Audi CEO Gernot Döllner introduced the 2025 Q5 and sportier SQ5 SUVs with high expectations. The third-generation Q5s are the first SUVs in Audi’s model lineup based on the company’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, which emphasizes fuel efficiency for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The 2025 Audi A5 sedan was the automaker’s first PPC model.
Why the Q5 matters to Audi
The flexibility of PPC is wonderful from a manufacturer’s viewpoint because, with it, the brand can produce a range of models, each with unique attributes. The Q5 is particularly important because it is Audi’s best seller.
“The Audi Q5 has been our most successful and most important SUV model in the midsize class for more than 15 years. The new edition is a further development of its proven characteristics,” Döllner said. “As the second model in our new generation of highly efficient combustion engines, it marks the next important step in the rejuvenation of our portfolio. I am certain that the new Audi Q5, as a sporty all-rounder with a dynamic SUV design, will continue its success story.”
2025 Audi Q5 and SQ5 PPC powertrains
The Q5 and the more powerful and tighter-handling SQ5 variant use Audi’s MHEV plus powertrains. Like conventional mild hybrid electric vehicles, the Q5 has a 48-volt electrical system that operates a support role for the ICE, powering the heating, cooling, and emissions controls. The “plus” refers to the powertrain’s additional role in the Q5’s performance, a function that’s not included with most mild hybrids. The Q5’s MHEV plus powertrain can provide up to 170 lb-ft of additional torque and 24 horsepower.
The third-generation Q5 base engine is a 2.0-liter TFSI with 201 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. A 2.0 TDI engine with 295 lb-ft of torque and the same 201 horsepower as the TFSI version. The SQ5, the most powerful variant, has a 3.0-liter V6 engine that produces up to 372 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.
The Audi Q5 and SQ5 models will be available for order in Germany first, beginning in September 2024, and starting at $57,984.
