2016 Paris Preview: The next-generation Audi Q5 – this is it

Audi’s popular midsize crossover, the Q5, enters its second generation.

Audi’s participating fairly heavily at this year’s 2016 Paris Auto Show. The company’s latest is the all-new next-generation Audi Q5, which enters the second generation to compete against the likes of the BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

What is it?

It’s Audi’s second generation of its venerable midsize crossover, the Q5. Because it’s all new, the Audi Q5 sports a whole laundry list of changes and revisions over the outgoing model.

The biggest change comes in the form of a new platform. The result is a reduction of nearly 200 pounds, thanks to extensive use of “maximum tensile strength” steel and aluminum.

That sheetmetal is also reworked to give the Q5 a much more chiseled appearance, similarly to the Q7. Speaking of which, the Q5 carries on the mission of being a shrunken-down Q7. The new design also contributes to a reduction in drag, with the coefficient figure dropping from 0.33 to 0.30.

Other changes include a new interior with a standard 12.3-inch TFT display as a replacement for the traditional gauge cluster, and another 8.3-inch MMI display sits in the center console for the infotainment controls.

What powers it?

When the 2017 Audi Q5 launches in Europe, it will first be made available with a revised 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder with 252 horsepower. Four addition TDI powertrains will subsequently be added to the selection. Don’t expect those oil burners to show up in the US however, amid the lingering effects of Dieselgate.

Europeans luckily get the a six-speed manual, or the choice of a seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic, or a traditional eight-speed auto. All the transmission options depend on the engine and drivetrain configuration.

The US is only likely to get the traditional eight-speed auto or the seven-speed S-Tronic.

When will we get it?

Europe gets the first wave of models in early 2017, while the US version should come later in the year.

How much will it cost?

Audi did not say. But expect that information to surface closer to launch.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Audi

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