Used Audi Q5 for sale: everything you need to know

The Audi Q5 has long been one of Audi’s most popular cars here in the UK and one of the best SUVs on the market. It is a great all-rounder and a compelling alternative to like of the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. 

The line-up has been simplified these days, to help buyers pick the right Audi Q5 for them. Alongside regular petrol and diesel models is a plug-in hybrid with an impressive pure electric range - similar to the Volvo XC60. Plus there's a performance Audi SQ5 that offers surprisingly decent fuel economy. Read on to discover how it does this…

A car with a strong reputation amongst premium SUV buyers, the Audi Q5 really does offer something for everyone. Take a look at an Audi Q5 for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer. 

Should you buy an Audi Q5? 

The Audi Q5 has developed a reputation as a high-class, able and reliable all-rounder. If you’re seeking a spacious and family-sized five-seat SUV, it’s likely to be on your list, as it is genuinely a good car to buy. 

It’s smart and status-enhancing; these days, even the entry-level version looks more expensive than it actually is. Not that the Audi Q5 is the most affordable of SUVs, but you needn’t spend a fortune to get a fine example if you don’t want to. 

That is, of course, unless you clock the sporty extra style of the S line, or all the extra features you get in a Vorsprung variant. The Vorsprung is positively palatial, with everything from air suspension to soft Nappa leather included as standard. That’s why it costs around £18,000 more than a base-spec Audi Q5.

With a decent 510-litre boot, which expands to almost 1,500 litres with the seats folded, the core Audi Q5 is a practical machine, while rear-seat passenger space is generous. The high-set seating position is appealing and those in the back get their own climate controls, even in the base grade. Just note that if boot space is crucial, the TFSI e plug-in hybrid may not be for you. It shrinks by around 20 percent in this model (although rear passenger space is unchanged). 

With clean, accurate and typically Audi-like dynamics, the Audi Q5 is an effortless car to drive or be driven in. It’s refined, the engines are smooth and the sense of solidity is reassuring (and fully backed up by a glowing Euro NCAP crash-test score). 

There’s plenty to like with the Audi Q5. It is a classy, well-rounded alternative to a BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC or Land Rover Discovery Sport. It is spacious and flexible inside, has a decent level of standard equipment and will always be easy to sell on afterwards thanks to its envied reputation among premium family SUV buyers. 

Broadening the range with the plug-in hybrid is a great move, as it allows buyers to enjoy zero-emissions EV driving in town but still have the long range of a petrol engine for trips to the coast. Meanwhile, the Audi SQ5 is an intriguing performance range-topper that won’t come with the heavy fuel bills you normally associate with a fast SUV. 

An Audi Q5 not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.

What’s the best used Audi Q5 model to buy?

Despite falling popularity, modern diesels are still the most effective way to deliver strong performance while avoiding ruinous fuel economy in an SUV. That's why we think the Audi Q5 is at its best in 40 TDI quattro guise.

This 2.0-litre engine is impressively smooth in the Audi Q5, and quick enough to never feel strained, even fully loaded. It's not especially economical, but an official figure close to 45mpg gives it lower running costs than the petrols.

If you are worried about tightening emissions regulations and want to avoid diesel altogether, we would opt for the 50 TFSI e plug-in hybrid. It's a stretch up in price from the 45 TFSI, but has the performance to match most six-cylinder engines, huge tax benefits for company car users, and an even smoother S tronic gearbox.

Whichever version you land on, we would recommend speccing S line trim with the Audi Q5. There are some items of kit that Audi makes you pay extra for, like a bigger screen, or reversing camera, but it has all the essentials covered. It looks sharp and has a sporty interior, plus more available safety and practicality options than the base car.

Used Audi Q5 fuel economy and performance

Diesel used to dominate the Audi Q5 engine line-up, but these days there are just two TDI powerplants: a mainstream engine and a high-performance range-topper. Audi also offers a turbo petrol and a plug-in hybrid version, signified by an ‘e’ in the engine name. 

Here are the engine options available to order on the Audi Q5. 

• Audi Q5 40 TDI quattro: The ‘40 TDI’ name signifies a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with 204PS. It can do 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, aided by grippy quattro four-wheel drive and a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It has mild hybrid tech, helping deliver 44 mpg. Earlier versions had 190PS.
• Audi Q5 45 TFSI quattro: The petrol-powered 45 TFSI again uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine (the same motor as in the Volkswagen Golf GTI). Zero to 62mph takes an appreciably quicker 6.1 seconds and it averages 34mpg. 
• Audi Q5 50 TFSI e quattro: The 50 TFSI e is a plug-in hybrid, which pairs the 2.0-litre turbo engine with an electric motor for a total output of 299PS. It has a 14.4kWh battery for a 39-mile pure electric range, and emits just 39g/km CO2. It’s as quick as the 45 TFSI, too. 
• Audi Q5 3.0 TDI: Sold new and then dropped from the range before Audi changed the way it named its engines, this six-cylinder diesel has lots of oomph courtesy of 286PS and 620Nm. It still promises up to  48.7mpg, however, and takes less than six seconds to hit 62mph.
• Audi SQ5: The fun SQ5 boasts a full-fat 341PS for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. Surprisingly, though, the 3.0-litre V6 turbo engine in the latest SQ5 is diesel-powered – so despite its pacy performance, it’s also able to average a credible 34mpg: the same as the slower 45 TFSI petrol. Earlier SQ5s (before 2019) were powered by a 354PS 3.0-litre petrol engine.

What used Audi Q5 trim levels are available?

• The Audi Q5 SE was the original entry into the Q5 range, although it was later dropped from the line-up. Both diesel and petrol models were available, all with quattro four-wheel drive and S tronic automatic gearboxes.
• The Audi Q5 Sport is the well-equipped entry-level Audi Q5 from 2021 onwards. It has an all-inclusive level of standard equipment, which is impressively comprehensive for a base model, plus a choice of 40 TDI, 45 TFSI and 50 TFSI e engines, all with quattro four-wheel drive and S tronic automatic gearboxes. 
• The Audi Q5 S line builds on the Sport with, well, a sportier appearance. The alloy wheels are larger, the interior trim looks moodier, and it drives more keenly thanks to standard sport suspension. The engine line-up is the same, but CO2 figures are higher, due to the bigger alloys. 
• The Audi Q5 Black Edition is based on the S line spec, but adds black exterior details, inclluding black alloy wheels, a black grille and badge and black window surrounds.
• The Audi Q5 Edition 1 is a style-conscious spec, with a choice of four metallic paint colours and a gloss black exterior appearance that’s complemented by the interior. The rich fine Nappa leather upholstery is also indulgent.
• The Audi Q5 Vorsprung is the Audi Q5 that has it all as standard. The spec is positively indulgent, and prices reflect this. Audi argues it includes everything the person who wants it all could actually want, for a price lower than if they individually optioned all the extras. 
• The Audi SQ5 is the high-performance Audi Q5, these days with a potent 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine. It has all the mechanical extras you’d expect, including S sport suspension, a sporty rear diffuser and the S-trademark aluminium door mirrors. 
• The Audi SQ5 Vorsprung is the ultimate Audi Q5. It has all the performance of the Audi SQ5, and adds on the lavish Vorsprung-grade extras. These actually extend to some performance-oriented features, such as S adaptive air suspension and the Audi Sport differential, which both help transform the handling.

Audi Q5 dimensions and boot size

The Audi Q5’s exterior dimensions are: 

• Length: 4689mm
• Width: 1893mm
• Height: 1660mm (SQ5: 1635mm)
• Ground clearance: 175mm

The Audi Q5’s boot size is:

• 510-litres (TFSI e: 455 litres, SQ5: 500 litres)
• 1480 litres with rear seats folded (TFSI e: 1365 litres)

Used Audi Q5 road tax

All new Audi Q5s have a starting price over £40,000 and that means they are liable to pay an additional rate of road tax (VED) for luxury vehicles, during the first six years of ownership. That means owning one is going to cost you £560 per year over that time, before dropping down to the standard rate – currently it's £850 a year.

The Audi Q5 50 TFSI e plug-in hybrid version is another exception. It qualifies for a £10 alternative fuels discount on the standard rate, but more significantly it will save you money when you buy the car new at a dealership. 

This model is also the one to go for if you're a company car driver, since its 14% Benefit-in-Kind rate means it'll be much cheaper to tax than the maximum 37% charge you'll have to pay for petrol and diesel versions.

How much is to insure an Audi Q5? 

Entry-level diesel-engined Audi Q5 have insurance ratings starting from group 27. They edge higher as you move up through the model variants, progressing into the low 30s. Petrol-engined models rise further, to the high 30s and early 40s, while the Audi SQ5 has insurance ratings from group 45. The Audi Q5 may therefore be quite an expensive SUV to insure. 

Read our full Audi Q5 review