2012 Audi Q5 Hybrid quattro – The sporty hybrid crossover

Last year, when Audi held an international information session on its plans for hybrid and all-electric vehicles, three vehicle categories were introduced. The first category featured a hybrid engine and a battery that recharges using kinetic energy recovered from the brakes. The second category also had a hybrid engine, but with batteries that recharge by plugging into an electrical outlet (cars in this group can only cover about 30 km in electric mode). Finally, the third category is the 100% electric vehicles.
Of course, the first one to be produced was the simplest and most economical hybrid. The model that was chosen was the Q5, since this type of vehicle lends itself well to hybrid technology and is more conservative in its energy consumption to begin with. We test drove the hybrid Q5 on the island of Mallorca. Don’t ask me why Audi chose this location, but it seems that German manufacturers love Sunny Spain.

An insignia that says it all

The trend for hybrids is to have a distinctive shape that sets them apart as environmentally friendly vehicles. For some reason, Germans – at least not the ones at Audi – don’t like that idea. The Q5 Hybrid looks exactly like the conventional version. The truly – and I mean truly – trained eye will notice that the hybrid is a little lower. For the rest of us, there’s an insignia on the body of the car that discreetly tells the world that you care about the environment.

Having said that, this vehicle offers an extremely elegant and very well balanced silhouette. Moreover, its size makes for an excellent ride, even when transporting heavy items. As with all Audis, the passenger compartment is excellent. It has the same great layout of the controls, each in a well defined space that helps implant it in the driver’s subconscious. The display screen can illustrate how the vehicle’s hybrid technology works or how energy flows, whether it’s from the brakes to the battery, from the battery to the motor, or a combination thereof. Of course, it also displays driving directions and other settings.

As you’d expect, the front seats are comfortable and offer good lateral support. And if it wasn’t for the hybrid system management indicator to the left of the speedometer, few people would realize that this is a hybrid at all.

Technology 101

This model is powered by the 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI engine that delivers 211 horsepower with maximum torque available between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm. It combines the advantages of direct fuel injection and turbocharging. This engine was updated to suit the Audi Q5 Hybrid quattro. When optimal conditions are met, the heat engine and electric motor produce a total of 245 horsepower for a brief period.

The engine is paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox without a torque converter. In its place, there’s a disc-shaped electric motor with a multidisc wet clutch that handles the coupling and uncoupling of the heat engine and permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. It also acts as a starter and an alternator in decelerations, and is integrated into the heat engine’s cooling circuit. To top it all off, quattro all-wheel drive comes factory-standard.

The electric energy is provided by a 72-cell lithium-ion battery that weighs 36.7 kg. It’s kept safe from collisions under the trunk floor where it hardly encroaches on the baggage compartment.

Five driving modes

The Q5 Hybrid quattro has five driving modes. You can choose to use only the heat engine, only the electric motor or both at the same time in hybrid mode. It also features an energy recovery mode and a Boost mode. When the vehicle is stopped (before starting the car or at a traffic light), both motors are deactivated. However, the automatic climate control remains active, known as Start-Stop Comfort. Once the driver releases the brake pedal, the car starts.

The driver can use a button on the central console or the selector lever to choose between three settings. EV lets you drive in electric mode in town, the D setting manages both motors to optimize fuel consumption and S mode gives you a sportier drive.

When the driver accelerates with gusto, only the conventional engine comes into play. When the pedal is to the metal (or Boost), the electric motor assists the heat engine. When fully charged, the 245 horses of combined power are entirely available for a brief period of time. Thanks to its high torque levels, the hybrid system delivers the performances and pick-up of a high-capacity naturally-aspirated engine.

When the driver eases off the accelerator, the electric motor recovers the energy. The current recuperated by the electric motor in deceleration and braking is sent back to the lithium-ion battery where it’s stored. If the driver brakes gently, the electric motor handles braking all by itself. When you brake more powerfully, the hydraulic braking system also intervenes. The power brake is then supplied by an electric vacuum pump.

All those sophisticated mechanics help this four-cylinder engine deliver the performances of a six-cylinder without the additional fuel consumption. It goes from 0 to 100 km/hr in 7.1 seconds and the maximum speed is 225 km/hr. The average fuel consumption announced by Audi is 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Note that this vehicle can go three kilometres entirely in electric mode at a constant speed of 60 km/hr. The maximum speed only in electric mode is 100 km/hr.

All positives

Reading all of the technical features, you’d think that driving a Q5 Hybrid quattro would be a totally different experience. However, after more than 200 km on the road, we came to one conclusion: this Audi offers handling that is almost identical to the regular version. Although it’s a crossover and its centre of gravity is a little higher than the average, it takes on turn after turn with ease and its handling is very good. As for the accelerations, it’s tough to notice that there’s hybrid technology under the hood. However, at certain engine speeds, I noticed some very minor engine vibration. And sport driving is a real possibility, which is not the case for all crossovers.

The passenger compartment is comfortable, quiet and the standard equipment is very complete, but you’ll have to wait almost a year to be able to order the hybrid version of the Q5 in Canada. In Europe it’s sold at a price that’s several thousand Euros higher than the regular version, so don’t expect any bargains when the vehicle arrives here. One thing is certain, this manufacturer has made the decision to establish itself in the environmentally-friendly vehicle category, and its first foray is a convincing one.