When the 2013 Audi Q5 debuted earlier this year, Audi laid out its powertrain options: the ubiquitous 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 211 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, the becoming-ubiquitous 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 producing 272 hp and 295 lb-ft, a hybrid combining the same 2.0-liter turbo four tuned to an output of 208 hp combined with a 44-hp electric motor, and a yet-to-be-determined diesel option. That diesel option has now been determined.
Audi tells us that the U.S.-spec Q5 TDI will get a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6, churning out 245 hp plus a hefty 428 lb-ft of twist from 1750 rpm. It’s the same basic engine that powers the Europe-only SQ5 TDI, although in that application output is cranked to 313 hp and 479 lb-ft. (A gas-fired SQ5 is possible for our market, but don’t hold your breath for the diesel version.) It also means that, at least at this point, the Q5 TDI will have more power and torque than does the larger-and-no-longer-in-charge-r Q7 TDI.
- Comparison Test: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI vs. 2011 Touareg Hybrid
- Long-Term Road Test Wrap-Up: 2011 Audi Q7 TDI Quattro
- First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 BlueTec / GLK350
Audi predicts that the Q5 TDI will reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than 6.5 seconds while achieving fuel economy of 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers, which works out to roughly 37 mpg combined—albeit on the optimistic European cycle. The Q5 TDI will hit showroom floors next summer as a 2014 model. Combining the comparo-winning handling and refinement of the basic Q5 with the goodness of Audi’s 3.0-liter diesel? Sounds like a winner to us.
