Audi Q5 interior, tech and practicality

While the Audi Q5’s dashboard layout might not be the last word in ultra-modern design, it’s intuitive and has a good mix of analogue and digital. A slim 10.1-inch touchscreen sits on top of the dashboard fascia – right in your eyeline so you don’t have to look away from the road for too long. Below that is a proper climate control panel with rocker switches, and another bank of lesser-used buttons that manage to stay out of the way but are accessible when you need them.

The Q5 is more expensive than something like a Volkswagen Tiguan, and it’s clear that paying a bit extra gets you nicer materials inside. Leather seat upholstery comes as standard, a big slab of aluminium spans the dash and doors, and everything that looks like metal is metal.

You sit a lot higher than the mechanically similar Audi A4, giving you a more commanding view of the road ahead. All-round visibility is generally pretty good, and every Q5 gets parking sensors at both ends and a reversing camera to make parking easy.

Most Q5s come in Sport, S Line or Black Edition trim levels. Sport is still comprehensively equipped, featuring a host of equipment including 18-inch alloy wheels, driving modes, LED headlights, heated front seats, a powered tailgate, cruise control and auto lights and wipers.

Audi’s popular S Line trim adds 19-inch wheels and sports suspension, plus the S Line body kit treatment and interior trim tweaks. Top-spec Black Edition adds even bigger wheels and a moody black trim package.

The touchscreen sits proudly on top of the dashboard and almost looks like an aftermarket effort, but it shouldn’t be too hard to get your head around how it works. Audi’s MMI system has a logical home screen with tiled icons and a swipe action – a bit like your phone. The main functions are easy to access, and listed submenus make it pretty painless to get to where you want. The interface is probably one of our favourite infotainment systems, as it’s also snappy to load and to respond.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are fitted as standard, along with built-in sat nav, DAB radio and voice control that’s accessed by saying ‘Hey Audi’.

Every Q5 also gets Audi’s great Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, which is crisp, configurable and can show a full-width sat nav display right where you look most often.

The Q5’s rear-seat space is fine – there’s space for the majority of adults to get comfortable. Headroom is good too, but the Volvo XC60 and BMW X3 both feel a little roomier.

If someone’s sitting in the middle seat, they’ll have a chunky transmission tunnel to straddle. However, if the middle seat is empty, the remaining passengers can enjoy the pull-down central armrest. We wouldn’t mind a little more equipment for rear-seat passengers – while climate control and a 12V socket are nice, there aren’t any handy seatback pockets or cupholders in the central armrest. Cheaper VW Group cars get flock-lined door bins to stop things rattling around, so it’s a bit disappointing that you don’t get them in the premium Q5.

It’s nice and easy to get kids’ car seats – and the kids themselves – in and out of the car, thanks to the Q5’s height, wide-opening doors and quickly accessible Isofix points.

The Q5 has a 550-litre boot, which is on a par with its nearest rivals and offers more than enough space for family holidays and several bank holidays’ worth of flatpack furniture. However, the smaller, cheaper Q3 is only 20 litres behind.

Plug-in hybrid Q5 models drop slightly to 465 litres, which should still be plenty for most family needs. The space lost is mainly from under the boot, and the remaining space is flat and useful.