2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback detailed: New Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe and BMW X4 M40i rival combines style with performance

Audi has revealed the sportiest version yet of its new Q5 Sportback coupe-style SUV, with the SQ5 Sportback mid-sizer debuting with a diesel engine, although a petrol alternative is just around the corner.

With regular variants of the Q5 Sportback due in Australia in the second half of next year alongside the diesel version of the SQ5 Sportback, CarsGuide has contacted Audi to find out if its petrol counterpart will also be sold here.

For reference, the recently facelifted Q5’s range will feature both diesel and petrol variants of the related SQ5 flagship when the traditional mid-size SUV goes on sale locally in the second quarter of next year.

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The diesel engine in question is a 251kW/700Nm 3.0-litre single-turbo V6, while the yet-to-be-detailed petrol alternative is likely to be a carryover 260kW/500Nm unit.

At the very least, the former is actually a 48V mild-hybrid powertrain, with it enabling engineless coasting for up to 40 seconds and extended idle-stop operation for improved fuel efficiency.

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The SQ5 Sportback also ups the ante with lowered sports suspension with adaptive dampers, and a body kit.

Better yet, the system’s electric-powered compressor (EPC) provides electric boost when accelerating from a standstill or low engine speeds, helping to minimise any turbo lag from the new Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe and BMW X4 M40i rival.

Mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and Audi’s permanent quattro all-wheel-drive system, this version of the SQ5 Sportback completes the zero-to-100km/h sprint in 5.1 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

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Compared to the Q5 Sportback, the SQ5 Sportback also ups the ante with lowered sports suspension with adaptive dampers, a body kit, 20-inch alloy wheels, a sports steering wheel, front sports seats and unique trim inside and out.

As reported, the Q5/SQ5 Sportback prioritises style over practicality, with cargo capacity in particular taking a hit over that of the Q5/SQ5, down 40L to 510L due to its sloping roofline, which also reduces rear headroom by 10-20mm.