extensions that help bridge from taller drivers like me to shorter ones like my wife. But make no mistake, "Sport" on this is no Recaro. It's a comfortable seat, but the only way it is truly "Sport" would be for sports car drivers who "super sized" their KFC a few hundred times. As in, still fine at 200 pounds.

Meanwhile, on "Comfort," you do get the ventilated seats and also the leather dash cowl area. I never actually could find a Q5 with it locally--they fly out of the lots as fast as they get them. The dealer I used said virtually all are either standard (base) or sport. But, having come from a nicely done C5 4.2 back before Audi cheapened the leather on the basic model with the C6, and a high end D3 A8 extended leather set up, I think there is no denying the Q5 leather used in base or Sport is not the high end. Perfectly good looking in its price class, but I suspect it will show its age more than my now 8 year old 100K mile higher end A8 much sooner or more. Thus, I wish I had tracked down a Comfort one and really looked it over carefully. For a bona fide higher quality leather, I might have also paid the $ and swapped the thigh extension for the vented seats--if you order both you get the Comfort seats w/ the rest of the Sport package elements. All the dealer had with Comfort though was an A5 in a different upholstery color than my choice, so I wasn't sure I would get a good sense of it.

Very happy w/ vehicle so far though. Do check out the back seat as you say. Coming from an older A6, I think you will find it pretty good. I was in a 2014 Cayenne TDI in back last week w/ somewhat more room (a la Q7 but w/ much less "truck"), but that was a 40% more expensive ride as (nicely but carefully) equipped. As I suspected, and Porsche tries not to talk about much, the Q5 cargo area is also solid. As good or better than a clearly larger sized vehicle like a Cayenne. The Q7 is yet more, but we both see that as truck like and our family drivers found it pretty ungainly in the crowded quasi urban area where we live.

Mark P

Get the SLine TDI Q5! I had an S4 (B5 Avant). It would be a great mid-vehicle between the S6 and Titan. With the S-Line (which requires sport seats also), it's still a fun sporty vehicle. The torque is so addicting. I really try to find the best mix of fun/utility/economy in my cars most often, and really like this combination. My S4 Avant was along the same lines, but more shifted towards the performance (Stg3) and less on the utility (smaller, but still great with the Avant, Quattro, etc). The Q5 TDI shifts that slider more towards utility, but not as far as the Q7 would, in which the Q7 loses out on almost all fun and you get another big truck to drive around. Q5 would seem a great fit between your two cars.

For reference, I enjoy the sportiness of the Q5 TDI S-Line with my reference for fun cars being those in my sig pic:
S4 Avant, Stg3
996TT, suspension/exhaust
A3 2.0T, Stg1
Golf 1.8T, Stg3
A4 1.8T, Stg2

We also have a stock VW Tiguan 2.0T SE which is smaller and more "soft" than the Q5, and after driving the Q5 really makes the Tiguan seem dated (interior) and sorta boring, even though it's still a really good vehicle (for my wife )

Good luck in whatever you decide!

skl1

Had a 2006 A8 SWB sport before the Q. That was probably the most comfortable DD (or car for that matter) I'd ever had. I think the Q S-line is almost as comfortable. Was tempted to get a A7 TDI but decided on the Q for a little more practicality.