USCgerl

Really thinking about getting the Q5 Hybrid or SQ5 as my next car sometime in 2015. Driving a '07 Range Rover Sport and as much as I'd like the hybrid as I'm living in the Bay Area, thinking the performance of the SQ5 would win me over. Any hybrid owners have buyer's remorse or do you love it?

TIA!

SQive

How can you compare the hybrid to the SQ???
Hybrids are popular with the smug (South Park reference), but you get better mileage and a lot more power with the TDI.
The SQ, although capable of decent mileage, can only be measured in smiles-per-gallon.

audi40

Agree with SQive's comments. Per Audi, the Q5 TDI is rated @ 1 MPG better (combined mileage) than the Hybrid, not to mention it's $4-5k cheaper and has a ton of torque. I'd say test drive both the TDI and SQ5, then figure out which one is best suited to your driving needs/wants.

I think there are maybe 1-2 Q5 Hybrid owners active on this forum...will be interested to hear what their thoughts are, assuming they chime in on this.

Q5 TDI

Unless you're buying a hybrid, just to own a hybrid (your choice I realize) at least drive the TDI before making a hybrid decision. It's SUCH a much nicer vehicle to drive. I'm not sure why Audi even offers the hybrid.

ex-quattro PETE

Have you driven it? If not, you certainly should. It's been a while since I drove it, and I can't put my finger on it right now, but there was just something very off-putting about this drive train. Would never buy it. Like others said, if it's about fuel economy, buy the TDI instead.

Q5 Bob

Personally, if I was in the market for a hybrid cuv/suv I'd look at a Lexus 440h or the new NX hybrid (if I could get past the styling). They have more experience and great reliability with hybrids.

Otherwise, as others have mentioned, the Q5 TDI is a GREAT alternative.

nathanjbrown

A 2014 TDI with SLine+ is my "fuel efficient SQ." My wife and I initially considered the Hybrid, but after driving the TDI and crunching some mileage/money numbers, it was clear that the Hybrid wasn't a good option for us. If you're looking for sport and fuel efficiency, I think you - like us - will find the TDI to be the perfect vehicle.

SQive

Well USCgerl, You've seen how the TDI wins the vote here, hands down.
What are your impressions now? Have you driven them yet?

MP4.2+6.0

And, hence why I don't typically bother with these. Tend to go down the "mine's better/why would you" path too often, more so when the TDI part comes up. Didn't get much at your SQ question either, which is of course in a generally different price and performance bracket than the others.

It's a fine vehicle, if it fits your need/spec and desire. So are the other motor choices and their various price points and various strong points--all of diesel and gas, and also conventional 2.0T and std. (no slouch) 3.0T. For what its worth, maybe the sober big picture question to be asking on ANY Q5/SQ5 now is do you want to buy one as it gets near the end its production run. I don't lease, but it could start to make more sense here. I have owned many generations of them now over the years and various models, and watched various others. Typically in addition to the annual depreciation they take a further one time 20% used/trade in hit in the period from the first rumors of the replacement until the new one comes out, and all the dealers and used car dept's know the model roll out schedule in general. If you intend to own for many years or lease (or depreciation isn't a big factor), less relevant. For the rest of us, that incremental slide will be starting soon, albeit it offset by current good Q5 demand and following. We bought right at the refresh point in 2013 and were quite happy w/ timing and vehicle freshness at that point.

For OP, ask me off line if you are serious about the Hybrid specifically. Could also answer the, 'why not Lexi hybrid' idea too; we considered that. I am in SF Bay Area like you and its my wife's primary ride; 17K-ish miles now; did Euro delivery new. Not interested in commenting further on Hybrid specifics in this kind of board environment though, and I'm one of the only two here (or maybe only one left?). With thousands of posts on record, not good for info sharing for it to play like this, to express my view quite directly. I let it go a few days ago when I saw it was a new poster where I couldn't read the interest level enough...especially w/ the SQ dichotomy...but too bad it had to be negative selling in at least one quarter.

Objectively, the board is virtually all male too. (guessing at the "gerl" in USCgerl). I remember one of the few women joinees giving up since I got here. Honestly, kind of another "why would you" refrain a few too many times from what I saw. Most all of AW and most other enthusiast boards are almost all male for that matter--while the Q5 demographic is markedly different. I haven't seen data, but a guess is it may skew somewhat further on the TDI and SQ relative to the 2.0T or the Hybrid. Keep actual owner (not board) demographics and context in mind for input you get, and be happy with what ever your choice. My wife is, and we aren't some granola eating tree huggers on a social mission either. Not with a W12 sleeper in the same garage, and not here literally next door to Atherton with 21% new vehicle registrations = Teslas. Q5 owners typically are satisfied, which ever the flavor, at least w/ the newer ones. In the real world out there, the owners like the vehicle. As do those who ask questions about it BTW on the street, both here in Silicon Valley--with dime a dozen new rides du jour--and in more laid back Tahoe with a decent underlying Audi and Subie following and a legit real use for quattro.

idale

Bah, was hoping you (or one of the other rare hybrid owners) would come in to help with the hybrid side. Though I agree with everyone that it seems kind of odd looking at hybrid vs. S, and so it's hard to really give much of any useful advice when we can't figure out what the "needs" are.

I would guess that nearly all of us haven't even tried the hybrid, so we can only speculate -- but the hybrids that VAG is trying aren't your normal sluggish hybrids, instead what I've been calling "performance hybrids" where the goal isn't to get insane mileage (though honestly most normal hybrids don't impress me there anyway) but instead to add power in particular situations that the normal engine may be lacking. Pricing gets stupid just because it's a 2.0T Prestige, so if you weren't looking to go Prestige it can be hard to swallow the upcharge (but if you wanted Prestige + 2.0T then there you go!).


Definitely, can't go too far wrong with anything, the Q5 is in a great position where it gets a lot of engine options so it's likely that it can be "the right one" for a lot more people than other similar/competing vehicles. I still don't know how the hybrid fits in, but that's mostly just lack of information and VAG going in a different direction and it having started relatively recently. Obviously since you guys went for one it makes sense for some people, and I wish you felt more comfortable talking about it here. Though especially with the responses here I can understand...

The TDIs are always strong contenders and typically have a passionate/dedicated following, but a TDI isn't the answer for all questions. I love mine and know I made the best choice for me, but there's a lot of reasons it might not be "the right one" for others.


Hey, I like granola.



For the OP, assuming they check back in, definitely talk to MP if you're interested in the hybrid for reasons other than "it's what everyone talks about in SF". Most of us have little practical experience and he's one of the few real, live owners of one around here, so if anyone can get you thoughts from the ownership side, he can.

And the hybrid vs. SQ5 is really confusing for us... what are you hoping to get out of the car? Best bet is to at least get some preliminary thoughts from going by a dealer and test driving as many options as possible.

The SQ5 is the performance king but if you're concerned with fuel economy then an S is usually not recommended (it's all about the performance)... unless you get won over and stop caring about that fuel. There's quite a few S owners around happy to share details of ownership.

The TDI gets brought up because it's got good performance (especially off the line, due to all the torque) but also great fuel economy. Not necessarily everyone's thing (especially if you like a lot of numbers on your tach, as diesels have a much lower redline and you'll be wanting to keep revs lower), but often good to check out as an option. Obviously the TDI owners have been making themselves known.

The hybrid supplements the base 2.0T engine with electric, both assisting some in the performance side as well as the economy side. As mentioned, these beasts are extremely rare around here so quality information is more difficult to come by. MP has one, and I don't remember the one or two others who were getting one. So get with him for more.


EDIT - Forgot the 3.0T, which of course is the "regular Q5" version of the SQ5: not as fast as the souped-up S, but the fastest of the engines in the normal Q5. S of course has some different things you can (or can't) equip, but also costs a bit more so for some people who like the 3.0T engine but don't want to shell out for going all the way to the S, the regular 3.0T could be a compromise.