Topic: First Drive: 2013 Audi Q5 Hybrid

[Autos_Editor]

Just as sporty as the current Q5, the upcoming Q5 Hybrid can run on battery power alone, reports Jil McIntosh.

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[Ex-airbalancer]

 While they’re supposed to be primarily about saving fuel and lowering emissions, hybrids are still a status symbol to some extent: you have to drive a lot of kilometres, and gasoline has to be a substantial price, before the savings at the pump outpace the extra price of the vehicle.


I believe at that price, the main reason of buying one is to lower your carbon footprint more then fuel savings
It is like buying the 98% efficient furance compare to 95% furnance

[JohnM]

It's nice to see the hybrid technology being improved and applied to more platforms but clearly, if we are going to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the answer is going to be to drive much smaller and lighter vehicles.  At 4200 pounds the Q5 belongs to the class of vehicle whose functionality factor is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

I've spent time in a Q7 and can't criticize these Audis on the basis of not hitting their design targets because they really do the intended job well.  But the Q5 hybrid is no game changer, just an an outmoded design with a useful upgrade.

Cheers,
John M.

[nlm]

I wonder why the VW group decided to make the Q5 a hybrid over say a Jetta?  The cost of the system probably justifies an upscale market I guess.

I find it hard to believe that hybrids reduce an overall carbon footprint; the costs of acquiring the lithium (run by machines running diesels), manufacturing and disposal (what happens to these battery packs when they are depleted) would most likely exceed any carbon emission savings during operation.  I would be interesting to see one the cradle-to-grave studies for hybrids updated.

The Q5 is a nice package though for a hybrid to be in.  Too bad no worlds first mass-produced diesel hybrid yet.

[5 Wheel Drive]

"I wonder why the VW group decided to make the Q5 a hybrid over say a Jetta?  The cost of the system probably justifies an upscale market I guess."

My guess is that they already have a clean diesel Jetta, which is known for excellent fuel economy.  That would be my choice over a hybrid version.  I'm sure there's a much higher profit in a hybrid Q5 that there would be in a Jetta anyway...

[JohnM]

"Ya, but you say that of every vehicle that has more than 3 cylinders."

Give me another 2 years and I probably will.

JM

[dragonfly]

 Hmmm. Let's see...Compact crossover...55 thousand... Geeezuz    dragonfly

[macedonian]

well, I will agree with some of you that are saying, it's to expensive.
If I have the money, I will buy Q5 for $10 000,less and pay with that the difference in fuel consumption.
Also here in Winnipeg those hybrids are not that fuel efficient in the winter time, so not much sense of bying them.But it's good that technology goes forward, and it does aply in the real world.
For me, as most of you know, I preffer my deisel Jetta over any hybrid.Right now I'm getting amazing 7 litres for 100 km in the heavy city driving(lot's stop and go) with lot's of idling(delivery service)

[Shnak]

Hmmm. Let's see...Compact crossover...55 thousand... Geeezuz    dragonfly

Not arguing with you on the price tag, but is the Q5 really a "compact" crossover? When I think compact crossover/CUV, I think of the Sportage, CR-V, RAV4 crowd... isn't the Q5 closer to a mid-size, considering it's based on the A4 platform?

[JSCC]

Hmmm. Let's see...Compact crossover...55 thousand... Geeezuz    dragonfly

Not arguing with you on the price tag, but is the Q5 really a "compact" crossover? When I think compact crossover/CUV, I think of the Sportage, CR-V, RAV4 crowd... isn't the Q5 closer to a mid-size, considering it's based on the A4 platform?

Naming and siize defination is a marketing thing, it doesn't always make sense.
The upcoming Q3 will be a "sub-compact" CUV is what I heard.

[OliverD]

The idea of a Q5 hybrid is neat, but I think I'd rather have a Q5 TDI. Imagine the 3.0 TDI from the Q7 in the much lighter Q5.

[dirtyjeffer]

The idea of a Q5 hybrid is neat, but I think I'd rather have a Q5 TDI. Imagine the 3.0 TDI from the Q7 in the much lighter Q5.

just get a Toureg TDi.

[OliverD]

just get a Toureg TDi.

The Touareg is significantly larger than the Q5 though.