Audi 
entered the SUV market in 2005 with the Q7 , and three years later it launched the Q5. The crossover was developed to tackle the successful BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK. It took Audi another four years to introduce the 2014 Audi SQ5 and bring it to the U.S. with a supercharged V-6 engine. With a second-generation 2017 Audi Q5 underway, Audi is likely already working on a redesigned performance version.
I say “likely” because there’s no actual sign of the SQ5 as of yet. While the refreshed Q5 is already testing on public roads, its sportier sibling has yet to show up. However, word has it the SQ5 will arrive only a few months after the standard Q5, which means development must be well underway. Of course, there’s also the possibility Audi is already testing it, camouflaged as a standard model.
What I do know for a fact is that the second-generation SQ5 will arrive by 2018. With that in mind, I went ahead and created the speculative review below, while our talented artist made a rendering of the upcoming crossover based on Audi’s new design language. Keep reading to find out what the next SQ5 might bring to the table.
Continue reading to learn more about the Audi SQ5.
Exterior
Styling of the Audi Q5 is still a mystery, but judging by recent spy shots of the standard Q5 and the design language of the new Q7 and A4, it’s safe to assume the SQ5 will sport similar cues. Specifically, while the overall shape and size of the crossover won’t change much, both the front and rear fascias will feature sharper lines, more angular headlamps and taillights, and mildly revised bumpers.
I expect the second-gen SQ5 to also employ more aggressive aprons than the regular crossover, with enlarged air outlets, honeycomb grilles, chrome inserts, and a larger rear diffuser and exhaust outlets.
Hopefully the Q5 won’t mimic the larger Q7 in looking like a wagon on stilts.
Interior
Note: 2016 Audi Q7 interior shown.
Both the new 2016 Audi Q7 and the 2016 Audi A4 come in handy here, as the Q5 and SQ5 are likely to receive similar interiors.
The previous dated dashboard will be replaced by a much cleaner unit with a continuous air-vent strip stretching from the instrument cluster all the way to the passenger door.
The previous dated dashboard will be replaced by a much cleaner unit with a continuous air-vent strip stretching from the instrument cluster all the way to the passenger door. A cleaner center stack, a wider center console and a new steering wheel with revised buttons are also on the table, as well as a redesigned instrument cluster.
There will also be a larger, free-standing display for the infotainment system and a new air conditioning unit with fewer buttons and controls. All these new features will be seasoned with sportier add-ons such as aluminum aluminum inserts on the center stack and console, aluminum shift paddles, and sports seats.
If the current SQ5 is any indication, the next model is also likely to have a black interior as standard. Likewise, the new seats should be wrapped in a combination of Nappa leather and Alcantara.
As with all newly redesigned Audis, the SQ5 should also have increased headroom and legroom, and as improved cargo capacity.
Drivetrain
I expect the performance crossover to retain the supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 of its predecessor, but with mild improvements in the horsepower and fuel economy departments. The updated unit should crank out around 370 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of twist (the current model has 354 horses and 346 pound-feet on tap) and a 0-to-60 sprint of five seconds, which would make it a tenth-second quicker than its forerunner. Expect the top speed to remain at a very German 155 mph.
As usual, the V-6 will mate to an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission and Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. As for efficiency, expect the new crossover to return up to 27 mpg on the highway versus the previous model’s 24 mpg.
Prices
It’s definitely way too early to talk about prices, but the revised SQ5 shouldn’t be significantly more expensive than its predecessor. With the current model priced from $52,700, I expect the new crossover to fetch around $54,000 before options for the base Premium Plus trim. The Prestige trim, on the other hand, which comes with added standard features and technology, should cost at least $62,000.
Competition
Mercedes-Benz GLC450 AMG
Part of Mercedes’ new lineage of models that slot between the range-topping non-AMG cars and the full-blown AMG versions, the GLC 450 AMG is being tested as we speak. Much like the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG it is based on, the GLC450 will employ many AMG-sourced body parts on the outside, but it won’t be as aggressive as the upcoming 2016 Mercedes-AMG GLC63. Interior add-ons should include sportier seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and many features not usually available on the standard models.
Under the hood, the crossover will get the same engine as the C450 AMG. That’s a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6 tuned to deliver 367 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, figures that will likely put it on par with the SQ5’s supercharged six-cylinder. The seven-speed automatic transmission and the standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive should enable the Merc to hit 60 mph in around five seconds.
Those looking for a quicker and more aggressive version should wait for the GLC63 to arrive. Likely to receive AMG GT’s 4.0-liter V-8 with more than 450 horsepower, the GLC63 will become the fastest and most powerful option in this class.
Find out more about the upcoming GLC63 here.
2017 BMW X3 M
The X3 M is just a rendering as of 2015, but that may very well change when the third-generation crossover arrives for 2017. As with most M-badged Bimmers, the X3 M should get a more aggressive body kit with beefier bumper and fenders, as well as a sportier interior that will likely mimic the 2015 BMW X5 M’s to some extent.
Word has it the X3 M will be motivated by the same turbocharged, 3.0-liter, inline-six fitted in the 2016 BMW M3 and 2015 BMW M4, which could mean an output in excess of 400 horsepower. If this proves to be true, the X3 M will be significantly more powerful than the SQ5 and more suited to compete against the Mercedes-AMG GLC63. It remains to be seen whether BMW will offer a performance crossover between the standard X3 and the souped-up X3 M.
Read more about the upcoming X3 M in our speculative review here.
Conclusion
The first-generation SQ5 TFSI may be only two years old (it was launched with the Q5’s 2012 facelift), but it is based on a crossover that’s been around for six years. Like its standard sibling, the performance-oriented SQ5 is in dire need of an update, which it will get by 2018. Though there aren’t many details to go by, the second-gen Q7 provides a lot of hints and somewhat confirms that the new SQ5 will look better and deliver improved performance. All we need to do now is wait for the official details to come out.