Posted: January 29, 2010

Inclement weather shows this small SUV is no fair-weather friend. A weekend deluge, which had us wishing we were aboard Noah's ark rather than inside our cars, found me comfortably piloting a 2009 Audi Q5, the marque's first compact sport-utility vehicle.

The Q5 handled the unwelcome wetness well. It also handled out-of-town guests and all the stuff we had to haul. It handled everything with effortless grace.

Looking like the Q7 crossover SUV's younger sibling, the Q5 plops its finely honed shell atop the A4 sedan platform.

Given the Q5's DNA, it's not surprising to find that it is propelled by the A4's 270-horsepower, 3.2-liter V6, six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive.

What might surprise you is how much of the A4's DNA remains. Like the A4, the Q5 is a delight to drive, with the A4's athletic dynamics filtering through largely intact.

Unlike the A4, the Q5 has a higher center of gravity, so it's not quite the sporting ride its sedan donor is.

But the Q5's drivetrain has a silky smoothness that justifies its price. It's an enjoyable companion that's always willing to serve.

Slip the transmission into automatic mode, and the Q5

turns frisky, as though it's shed its SUV skin and revealed its inner sports car.

During the rainstorm, the Q5 hunkered down and gripped the road confidently. Electronic stability control, antilock brakes and other safety systems were hard at work.

There's room for four full-sized adults - five if they're friendly - and a big cargo hold for all of their stuff.

The high quality of the mechanics was mirrored by the cabin's fit and finish. The sumptuous modern design was enhanced with leather, wood inlay and chrome trim.

The Audi A4 starts at $37,200, about what you'd expect for a luxury SUV. Add some extras from the $4,300 Premium Plus package and the $3,000 Navigation Plus package and the price quickly jumps.

One option on the test vehicle, the $2,950 Audi Driver Select package, adjusted the vehicle to one of five different ride and handling settings. Only diehard enthusiasts need apply.

For a compact luxury SUV, it's obvious that the "Q" in Audi's Q5 stands for "quality" - whether it's handling, performance, fit and finish or style.

By Larry Printz

Reprinted from The Virginian-Pilot

Inclement weather shows this small SUV is no fair-weather friend

A weekend deluge, which had us wishing we were aboard Noah's Ark rather than inside our cars, found me comfortably piloting a 2009 Audi Q5, the marque's first compact sport-utility vehicle.

The Q5 handled the unwelcome wetness well. It also handled out-of-town guests and all the stuff we had to haul. And it handled everything with effortless grace.

Looking like the Q7 crossover SUV's younger sibling, the Q5 plops its finely honed shell atop the A4 sedan platform.

Given the Q5's DNA, it's not surprising to find that it is propelled by the A4's 270-horsepower, 3.2-liter V6, six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive.

What might surprise you is how much of the A4's DNA remains. Like the A4, the Q5 is a delight to drive, with the A4's athletic dynamics filtering through largely intact.

Unlike the A4, the Q5 has a higher center of gravity, so it's not quite the sporting ride its sedan donor is.

But the Q5's drivetrain has a silky smoothness that justifies its price. It's a enjoyable companion that's always willing to serve.

Slip the transmission into automatic mode, and the Q5 turns frisky, as though it's shed its SUV skin and revealed its inner sports car.

During the rainstorm, the Q5 hunkered down and gripped the road confidently. Electronic stability control, antilock brakes and other safety systems were hard at work.

There's room for four full-sized adults - five if they're friendly - and a big cargo hold for all of their stuff.

The high quality of the mechanics was mirrored by the cabin's fit and finish. The sumptuous modern design was enhanced with leather, wood inlay and chrome trim.

The Audi A4 starts at $37,200, about what you'd expect for a luxury SUV. Add some extras from the $4,300 Premium Plus package and the $3,000 Navigation Plus package and the price quickly jumps.

One option on the test vehicle, the $2,950 Audi Driver Select package, adjusted the vehicle to one five different ride and handling settings. Only die-hard enthusiasts need apply.

For a compact luxury SUV, it's obvious that the "Q" in Audi's Q5 stands for "quality" - whether it's handling, performance, fit and finish or style.