Crossing creeks and whacking along hairy bush tracks are well within the capabilities of the new Audi Q5 3.0 TDI. However, in reality, the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI will spend most of its time rubbing tyres with roadside curbs.

Not only is the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI exceptionally safe, but room is aplenty. Each Audi Q5 3.0 TDI comes with the latest in safety features that will more than eclipse what is usually found in lower quality SUV vehicles. American surveys have placed the Audi Q5 as their leader in premium luxury compact SUVs. The ranking was based on an analysis of eighteen published reviews and test drives of the Audi Q5, and reliability and safety data.

What makes the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI so good? It starts in the elegant design and exceptional build quality. The Audi Q5 3.0 TDI is built upon an A4 floor plan so the length is nice and compact with very little front overhang to speak of. Sleek headlights, a massive chrome edged grille, and large tyres that can get as large as twenty inches in shoe size create quite a symphony of visual splendour. A hint of Audi TT tear dropped roof lines are prominent in the exceptional Audi Q5 3.0 TDI design. At the very least, the very competitively priced Q5 3.0 TDI comes with eighteen-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, eight-way powered front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, tri-zone automatic climate control, a trip computer, Audi’s MMI with dash-mounted controls, and a ten-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player, an auxiliary input jack, an SD card slot and satellite radio. Not a bad list to start off with. Xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors, a power liftgate, heated front seats, driver memory functions, a panorama sunroof, Bluetooth and an iPod interface can also be added into the mix if you so desire. Somehow, you can even kit the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI out with a Bang & Olufsen fourteen-speaker surround-sound stereo.

What’s she like to drive? The supple ride and handling is superbly balanced and grippy, and with a punchy V6 Turbo-diesel engine the Q5 3.0 TDI driving experience is a lot of fun. Sharp driving dynamics make hustling through corners a favourite pass time. This has to be one of the most entertaining compact SUVs on the market. A peak power of 176 kW and a colossal 500 Nm of torque available makes for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 6.5 seconds. Why not call it a sports car?!

Audi seats are sumptuous to say the least, and I found the rear passenger space and ample cargo space behind the rear seats a practical winner. Driving a Q5 is very like driving an A4 wagon. The elevated seating position is an awesome way of gaining a very commanding view of the road ahead.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI is very safe too. The 2010 Audi Q5 comes standard with stability and traction control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. You can have rear side-airbags if yo want to, but they are an optional extra. Five-star ratings for front and side crash testing ensure that a compact SUV doesn’t get any safer than in a Q5.

The current model series includes the:

• Q5 3.0 TDI Quattro

For any more information on the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Audi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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