Audi Q5 vs Subaru Crosstrek

What's the difference?

The updated Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI is a strong example of a luxury base-grade SUV, ticking most of the boxes in styling, comfort and features. It may not always outperform its rivals on paper, but it delivers where it counts, offering a refined, practical and engaging package that will satisfy.

It’s not perfect, in fact, the Crosstrek has a few factors that would probably turn off groups of buyers at a time, but Subaru knows its audience isn’t ‘everyone’.

Subaru customers aren’t trying to get their fuel efficiency below 4.5L/100km, nor find the car with the most luxurious interior. They’re looking for a practical Jack or Jill of all trades, which the Crosstrek does rather well for its segment.

Few small SUVs are as agreeable on rough and unsealed roads without sacrificing suburban comfort, while its features list is practical and provides plenty for the money.

Unfortunately, the hybrid system is a little underwhelming, and if it’s the main draw of the Crosstrek for you, it could be worth considering the less expensive ($38,590) Hybrid L or even a hybrid rival like the Toyota Corolla Cross or Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

If the all-round ability of the Crosstrek is the draw, however, the non-hybrid L is still an excellent offering and doesn’t use a lot more fuel than the Hybrid - plus it’s several grand cheaper at $41,490.

The Crosstrek is great for active people who need a bit of flexibility in one car but for the vast majority, the hybrid probably isn’t the sweet spot in the range. However, that won’t hinder the Crosstrek as an overall model, its popularity is already proven, and the option of a Hybrid puts Subaru a little closer to the eventual necessity of electrification.

The Q5 Sportback is the more attractive sibling when compared to the standard SUV, with a shape that feels more dynamic and sport-oriented. The updated design dials back the sharper creases of the previous model in favour of softer curves, paired with slim matrix LED headlights. The revised 'Singleframe' grille has strong presence and the full-width rear light treatment adds to the Sportback’s visual appeal. Overall, it’s a very handsome vehicle.

Inside, the interior glow-up is immediately noticeable. The large new display takes centre stage in a redesigned dashboard that looks clean and appropriately sophisticated. 

There’s a good mix of materials throughout the cabin, including the beige leather upholstery, although the presence of hard plastics reminds you that this is still a base grade. Even so, the cabin largely hits the right notes for a luxury entry point.

There are a few details that don’t quite land for me. The door-mounted control panel on the driver's side feels busy and a little fiddly to use, and creates an oddly sized and positioned pull handle that just doesn’t feel nice to use. And this is very much a nitpick, but the black stitching on the beige seatbelts catches my eye all the time. None of these are deal-breakers, but they stand out in an otherwise well resolved interior.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the new Crosstrek looks an awful lot like its a development of the Subaru XV.

Which, given the latter’s popularity, is a very good thing.

While there are a lot of similarities, especially when it comes to some of the more rugged elements, the Crosstrek still manages to look quite new.

It’s rugged without having too many ‘busy’ design elements and it even looks at home in inner-city suburbs. 

Of course, its raised body and cladding are mostly for practical reasons, but it gives the small SUV an adventurous aesthetic that separates it from city-focused rivals.

As essentially a high-riding development of the Impreza hatch, its size and proportions also make it look more like a ‘big car’ than a small SUV.

Up front, the cabin feels spacious and comfortable, with plush (heated) electric seats, while the driver also benefits from a two-position memory function, which is a plus if the car is shared. My main gripe is the short seat bases, which become noticeable on longer drives.

In the rear, comfort largely holds up, though space is better suited to two adults due to the high transmission tunnel. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat is a practical inclusion and helps when juggling passengers and longer items.

Storage is mostly well considered. There’s a generously sized glove box and a couple of useful storage bins in each door, although the centre console is on the smaller side. The dedicated phone tray is a highlight, housing the wireless charging pad, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Both rows get cupholders and bottle storage, while rear passengers also benefit from USB-C ports, climate control, directional air vents and map pockets. Overall, there’s just enough space and amenity for adults or teens to remain comfortable.

Technology is handled by the updated media display, which features a responsive touchscreen and a menu system that’s easy enough to navigate. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are quick to set up, and the built-in satellite navigation is clearly laid out. That said, the near-total absence of physical buttons may frustrate some, with functions like climate control buried within the touchscreen. The number of pop-up disclaimers on start-up also feels excessive.

Boot space is where the Sportback’s sloping roofline has the biggest impact. Load height is limited, and capacity tops out at 515L with all seats in place, making it the smallest in its segment, albeit only by around 10L. I like the deep underfloor storage, along with the cargo cover, net and hands-free powered tailgate. However, the lack of a spare tyre, replaced by a repair kit, is a deal-breaker for me as a country driver, though it may matter less to those with easier access to repair services.

Practicality is pretty much a staple of Subaru as a brand, so it should be a huge surprise that it feels that way from the driver’s seat.

The interior doesn’t look futuristic, but it does look functional. 

For example, even though the centre of the dash is all screen - and we love buttons for climate controls around here - the controls for air conditioning and temperature are at least always present on the screen, no sub-menus needed.

The phone charger is large enough for even very tall phones (looking at you, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, pictured), and it’s out of the way to minimise extra digital distraction.

The steering wheel’s buttons, while many, are all clear and simple, as is the iPad-like icon layout on the multimedia screen.

Storage in the front is miles ahead of the rear seats, a large central bin with two cupholders, a big glove box, and decent space for water bottles in the door cards. In the rear, two central cupholders in the armrest and a small space in the door.

But there is a decent amount of space for an adult to sit in the rear, even if the sides of the roof are a little close to the head. It’s a little like the front, where the seats are supportive and easy to adjust to a comfortable position.

Further back, the boot space is a relatively small 315 litres, though its slightly larger than the 291L the petrol versions come with - that extra space likely swallowed by a spare tyre in the petrol versions, as opposed to the smaller batteries taking up some space in the hybrids.

When you’re wearing a hybrid badge and you’re up against veterans in the field like Toyota with the Corolla Cross, you want to make sure you’re offering up something substantial.

At $45,090, before on-road costs, the Hybrid S tops the range and comes with a features list that screams it from the rooftops. Or the mountaintops. Or at least as far as the gravel tracks will take you towards the mountaintop.

From the outside, 18-inch wheels are the first indicator for the ‘S’ grade - note that hybrids don’t come with spare wheels, just repair kits - as well as body coloured door handles and black plastic trim and cladding, aside from the gloss mirror caps.

The door mirrors are heated and fold away when parked, while up top there’s a sunroof flanked by roof rails, with a styled spoiler at the rear.

Interestingly, there’s no power tailgate.

LED DRLs and headlights are automatic and are aided by steering responsive active cornering lamps, while the wipers are auto rain-sensing.

Inside, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats (the driver’s is eight-way power adjustable) for the cold - all seats are leather accented - while the steering wheel and shifter are also leather-wrapped.

Tech is covered off by the usual 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen centrepiece, with sat-nav, AM/FM and digital radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, USB-A and USB-C plugs (in the rear, too), a wireless phone charger, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system over the usual six-speaker set-up. There’s even an auxiliary audio input.

The driver display is a small 4.2-inch unit flanked by physical dials.

The Q5 Sportback TFSI is front-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired with a mild-hybrid system. Combined outputs sit at 150kW and 340Nm, which places it toward the lower end of the segment when stacked against rivals such as the Genesis GV70 2.5T and Mercedes GLC300 Coupe offering 224kW/422Nm and 190kW/400Nm, respectively.

On the road, however, there’s still plenty on offer for everyday driving, with power delivery feeling smooth and accessible. The seven-speed transmission shifts effortlessly, helping the Q5 Sportback feel refined and easy to live with, even if outright performance isn’t its headline feature.

This is perhaps the part of the review you’re most interested in - as well as the following sections on efficiency and maybe driving - if the ‘Hybrid’ part of the Crosstrek Hybrid S’ name brought you here.

Like its design and interior, the engine will be familiar to anyone who has owned or driven a relatively recent Subaru - a 2.0-litre flat-four petrol engine good for 110kW/196Nm - which means it makes a little less than the standard petrol variant’s 115kW.

However, the electric motor is capable of its own 12kW/66Nm outputs, though Subaru doesn’t supply a claimed total maximum for the whole powertrain.

Drive is transferred to all four wheels - it is a Subaru after all - via a seven-step continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Q5 Sportback TFSI has a claimed combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle fuel consumption figure of 5.7L/100km and paired with its 65L fuel tank offers a theoretical driving range of up to 1140km. An impressive result on paper.

After a mix of long highway driving and my usual urban runaround, real-world consumption settled at 5.8L/100km, which is almost spot on.

It also highlights the Q5 Sportback TFSI’s performance/efficiency trade-off. While its outputs are modest relative to some rivals it rewards you with excellent economy in real-world use.

Subaru claims the Crosstrek Hybrid will sip 6.5L/100km on the combined cycle, which isn’t enough to blow anyone away, even when you take into account the extra fuel needed for permanent all-wheel drive. The AWD Corolla Cross Hybrid comes with a claimed 4.4L/100km.

Compare this to the 8.5L/100km reading the Crosstrek returned after our time with the car, mostly with a (somewhat unkind) mix of inner-city and semi-rural backroad driving, and it’s clear the Crosstrek isn’t one of the most frugal cars in its class.

More highway driving would certainly have lowered the figure - we’ve achieved 8.0-litres on previous testing with a non-hybrid Crosstrek - but perhaps being top of the charts for efficiency isn’t necessarily what Subaru buyers are looking for.

Of course, the Crosstrek Hybrid S employs a couple of features to avoid using fuel where it can be avoided, such as auto stop-start and its (relatively mild) electric system taking over when mostly coasting or the engine isn’t required.

There’s enough power in the base grade to keep things engaging on the open road, whether overtaking or maintaining pace, with a reassuring sense of reserves and smooth, punctual delivery.

Despite the firmer suspension, ride comfort remains high thanks to the newly tuned damping system, which absorbs bumps without sacrificing road feedback. The cabin is quiet at speed and at low speeds the car can switch to its hybrid system for extra refinement.

I’m not a huge fan of the adaptive steering assist, particularly on winding roads, as it can overcorrect at times. Overall, though, the Q5 Sportback delivers enjoyable, sporty dynamics.

Visibility is good from the front and sides, while the rear window is a little on the small side. It’s easy to get accustomed to the car’s dimensions and a clear 360-degree camera view comes standard across all grades, providing a clear view that automatically activates during low-speed manoeuvres. Parking this car is straightforward and stress-free.

Two things stand out after a short stint behind the wheel of the Crosstrek Hybrid, and both become more cemented over time.

The first is that the ‘Hybrid’ part of the ‘Crosstrek Hybrid S’ isn’t quite as prominent in its real-world impact as it is in its name.

The 110kW engine doesn’t feel like it’s being massively helped along by any electric assistance, and the electric motor is very rarely doing the work by itself, as you’d find in any hybrid from Toyota or Honda.

That’s a shame, because the Crosstrek could do with a little extra oomph, if not for getting up to speed then for avoiding thrashy engine sounds under acceleration.

The CVT, while not necessarily detrimental to its performance, doesn’t help with that.

But balancing that out is a chassis and platform that’s engaging and predictable - and that’s predictable as a good thing - making the Crosstrek pleasant to pilot.

Its controls like steering and braking are nicely weighted for low speeds, commuting, and for more spirited driving, while the suspension and chassis handles surfaces from smooth suburban roads, to city tram tracks, to unsealed roads with ease, soaking up bumps and shakes nicely.

If you’re noticing a theme in this review, it’s that Subaru doesn’t seem to be chasing any ‘best at’ metrics in favour of giving the Crosstrek the ability to do a range of different driving and being at least satisfactory in any given area.

As the range-topper, the Subaru Hybrid S comes with the lot in terms of safety. 

And even though it hasn’t been tested by ANCAP yet, it’d be a shock if its score was anything less than the maximum five stars.

It’s what the XV scored in 2017, and the brand hasn’t missed out on full marks since the Impreza and Foresters of the early 2000s.

Nine airbags include dual front, dual front side, dual curtain, driver's knee, far side, and front passenger seat cushion airbags, plus Subaru’s 'EyeSight' safety suite does the work in crash prevention.

On top of the standard safety features you’d expect from any new car like electronic stability control and ABS, there’s a ‘Pedestrian alert system’, emergency lane keep assist with departure warning and prevention, a ‘Driver Monitoring System’ that includes drowsiness and distraction warnings, sensors and monitors for blind spots and rear cross-traffic, and of course parking sensors.

Some less common features of EyeSight include ‘Lead Vehicle Start Alert’, ‘Pre-Collision Braking System’, ‘Pre-Collision Throttle Management’, ‘Intelligent Speed Limiter’ as well as ‘Speed Sign Recognition’ and ‘Brake Light Recognition’.

Specific to the S, is a surround-view parking camera, high beam assist, plus front- and side-view monitors to help avoid kerbing wheels or bumping towbars.

It’s all fairly well implemented in the Crosstrek, though some of its chimes can be a bit much - the driver distraction alert can mistake a quick climate control change at the lights for a proper lapse of focus, while an alert for approaching speed and red light cameras comes without any indication of what the noise is for.

The Q5 Sportback comes with Audi’s five-year/unlimited km warranty, which also includes complimentary roadside assistance - all fairly standard at this end of the market. A five-year pre-paid servicing plan is available for $3520, which is cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option, though it’s not the most competitive compared with some rivals. For instance, BMW offers the same coverage for $2475, while the Genesis comes with complimentary servicing.

You can also extend the service period by two years with the 'Audi Advantage Package' for an additional cost. Services are spaced at sensible intervals, every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, making maintenance straightforward and predictable.

The Crosstrek is covered by Subaru’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with servicing intervals coming up every 12 months or 15,000km under Subaru’s five-year capped-price servicing.

Subaru also adds 12 months of free roadside assistance.

This is all fairly standard in the industry, though some brands like Kia and MG offer seven-year warranties, or there’s Mitsubishi with a 10-year warranty (even if it requires certain conditions to be met during the decade).