The new Audi Q5 is one of the most high-tech cars you can buy - these are its best features
The new Audi Q5 is one of the most high-tech cars you can buy - these are its best features
Audi's Q5 has been one of the brand's best-selling models since it was introduced in 2009. The 2018 edition received a significant overhaul, earning a rating of 9.6 out of 10 from Kelley Blue Book.
The car has three available trims, which start between $42,475-$51,775. Kelley Blue Book recommends the middle-priced option, the Premium Plus.
The car's "pre-sense" system boasts a number advanced safety features that come standard with any configuration, including the ability to sense other vehicles or pedestrians while driving up to 52 mph and automatically engage the brakes to lessen the chance or impact of a collision.
The car can also make drivers aware of their blind spots. Starting at the Premium Plus trim, it can detect and notify the driver about cars driving behind and beside it, which can help reduce the change of a collision when backing out of a parking spot or opening one of the vehicle's doors.
If the car senses a collision is imminent, it will close the sunroof and windows and pretension seatbelts to protect everyone in the car.
An autonomous cruise control system helps drivers stuck in highway traffic, as it can come to a full stop and start again without the driver's assistance.
If you're willing to pay extra, a "virtual cockpit" lets you replace the instrument display with a GPS map that uses Google Earth images.
With the Audi connect package, parents can monitor their teen's driving with features that can alert them if certain speed or geographical limits are exceeded or if the car is being used past their child's curfew. That same technology can also help the driver find the car in a crowded parking lot with Audi's "MMI connect" app.
Kelley Blue Book notes that the car fares well in almost any environment due to a 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder engine that gets 252-horsepower, can go 0-60 mph in just under six seconds, and can generate 273 pound-feet of torque. The car can travel 23 miles per gallon in a city and 27 miles per gallon on the highway.
Kelley also praised the optional, Bang and Olfusen sound system that features a 16-channel amplifier and 19 speakers that can produce 755 watts of sound.
"Even among notable competitors such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3 and Acura RDX, the 2018 Audi Q5 stands out with its stellar blend of performance, comfort and capability," Kelley Blue Book wrote about the car. "Throw in an impressive roster of standard safety features, and the Q5's star shines even brighter."