Mark P

I was very happy to take delivery of my 2014 Q5 TDI (S-Line Sport MMI B&O Tow) before our road trip (NC>NJ>NY>CT>RI>CT>NJ>NC). Overall had a great trip and learned a lot about the car during this time. I'll try to capture many points, so I'll try to keep each brief (LOL, yeah right) and elaborate if requested...

ENGINE:
- Super smooth overall. Gobs of torque. Accels effortlessly at low RPMs without needing to downshift
- I did notice about halfway into the trip that in the 1200-1500 range in cruising speeds (~50mph in 8th) with very minimal accel, I encounter "surging" in which I can feel a rhythmic pulsing of power. It makes me think of a bad Boost Frequency Valve. Has anyone else experienced this? I hope it's a problem with a part on my car and not indicative of poor tuning of the engine, etc.
- Now that I have a bunch of miles on the engine and my own tires, I did some full throttle pulls this morning. From a stop, this thing is a nasty beast - it just roars in the 0-60 range. At higher speeds, it doesn't jump up and go as much, but still holds it's own quite nicely. I still plan on logging this and comparing to my A3 which I had logged before selling it. I also got my new VCDS cable so now I can connect to this car.
Mileage: Enjoying the fuel economy, though I'll post a different thread on that. Update: here it is: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2854138

MUSIC:
- There are so many different ways to play music, and I played with each of them:
- AM:
Ok, I lied, I didn't listen to AM yet.
- FM
Works well. I like that the tuning shows me all of the stations that currently come in so I can scroll through those and see what's available and select from that list. For instance, when I was back in CT, I could scroll through the list and see which stations that I knew well were currently in range and just select form those instead of trying to tune to each of the ones I knew only to find out it wasn't in range where I was currently located.
- SIRIUS
6month free trial. I had never listed to Sirius before a few weeks ago when I added the module to my A3 and transferred ownership from the new owner's other car to my A3. I had that for a week or so before the new owner took the car, so I got to sample it then. It's cool and I can appreciate always being able to listen to the stations I cared about, however for my interests, there were only a couple I ever listened to so it wouldn't be worth me spending much for that. These also heavily overlapped with radio stations I listen to so again not a lot of value in it for me.
- CD
Cool that it plays CDs, and MP3s on CDs and whatever else. I played 1 CD that I had just burned from iTunes of an Album I purchased. To my surprise, I was able to "Import" this into the Jukebox. I thought I was going to need to do a VCDS setting change, but I guess the way the CD was created from itunes was different than if it was an OEM CD. I didn't end up importing it because I wanted to listen to that CD at the time, but when I saw the active "Import" button I clicked it until it appeared to start importing and showed the 0% complete status bar.
- SD Card
I copied some folders of Artist/Album/Songs from my itunes folder onto an SD card to try it out. It all worked fine, but as others have noted you can only randomize to a certain extent or similar. I didn't play with this much other than to see it work.
- iPod
I connected my iPod Touch in the glovebox with the supplied blue grommet cable. I like the little elastic netting to hold the iPod to the top of the glovebox out of the way. I used this interface a lot during the trip. The biggest advantage here over SD/Jukebox is the existence of all of my Playlists. I really enjoyed this. The display is great for what you can choose and shows how poor the Tiguan's iPod interface is (we never use it).
- Jukebox
It's nice to have the ability to put music directly into the car so it's always there, but as there are 2 SD slots that can hold 32GB each and the Jukebox can only hold 20GB, it seems a bit redundant and unnecessary. Again, I know there is some difference about what can be randomized in song selections, etc, but don't recall the details as I didn't play with either of these much. I did import however many songs I had on my SD card into the Jukebox and it all went well. I ended up with 13% used and 16GB remaining or something like that.
General:
- I like that the presets are a combination of AM, FM and Sirius and not separate lists for each. That makes more sense to keep your top choices regardless of "band".
- I had forgot that MMI doesn't have any hard buttons for presets when I previously commented about how the left hand steering wheel scroll wheel accesses presets (referencing how it worked in my A3/Tiguan). While I don't exactly recall the comments made here before about this, what I note is that you can click the "Mode" button when in radio and get to the page that lists AM/FM/Sirius/Presets/<stations>. If you click on Presets, then you can scroll through it with your left scroll wheel. If you go past it, then you get to all stations that are currently tunable. That seemed to be an ok interface, but clearly not as quick a pressing a hard button for a preset. I've been using the ipod so much I haven't gotten to a point where I'm trying to flip between presets often so this may be more of a pain than I realize. I'll see how this goes.
- I originally didn't realize that the center console volume **** was also mute and left/right tracks. I learned that before taking delivery though, but figured I'd mention it.
- I like that the music reduces in volume (configurable in the MMI under Car Systems) when in reverse.
- I really enjoy the B&O sound at all volume levels.

NAV / MMI:
- Traffic: The Traffic info is from Sirius - did I read somewhere that is included for 4 years, despite the music being only 6 months?
- Nav overall: Nav worked quite well compared to other OEM I've played with. Still isn't Garmin nor Google Maps Nav though.
- ETA Times: Garmin is awesome with getting ETA. It always has been. This Nav was quite a ways off. 20% or so I think. On our 8 hr drive, I think it was 1.5 hrs off. I really feel this is one of the things Garmin does better than any other feature, so it's no surprise that the Audi isn't as good, I just wished that not to be true. I also said before that the Audi should be even better because it can be on "all the time" monitoring your driving styles/speed, where as the Garmin is only on when I tell it to be, so has access to less datapoints about my driving heuristics.
- Nav Routing: Routing was pretty decent. I used my Garmin and Audi together for a lot of the trip to build confidence in the Audi. While there were differences, I feel I could trust the Audi alone going forward. It also updated/guided me a few ways due to traffic, so that's an advantage (if it works, considering it already is notably off in ETA) that my Garmin doesn't have.
- Voice Guidance vs Map: A few times it blatantly told me to turn left when the map showed me turning right, or vice versa. That's just poor.
- Map Updates: I have Lifetime Maps in my Garmin that I can update every 3 months. Seems it's not as easy, and more expensive, to get new maps for the Audi. There's a lot of development going on in Raleigh, NC area, so this may hurt me in the years to come. It seemed "okay" for now, though still outdated already for some roads I checked.
- Google: I enjoy the Google Satellite overlay and the street view - I just wish that it also got the actual Google Maps directly
- Speed Limit Signs: I enjoy the speed limit signs in the Audi nav, though not always correct.
- Online Destinations: The Online Destinations are a great way to get POIs (from Google) that are not stored in the Audi POIs. However, a feature I use heavily in my Garmin that I found is also available in the Audi POIs, but NOT the Online Destinations is the "Search along my route" feature. For road trips, most notably, I want to find food/fuel along my route (not to the sides or behind me), which often I look 10's of miles ahead. ie let's stop for lunch in about 30 minutes so let's see what choices we have about 30 miles ahead along our route and determine if we need to stop sooner or later if there's nothing in that range. It's unfortunate that the route and the Online Destinations don't talk to each other to provide this info.
- Fuel Stations Interoperability: A similar mismatch of interoperability of features deals with Fuel Stations. It's wonderful that the Audi POIs has an explicit entry for "Diesel Fuel Stations" and thus I can look for those around me or destination or also "search along my route" (which again I use to see what's near the distance I have remaining in the tank). However, within Audi Connect, there's also an "App" for Fuel Stations and Pricing. That App doesn't allow me to say I only care about Diesel and in fact I have not seen it show any Diesel price. It seems to order only by the price of 87 octane and then once you select that station, you may be able to see Regular/Mid/High grade pricing if available, but I did not see Diesel listed. If Audi is all about promoting TDIs (as they are in their marketing), then they should also have their own App include and be able to be tailored to the diesel vehicles it's in. Also, this App can sort by Distance or Price, but again that is only be the Price of Regular and the Distance in any direction - it has no notion of "search along my route". It also seems this does not update if you leave it on while driving. You have to exit out (which bumps you way out of Audi Connect entirely) and then come all the way back in to find out which stations are now closest by distance.
- Audi Connect Menu Location: Audi Connect is in a strange menu location. I would have expected it directly from the high level "Menu". Off hand, I forget where it is - under Info within Nav or something like that. Seems out of place.
- Touch Screen: I don't hate the **** and lack of touch screen as much as I had thought I would. The **** has good mechanical feedback and while sometimes painfully slow to enter something, overall is decent. The use of the silver quick buttons while using the **** helps. I just wish one of those silver quick buttons was for "list". When I've typed enough stuff using the wheel that I can get to what I want in the list, I want a quick way to get there - I hate having to scroll to the "list" selection by the wheel at that point.
- Button Locations: I'm getting used to where the Nav/Tel/Radio/Media buttons are so I can click them without looking down. It takes some time to get used to that. It's not horrible, but not great either. With only 4 it's manageable if you can find and remember locations.
- Backup Camera: The camera works well in addition to the parking sensors front and rear. I like that you can configure the sounds and frequencies for each tone, but the default has been fine for me. Only today did I realize that while backing up you can click the upper right silver quick button to select a guidance window for turning into a parking spot perpendicular to where you are now, while the default is more for parallel parking. You can also make the parking sensor screen large, but that seems excessive vs the camera and sensor overlay. I can only guess the screen exists for cars that only have the sensors and not camera and it was just retained. Oh, I also really like that after you are backing up, and then put it in drive, the backup camera still shows until 7mph. I found this very handy when going forward and turning sharply enough that I wanted to ensure the trailer tongue wasn't near my bumper at all.
Homelink: Cool that now the transmitter/receiver is near the front grille of the car and not in the visor. That should help transmission distance in theory. I just programmed my garage this morning (did inlaws while traveling) so I can't speak for any distance comparison to the old remote just yet.

S-LINE:
- Bumpers: Enjoy the look
- Black Optics: Overall like the darker/different trim. I wish the front grille was a black version of the SQ5 as the PIB described, but oh well. I ended up liking the Titanium Peelers much more than I thought I would.
- Audi Drive Select: I decided to set the "Individual" to steering=comfort, shifting=comfort, suspension=dynamic. Since I can change shifting to Sport easy enough, I chose to leave that in "D" by default. Tight steering didn't show me much benefit, so I left that off. Suspension=dynamic I enjoy most times. So basically I switch between Individual and Comfort to turn on/off just the dynamic suspension. And to switch shifting, I just the, duh, shifter to set to "S".
- Flat Bottom Steering Wheel: I really like the flat bottom and air leather wheel. The only downside I've found is the location of the cruise control stalk combined with the flat bottom makes it harder to hold the wheel with my left leg when my hands are busy making shadow puppets or similar. Similarly my left leg has been hitting the headlight switch when getting in/out. Since I've been leaving that on "auto" I wish I could push it in / out of the way, but not a big deal. I typically keep a car's wheel extended out to me and most of the way up. However in SUVs I found this puts the angle of the wheel too much so that my hands don't grab it well - more pressure on bottom of palms. So I kept this wheel pretty low, still able to see all of the tach/speedo, so my hands grab it more comfortably. I did notice that puts the wheel in the way of the high-beam indicator and partially on the turn-signals, so I need to be aware of that but it seems to be comfortable like this so for now it's staying there. In comparison, when I then got back into our Tiguan, I felt like I was driving a schoolbus, despite the car being smaller overall.
Black Headliner: Like it a lot.

SPORT INTERIOR:
- Seats: They're great. Sporty, comfortable, supportive. Appropriate set for this vehicle. I like that my passenger gets a full power seat.
- Shift Paddles: Haven't used them much since there's so much torque down low you rarely need to downshift But I like having them / the look. Considered also getting the SQ5 paddles, but may just leave these since I rarely use them anyway. Though the reason I was going to get them was for the looks more than the functional difference (they're slightly bigger)

Mirrors: They're large, good for seeing in reverse, but block visibility going around corners, etc. I used the tilt-up function when I was in NYC, but haven't otherwise. I added small convex mirrors to the lower outer sides for ease of seeing in blind spots and rear tires. I like the auto adjust when in reverse function - only if the mirror **** is in the right mirror position. I'll need to read or test how the heating mirrors work. I hope if I leave it in heated position, it only turns on below a certain temp - ie Auto. I felt like old VWs it was truly a manual switch and would heat in summer if selected. Surely that can't be the case.

Jack: Took me a while to find the jack and jacking accessories. It's below the floor below the tire at the far back. I also found the battery there which I did not previously realize.

Cruise Control: After putting 1000+ miles on the car, I decided I was going to use cruise control (it's advised not to at first to keep RPMs varying more naturally). I like that it shows you the speed that the cruise is set to. The trip computer (1&2) screens will show it instead of time/date (I think), but if you're on a screen that doesn't show it, when you resume or change the speed, it will pop up for a second to let you know the setting. Even if you're already using it and just want to know the setting, you can "resume" the CC and it will pop up. Also adjusting the speed up/down by using the stalk changes it by exactly 1mph. This was roughly true in past Audis, but not exactly. Also in the past you used to have to change it once, let it get there, then increase again. Now you can just click it 5 times up to increase by 5mph. Very nice.
- Also, when resuming/using cruise control, it will shift into the top gear reasonable for the speed, regardless if you are in Sport mode (maybe true for Manual mode as well?). That is, if Sport mode at 60mph is 7th gear, and you then set cruise control, it will shift into 8th for efficiency. Pretty cool.

Lighting: Xenons and high beams are great. Love the LED DRLs and taillights. Also the various other lights (LED license plate, puddle lights, fogs, etc) look great at night when you turn off or lock the car and walk away - very classy. I would like to get everything on except xenons (similar to when you shut off the car at night) for daytime driving, but doesn't seem that's possible without wiring modifications.

Power Tailgate: It's cool. Going into and out of it often though can seem like you're waiting for it. I also managed to already close it while my Mom was walking towards it and it nailed her on the head I now ensure I keep guard of it while closing if anyone is around.

Advanced Key: I wouldn't have bought it if it was still a standalone option, but I really like it now that I have it Only annoyance is when someone else is with you and they are trying to get in the car before you. In the past I would have already unlocked the doors by remote. Now I have to either get there first or remember to use the remote.

Rain Sensing Wipers: These did a good job. From being completely off to a bad full speed storm, to intermittent, I didn't have to touch the stalk at all.

Tow: I got a Reese black nickel carbon forged receiver and ball and lock. It went together okay but after hooking up the Uhaul trailer, there was noticable clunking. I pulled over to find out that it was due the slop between the hitch and the receiver, rotating up and down pivoting on the lock, banging on the hitch. I ended up "hammering" in a paint stir stick into the gap (it wasn't that much, so it was a really tight fit getting that in), and that removed all of the clucking and saved our sanity for the entire ride home. I'll have to look for some other option (rubber sleeve?) going forward as this isn't practical to do each time. As is, it likely will be a major pain to get the receiver out even after the wood has worn down from the trip. Otherwise bringing my Mom's antique phone booth back from CT to NC went smooth. I thought I had a photo in the Uhaul, but I apparently didn't take one. I'll get one posted of the phone booth once I put it all back together in our house. Having the trailer also made it convenient to get my new wheels and tires to the tire shop to be mounted and then to get my boxed-up Titanium wheels to FedEx.
- Also when towing, I notice the MMI shows a trailer tongue connected to the car in the visual for "Car Systems". Nice touch.

Shifter: I really like the change from having a dedicated "D" and "S" selection in the shifter to now having a single location and then having a momentary toggle by pulling back on the shifter. This makes it quite easy to go back and forth between the two, while previously it took a little care when going from S back to D, to ensure you didn't go up into N. I dig it.

Stop&Start: It takes some getting used to your car turning off at stops, but I've left it enabled to force myself to get used to it. I like it and hope it will indeed help fuel economy. I need to get the BOB device for my V1 so it doesn't restart when the car restarts. I find that at times it decides not to turn off, presumably from the car not being warmed up, or being too hot, or something like that. I also noticed with a trailer connected, it is disabled.

I'm sure there's a million things I'm forgetting, but for now this will have to do

And a photo after returning home from the trip:


</stations>

mwaarna

Very good review, thanks for the write up!

Mark can you post some more picture of your Q5(you are the only one with Glacier white with Sline Plus that i'm aware of on the forum) with the LED lights on during low light situations(where you can see the blue/gray in the glacier white)?

All the pictures everyone seems to post are with the LED lights off(one of the best features of the car IMO)!

Parsec

Took me a while, but I read the whole damn thing Thanks for the tip on the backup camera switching modes between parking parallel or into a parking spot. Sounds like you're already more familiar with the features than I am!

Mark P

No problem! I also just edited that item to include this, FYI:
"Oh, I also really like that after you are backing up, and then put it in drive, the backup camera still shows until 7mph. I found this very handy when going forward and turning sharply enough that I wanted to ensure the trailer tongue wasn't near my bumper at all."

wrcardon

You can set ALL the doors to unlock when you grab the door handle, not just the drivers door.

Kaitlyn2004

Thanks for this! I was going to mention the advanced key's ability to unlock all doors, but someone beat me to it

Does the Q5 have servotronic steering? On audi.ca I see NO mention of it for the Q5 TDI, but it is listed for the Q7...

scrmorling

Great post, Mark. All very informative. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your insights. Steve

pedser

Great comments, 1k miles on mine now and loving it.

Mark P

Yes, I've done that. I mean when my passenger gets to a door handle before me. In a car without advanced key, I would already have the keyfob in my hand and unlock the car by remote. But now with advanced key, I'm accustomed to just leaving it in my pocket, so now the passengers have to wait for me to get to a door handle or I have to consciously think to pull out the key and press the remote button.

In all cases I've always changed my cars to open all 4 doors at once, previously requiring vagcom.

Mark P

I took some before for you but they didn't turn out great. I tried again tonight and I'll see how these came out and post them...