Plug-in hybrids finally return to Audi's line-up with launch of electrified Q5 SUV

After hinting to CarsGuide last year that its Q5 mid-size SUV was to be the first car in Audi’s range to receive a plug-in hybrid makeover, Audi Australia has now confirmed the 55 TFSI e will arrive in Australia in the middle of 2023.

Speaking to media at the launch of the e-tron GT, Audi confirmed the plug-in hybrid Q5 will arrive in a single high specification initially and will be available in both standard SUV and coupe-style Sportback bodystyles.

Audi says it has seen increased interest in all vehicles with plugs at its dealerships in the last year, and the introduction of the highly specified Q5 PHEV is in-line with what customers are asking for.

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On paper, the Q5 55 TFSI e is even more powerful than the current range-topping SQ5, producing a combined 270kW/500Nm. It can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds.

It has a 14.4kWh (net) battery pack, granting 55km of purely electric driving range in the SUV or 53km of range in the Sportback at up to 135km/h without any assistance from the combustion engine. It will have a European-standard Type 2 charging port, capable of a maximum speed of 7.2kW for a full charge in 2.5 hours.

Elsewhere existing benefits from Audi’s all-wheel drive quattro system exist, like the ability for the car to disconnect the rear wheels when cruising for increased fuel efficiency.

The Q5 55 TFSI e is even more powerful than the current range-topping SQ5, producing a combined 270kW/500Nm.

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The Q5 55 TFSI e can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds.

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Prices start from $102,900, before on-road costs for the SUV which includes a very high level of standard specification including leather appointed seat trim with heating, power adjust for the front seats, tri-zone climate control, LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, and S-Line highlights on top of the standard equipment on the Q5 range which includes a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and 'Virtual Cockpit' digital instrument cluster.

Meanwhile, the Sportback starts from $110,200 but includes some sporty inclusions over the SUV version including an S-Line interior pack with Nappa leather seat trim.

The options list includes a $4900 Technik package which features upgraded ‘Matrix’ adaptive LED headlights, dynamic LED indicators, headlight washers, head-up display, and a 755W Bang & Olufsen sound system with 19 speakers.

Standard in the Q5 range is a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Audi says the Q5 is “more of a single-car proposition” for “drivers who can use it electrically during their weekly commute, but then have plenty of range to survive a roadtrip on the weekend.”

The brand says it is looking into other TFSI e models available overseas, particularly the A3 hatchback, but will need to “wait for the dust to settle” on the relatively fresh A3 range, and study the reaction to the arrival of the Q5 PHEV.

It previously offered the previous-generation A3 in plug-in hybrid guise but only briefly and in limited numbers.

The Q5 hybrid will have a European-standard Type 2 charging port, capable of a maximum speed of 7.2kW for a full charge in 2.5 hours.

Internationally, the Q5 55 TFSI e was upgraded significantly alongside updates to the Q5 range, including a battery and cabin tech overhaul.

Later in 2023, Audi will also launch the new version of its fully-electric e-tron SUV, which will become known as the Q8 e-tron. The brand has a plan to introduce 30 new electrified models by 2025, 20 of which will be fully electric.

By 2026 it will introduce its last new combustion engined vehicle, with a view to phasing out combustion tech completely by 2033.