Motor Trend Test - SQ5 [Archive]

Tom C

10-10-2013, 06:34 AM

http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/1312_2014_suv_the_year_contenders/viewall.html

Some performance data:

0-60: 4.8
1/4m: 13.5 @ 102.2mph
60-0: 104'
Figure 8: 25.9s

The acceleration figures are right up there with what I recorded on my pbox with an off-idle launch.

ThewhippetsS5

10-10-2013, 07:09 AM

Holy dump those are some really good numbers...

jareds941

10-10-2013, 08:38 AM

Priceless when mags like this speak of the firm suspension in Dynamic mode and how is softened up nicely in Comfort. News flash: suspension isn't variable. Almost makes you wonder if they had real people testing the thing!

Great numbers though! I can't wait for the next 800 miles to pass so I can really get on ours!

Q5 Bob

10-10-2013, 09:21 AM

It's too bad that Audi wasn't able to provide a couple of other Q5 variations for the test.

VroomVroom

10-10-2013, 10:10 AM

Motor Trend, IMO, remains at the bottom of the food chain in the world of auto magazines. Hence...numbers are numbers and its always nice to have another set for comparison. But in terms of really knowing their business, presenting facts, and offering quality writing....for me it's still Car and Driver and Automobile.

Q5 Bob

10-10-2013, 11:07 AM

Motor Trend, IMO, remains at the bottom of the food chain in the world of auto magazines. Hence...numbers are numbers and its always nice to have another set for comparison. But in terms of really knowing their business, presenting facts, and offering quality writing....for me it's still Car and Driver and Automobile.

Same here. C&D is my go to car mag. I also receive Automobile and enjoy a lot of their stuff.

Tom C

10-10-2013, 12:12 PM

Motor Trend, IMO, remains at the bottom of the food chain in the world of auto magazines. Hence...numbers are numbers and its always nice to have another set for comparison. But in terms of really knowing their business, presenting facts, and offering quality writing....for me it's still Car and Driver and Automobile.

Same here. C&D is my go to car mag. I also receive Automobile and enjoy a lot of their stuff.

I am not sure about Car & Driver. Their latest comparison test of the Porsche 911 Carrera vs the Corvette leaves a lot to be desired. They gave the Corvette a 20 out of 20 points for a category called "As Tested Price" (rightfully so). But they gave the Porsche a 1...yes one single point in the same category. Yes, the Porsche literally cost double the Corvette after a slew of options were piled on the car...but even if it did cost double, you would think that the Porsche would get half as many points resulting in 9 or 10 points. The Corvette won the comparison by 5 points given the 19 point disparity in a single category. The editors went on to say that the Corvette wins even without price being an issue.... but guess what each individual test and their scoring system says otherwise....

visualguy

10-10-2013, 12:31 PM

Priceless when mags like this speak of the firm suspension in Dynamic mode and how is softened up nicely in Comfort. News flash: suspension isn't variable. Almost makes you wonder if they had real people testing the thing!

Yeah - makes it hard to trust anything they were saying. In the video, there were multiple comments saying that the SQ5 ride is so firm and harsh that the reviewers wouldn't be able to live with it. It wasn't clear if they were talking only about off-road, or on paved roads as well. Again, hard to know if there's any basis to what they say considering the quote above.

jareds941

10-10-2013, 01:24 PM

Yeah - makes it hard to trust anything they were saying. In the video, there were multiple comments saying that the SQ5 ride is so firm and harsh that the reviewers wouldn't be able to live with it. It wasn't clear if they were talking only about off-road, or on paved roads as well. Again, hard to know if there's any basis to what they say considering the quote above.

The reviewers must either live in some nasty areas with gnarly roads or be really soft...it isn't as though the S Q5 is like a race car on super stiff coilovers. Sure, it doesn't float like a suburban, but it isn't like it is harsh. My wife is LOVING it...it rides smoother than the Subaru Legacy she just upgraded from (albeit the Leggie had some lowering springs on it...but still, she daily drove that car for almost 10 years!).

Q5 Bob

10-11-2013, 06:59 AM

Overall, I thought it was a good read. I really didn't think the SQ5 would win their award, but aside from the Dynamic/Comfort modes comments, it sounded to me that they liked the vehicle. Too bad that Audi couldn't have provided a 2.0t, 3.0t or TDI to go along with the SQ5. Five of the other brands provided multiple vehicles for the testing.