The Audi Q5 was first released in 2008 and is in production ever since. Throughout two generations and two mid-cycle refreshes, the Q5 managed to become one of, if not the most desirable Audi SUVs yet. However, some generations of the Q5 didn’t fare as well as others, and we are going to rank the best Audi Q5 model years in this article.
The best Q5 model year seems to be the 2017 model according to most online charts and owner’s satisfaction surveys. The 2017 Q5 is the first model year of the second generation of the Q5 and it earns this number one spot both because it offers a really dependable experience while also offering great value.
The second-best model year of the Audi Q5 is the 2021 model because it is the best 2nd generation post-facelift Q5 model. The reason why it takes second place is that it is overall the most advanced Audi Q5 and the cheapest current-generation Q5.
If you like the 1st generation of the Q5, the best one to go for is undoubtedly the post-facelift 2016 Audi SQ5 with the 3.0L supercharged V6. The reason why this specific 1st gen Q5 takes third place is that it is one of the very latest models with likely the best Q5 engine ever.
2017 Audi Q5
The 2017 Audi Q5 is the very first 2nd generation Q5 model which brought the Q5 to the modern era. When it first came out, many people weren’t sold on the way it looks, but no one criticized the 2017 Q5 when it comes to interior quality and interior design.
The reason why the 2017 model takes 1st place as the best year for an Audi Q5 is that it offers the best value for a modern-day Q5 while also being as reliable as all the Q5 pre-facelift 2nd generation models that succeeded it. The 2017 model is now one of the most popular Q5 models on the 2nd hand market for these very reasons.
The 2017 Q5 is also a car that earned high praises from its customers and the overall customer satisfaction chart for the 2017 Q5 is one of the best ones there is for the Q5. All in all, the 2017 Q5 offers great value as it balances between the newest Q5 and the slightly dated 1st gen post-facelift Q5. It is priced just perfect as it offers everything you need from a modern-day SUV.
2021 Audi Q5
When it comes to ironing out small imperfections, the 2021 Q5 represents a great evolution of the 2017 Q5 which didn’t fare all that well in the design department. Many people (myself included) thought that the pre-facelift 2nd generation Q5 never captured the imagination fully and I still believe that the 1st gen post-facelift Q5 looks better on the outside.
Thankfully, the 2021 Q5 looks much better from the outside even though the interior design didn’t change all that much. Furthermore, the 2021 Q5 first introduced the Sportback model which offers a tad bit of added flair to the already eye-catching standard Q5.
Another reason why the Q5 from 2021 is this highly ranked is that it is a really dependable SUV. Audi has this habit of continuously improving their models and their post-facelift models tend to be much more dependable as they iron out most imperfections during the car’s lifespan.
2016 Audi SQ5
The reason why we picked the 2016 model to finish this list is that it managed to perfect the well-matured post-facelift Q5 by making it a lot more reliable and better screwed together. The 2016 is the very last model year for the post-facelift 1st generation of the Q5 which means that it is the most advanced 1st gen Q5 in general.
The reason why we chose the SQ5 is that it is a true full package car. Granted, there are more efficient and cheaper engines to run than the 3.0L supercharged V6, but no other engine is as fun to drive as this one. Audi also did a diesel SQ5 in this era, but a true S car should be powered by a gas engine.
The 2016 Audi is also better equipped than the previous generations and it also is one of the best-looking Q5 models of all time. Audi really delivered with the post-facelift Audi A5 and the post-facelift Audi Q5 as these two still look fresh even a few decades after they were initially released.
FAQ Section
What are the worst years for an Audi Q5?
When it comes to choosing the worst years for the Q5, we have to mention the 2014 Q5 which seems to be the most problematic Q5 to date. Owner satisfaction charts state that the 2014 Q5 simply has too many problems for the car to be as enjoyable as it should be. It was only the very worst times of Audi’s excessive oil consumption era which increased the car’s running costs quite significantly.
The car suffered from 5 different recalls as well. The 2012 Audi Q5 is not all that much better because it was part of 6 different recalls that affected more than 150,000 models. However, I owned a 2014 Audi Q5 for a better part of four years and I never had a single issue with the car. This means that proper maintenance and full-service history are often more important than what it says on the internet.
Is the Audi Q5 worth it?
The Audi Q5 is definitely worth it as it is the perfect size for an SUV because it offers you the raised-up driving position we all love while not sacrificing the car when it comes to parking and navigating through tighter gaps.
The Q7 is simply too big for most people while the Q3 was never as luxurious as the Q5 and is likely never going to be.
Is the Audi Q5 a good family car?
The Audi Q5 is one of the best family cars money can buy these days because it offers a ton of family-friendly features while being comfortable, luxurious, and spacious. The Q5 offers a really consistent and cushiony ride quality while the safety credentials are stellar.
It is easy to get in and out of, it has large cubby spaces, is loaded with airbags, and it offers a large trunk space.