In association with MotorEasy
Car of the Year Awards 2021: Best large SUV interior
A spacious interior is obviously a prerequisite for a car to compete in this class, but we also expect an upmarket feel, sensible costs, and top-notch comfort and refinement...
Audi Q5 40 TDI Edition 1
The Q5 recently received a facelift that refreshed its looks and gave it mild hybrid technology to improve efficiency. But the fundamentals remained unchanged; it’s more comfortable and refined than direct rivals such as the BMW X3 and Volvo XC60.
The Q5’s biggest strength of all, though, is its interior quality. For starters, the materials look and feel great, with squishy plastics used for key touch points and real aluminium trim to add some extra zest. But it’s the details that really set the Q5 apart, such as switches that click so satisfyingly you could be forgiven for thinking they’ve been made by Rolex.
The crisp graphics on the 10.1in infotainment screen (replacing an 8.3in item in the pre-facelift car) reinforce the sense of quality, although it’s a little disappointing that the system no longer features a rotary controller; instead, you have to touch the screen itself, and doing so is more distracting. Still, the Q5 is by no means alone in going down this route, and no rival is as special to sit in.
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