Audi’s New Q5 Plug-In Hybrid Is Built to Take Your Breath Away

Audi’s Q5 returns not just with a new face, but with an entirely reengineered soul and sharper mind. Once known as a sensible, slightly conservative everyday SUV, the third-generation Q5 now charges into the spotlight with a plug-in hybrid variant that places it squarely alongside the athletic SQ5. Thanks to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine paired with an electric motor, the Q5 e-hybrid delivers up to 367 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque.

If that doesn’t raise eyebrows, consider this: it hits 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds. That’s a mere six-tenths shy of the V6-powered SQ5, yet the e-hybrid can glide for up to 113 kilometers on pure electric power alone.

Offered in two versions—one with 299 hp and the top-tier with 367 hp—every Q5 e-hybrid comes equipped with sport suspension, tri-zone climate control, and a charging port that quietly signals this isn’t your ordinary Q5. The flagship variant ups the ante with red brake calipers, sport seats, and a finely tailored interior.

All models are all-wheel-drive, with a top speed electronically capped at 250 km/h. But that number is beside the point. What matters is choice: pay €52,300 for a basic petrol Q5, or step up to the plug-in hybrid at €63,400 and revel in the silence, surge, and 20.7 kWh battery-powered autonomy. The top-of-the-line version rings in at €71,800, with Sportback styling tacking on another €2,500.

Production is underway in Mexico, with European sales set to begin this summer.