Lexus NX vs Audi Q5

What's the difference?

The Lexus NX450h+ F Sport is a gorgeous mid-size SUV that combines great specs and a fairly efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s a comfortable and easy ride which should appeal to a wide range of driving styles. It also looks good parked at the kerbside of a city street and with it ticking most of the boxes, it may become your new best friend.

The new Q5 does a lot right even if it doesn’t feel as resolved from behind the wheel as I had expected.

It catapults one of the oldest premium SUV nameplates into this decade, and all three of its launch powertrain options are great, so you can’t really go wrong.

Each features the smoothness and efficiency of genuine hybrids backed by punchy turbo combustion thrills, while the increase in standard kit across the entire range is notable at a very reasonable price increase.

The NX simple looks like a scaled-down version of its larger RX cousin, so if you like that you’ll like what the NX.

It looks sweeter, though, with its smaller proportions being only 4660mm long and 1670mm high but there’s enough sharp pleating in the panelling and rear LED lights to give it a sporty edge. It’s a design that should appeal to a wide range of people.

The interior helps the NX compete against some of its flashier rivals, but the BMW X3's interior beats it hands down with the wow factor. Still, the dual-toned leather upholstery and fabrics of our test model scream understated luxury.

The perforated leather of the seats is supple underhand, but even the robust synthetic leather on the backs of the seats and some door panelling feels like the real stuff most of the time.

The dashboard components – like the air vents, displays and accents – are well integrated and seem well-built. The cockpit is intimate and plush overall, and it always reminds you that you're in the cabin of a luxury vehicle.

Proportionally, the new Q5 is quite a departure from its curvaceous predecessors, thanks to a more chiseled bodyline and stronger flares over its wheelarches. While this makes it the biggest stylistic departure for the Q5 ever, embracing its all-new PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) underpinnings, its stylistic motifs are still somehow very familiar.

The traditional Audi grille is maintained, although has been modernised with a geometric pattern and integrated highlight pieces depending on styling package, and even the light profiles manage to be somewhat familiar despite their twinkly new customisable LED elements and contemporary slimline appearance.

A closer look only makes the car feel more contemporary, with strong contours around its face and bumpers, which were absent from its more plain-looking predecessors.

In addition, the brand tells us the Australian market in particular has one of the highest levels of uptake of large wheels, so it offers a range of designs to choose from on the options list, many of which are on the larger side, despite the standard wheel being 19 inches.

The interior is where the biggest changes are. While Audi interiors have been familiar for the longest time, the new Q5’s interior appointments feel dropped directly out of its Q6 e-tron electric alternative.

The result is a completely re-thought approach to the interior design, which is now dominated by huge touchscreens as well as a collection of contemporary shapes and mouldings that transport the Q5 into the current decade.

Still, elements of familiarity are present. The seats feel like Audi seats, the materials are as you’d expect for the brand and the wheel is backed by familiar switchgear.

The cabin of the NX is spacious where it needs to be for four adults to be comfortable on a longer journey, and features enough equipment to satisfy most.

Access is best at the front because of the wider door apertures and while still easy enough to get in and out of from the back, the rear wheel arch cuts into the aperture a bit.

The front seats are very comfortable with thick padding, tall side bolsters that lock you into place in a turn as well as heating and cooling functions.

The back seats are almost as comfortable as the front! However, the outboard seats offer the best under-thigh support. It is a shame that they miss out on heat functions for its grade level, though.

Storage is fairly good for the class, with lots of small item cubbies up front like a sunglasses holder, a mini drawer next to the drivers' knee and a dedicated phone holder and two cupholders. The large glove box (that can hold more than just a manual) and mid-size middle console shoulder most of the storage burden, though.

In the back you get a couple of map pockets, small storage bins and two cupholders. which is most than enough for this size of SUV.

The boot offers an impressive 520L of capacity and a level loading space makes it an easy car to slide larger gear in and out of. The little storage compartment under the floor is handy for charging cables and the hands-free powered tailgate is always handy to have.

The technology is a nice mix of easy-to-use and high-end with a responsive touchscreen on the 14-inch multimedia display. The system has built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The CarPlay was simple to set up and has maintained a steady connection with my iPhone this week.

Charging options are decent with two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket per row, as well as a wireless charging pad up front.

While the interior might feel as modern as they come, it also brings with it some of the pitfalls of contemporary design themes.

The most obvious is the over-reliance on touch panels for controls. The most egregious example is the lack of physical buttons for the climate control, which is interacted with via a permanent part of the touchscreen, but it doesn’t end there.

On top of this, there are capacitive gloss finish panels for the steering wheel controls, and even a capacitive panel in the door to control the mirrors and lights. It all looks swish, but isn’t the best to use compared to just… buttons.

Apple CarPlay worked flawlessly in my time with various versions of the car, and the stock software is fast and crisp. Interestingly the digital instrument cluster is the most plain version of Audi’s usually stellar virtual instruments yet. Without the big animated cluster dials it used to have it feels a bit less fun to look at.

Adjustability and space is great for front passengers, as is the amount of visibility on offer, plus the seats are as comfortable as ever in all grades.

Storage is ample in the cabin, with big bottle holders in the centre console, large pockets in each door, and a halfway decent centre console. The phone charger sits tucked away at the front with the USB-C outlets and a volume dial.

The back seat is less impressive. The Q5 never had the most spacious second row in this mid-sized segment, but it’s disappointing to see this new-generation car hardly improves on the formula. It’s spacious enough for me at 182cm tall behind my own driving position, with enough room for my knees and airspace for my head, but it’s certainly not as spacious as many rivals. In addition, the centre position is compromised by a huge rise in the floor, making it a hard pitch for an adult to sit there.

On the plus side, there’s plenty of amenities with bottle holders in each door, a further two in the drop-down armrest, netted pockets on the backs of the front seats, and an entire third rear climate zone with touch panel temperature control and physical air vents. There’s also two USB-C outlets.

One trade-off for the small second row is a large boot. It measures 520 litres with five seats up, or 1473L with the second row down. It also comes with a few neat things like a net and sliding cover.

Unfortunately, while there’s a small amount of underfloor storage, there’s no spare wheel, with Audi only offering a tyre repair kit.

The new Q5 arrives in five variants spread across three powertrain options, and the starting price has copped quite a hike. Audi says that's to account for a steep increase in standard equipment, the inclusion of new hybrid tech and the S-Line styling package across the range.

The new entry-level Q5 is the base front-wheel drive TFSI petrol, which wears a price of $81,000 before on-roads, replacing the previous entry-level Q5 35TDI that started at $73,400.

Included is 19-inch alloys, Matrix LED headlights, LED tail-lights with projection light, an 11.9-inch digital dash and 14.5-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, online connectivity with built-in navigation, eight-speaker, 18-watt sound system, multicolour ambient lighting, leather interior trim with brushed aluminium inlays, wireless phone charging, a 360-degree parking camera, a power adjust driver’s seat with heated front seats, tri-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-start ignition.

This trim level is also available as a TDI quattro with diesel and all-wheel drive at $87,600. Next up is the TDI quattro Sport from $94,100 which adds 20-inch two-tone alloys, a panoramic opening sunroof with shade, S-line front seats, with the S-Line interior package that also features a three-spoke alternate steering wheel design, steel sports pedals and black headlining.

Next is the SQ5 Edition One. The most prominent upgrade for this grade is the return of the 3.0-litre turbo-petrol six-cylinder engine, although this grade also gets its own trim level including 20-inch black metallic alloys, to go with a black pack exterior, red brake callipers, S Sport suspension and privacy glass.

Finally the top-spec SQ5 scores 21-inch alloys, aluminium exterior highlights, acoustic glass, premium leather interior trim, front seat ventilation and message functions, a head-up display, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio and improved outputs for the USB-C connectors. Premium paint options are free (aside from Gold) on the SQ5.

Other option packs include the Premium Package ($5400) which adds the head-up display, Bang & Olufsen sound, improved USB outputs and acoustic glazing, the Tech Pro Package ($5700) which is only available on the TDI quattro Sport and SQ5 adding heated steering, a front passenger display, electrical adjust for the steering column, heated rear outer seats and digital OLED tail-lights.

Finally two Style Packs exist, adding 20-inch wheels, a black pack, and privacy glass to lower grades ($4900 for the TFSI and TDI, $3400 on the TDI Sport) with the Carbon Style Package only available on the Edition One and SQ5 for $9200, adding carbon mirror claddings, inlays and a roof spoiler.

On the value front the Q5 is more affordable than an entry-level BMW X3 (20 xDrive - $86,800) and Mercedes-Benz GLC (200 4MATIC - $89,000) although both rivals offer all-wheel drive as standard, rather than the front-wheel drive Q5. Outside of the Germans, the Lexus NX (250 FWD) starts at $63,400, while the Genesis GV70 (2.5T Advanced AWD) starts at $78,700.

With that price tag, I’d say the Q5 is priced just-right compared to its rivals.

The NX450h+ F Sport is the first attempt at a plug-in hybrid powertrain for Lexus. It pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, one located at each end of the car for all-wheel drive. Together they produce up to 227kW of power, but Lexus doesn’t quote the combined torque figure (cheeky).

The flagship model can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.3 seconds and features a smooth continuously variable transmission.

Overall, it moves quickly and the shift between the electric and engine components is barely noticeable.

Here’s where things get interesting. Despite featuring three carryover engine options, the Q5’s big upgrade is the introduction of a hybrid system.

The brand calls this technology MHEV+, which I think is underselling what the system can actually do. Normally a mild hybrid (MHEV) system consists of higher-voltage electrics to assist auxiliary systems and take a small amount of load off the engine, or provide a more robust stop/start system, but this new Audi tech consists of an 18kW/230Nm electric motor placed after the seven-speed transmission that can motivate the entire vehicle under electric power for small periods. It can recapture up to 25kW of energy and is supported by a 1.7kWh battery pack.

The three engine options supported by this include the base TFSI 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo front-wheel drive (150kW/340Nm), the mid-spec TDI 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel (150kW/400Nm) exclusively in all-wheel drive, or the SQ5’s 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 (270kW/550Nm).

There’s no disappointments here. All powertrains feel up to the task, and for those of you waiting for an all-wheel drive base petrol or a plug-in hybrid, the brand assures us both are on the way soon.

The flagship NX has a smallish 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery and a Type 2 charging port but no CCS enhancement, which means you can’t hook it up to a fast DC charger.

On a standard AC 240-volt domestic plug port, you can charge this from 0-100% in around 7hrs 30mins. You get a great electric-only NEDC-rated driving range of up to 87km and that means you really only have to charge it every other day, which I appreciated. 

The official combined fuel cycle usage is 1.3L/100km, but you won’t really see that in the real world. After doing some longer trips mixed in with city slicking, my average real-world usage popped out at 6.5L/100km, and I averaged 20.2kWh/100km when in pure EV mode. They’re not the best hybrid figures I’ve seen for the class, but they're not too bad either.

All engine options are also relatively efficient, although the total fuel reduction from the introduction of this new MHEV+ hybrid technology is surprisingly small. Audi says it saves up to 0.74L/100km and 17g/100km of C02, which doesn’t sound like a lot for a system that can pull the whole car.

Regardless, fuel consumption is 5.7L/100km for the TFSI 2.0L FWD petrol, 5.4L/100km for the TDI 2.0L AWD diesel, or 7.6L/100km for the 3.0-litre petrol V6 SQ5. The emissions are also relatively low for a premium SUV.

This NX feels like it has lots of power in reserve when you put your foot down and never struggles going up big hills. When it’s in pure EV mode, it’s very quiet but there’s no big fanfare when this kicks over to the traditional engine. You barely notice it until you’re on the open road travelling at higher speeds, and that’s when the engine starts to sound more growly like its non-hybrid siblings.

The steering is forgiving without feeling too light and around town, the NX is nimble and sure of itself. The suspension is on the firmer side, so you’ll hear and feel the bigger bumps, but it never feels rough.

Visibility is decent with the largish windows, and the pillars that aren’t too wide from my driving position. I do like having the digital rearview mirror, though, because when you have a big car seat or tall adult in the back seat, the vision back there is hindered.

It’s pretty hard to find a modern car that’s terrible to park, especially in the mid-size SUV segment, and the NX is no different. Even in a small car space, you still have good clearance around you, which hopefully translates to less dings from neighbouring cars!

The 360-degree view camera system is top notch with its quality, and I like that the car disappears and you can see the ground underneath.

To drive the Q5 is familiar in some ways and less familiar in others. The initial impression is good, with each variant being relatively quiet on the road, offering a nice adjustability and driving position, with great visibility around the car.

The new powertrain options are all a joy to pilot, with all feeling punchy and smooth-shifting through the seven-speed auto. This smoothness is helped along by the introduction of the new MHEV+ tech, which can push the car along at reasonable speeds without needing the engine to assist.

It might not be quite as punchy as some other hybrid systems in terms of overall assist, but it’s certainly better than other systems we’ve seen on the market that barely help with driving or smoothness, and end up being a cynical emissions-saving device. It’s nice to see this tech is a step forward for the brand.

The familiar Q5 driving points are mostly intact, too, with the most notable upgrade being the ride comfort. This car is much more adept at dealing with road imperfections than its predecessor, with a softer suspension response.

This having been said, I expected more from this ground-up new platform. Each version of this Q5 I sampled felt less dynamically engaging than its predecessor. The usually sharp Audi steering tune feels a bit disconnected in this new car, with a little bit too much electrical and software assist, and the suspension, while more comfortable, isn’t as engaging in the corners.

It, too, lends the car a disconnected feeling over undulations and corrugations, giving the new Q5 an overall less resolved feeling from behind the wheel than I would have liked. The previous car was a bit sharp, but at least it was consistent in the way it responded to the road.

The previous car started to feel old towards the end of its run. Previous Audi owners will enjoy how this new car catapults the nameplate into this decade in terms of its cabin ambiance and general demeanour, it would have just been nice to see the consistency return, too.

A massive list of active safety kit is present in the new Q5, from autobahn-speed auto emergency braking (AEB) to lane departure control as well as the expected blind spot and cross traffic alert features (front and rear).

It also features the newer features, like traffic sign recognition and 360-degree cameras, while the brand’s signature high-end adaptive Matrix headlights are standard across the range.

The systems are well calibrated judging by our brief drive, with only the occasional tug of lane keep assist present. In addition, the adaptive cruise is well behaved.

The Q5 is yet to secure an ANCAP score at the time of writing, but it already has a maximum five stars from Euro NCAP in its home market, which I’m sure the brand is hoping will carry across.

The NX is offered with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is on par with its European rivals.

It comes with a five-year capped price servicing program, where services are competitively priced at $595 each.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Audi continues to offer its fairly standard five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assist and this is paired with the option of a five-year service plan.

This costs an additional $3520 ($704 per year) for the 2.0-litre variants, or $3560 ($712 per year) for the 3.0-litre V6-powered SQ5. Servicing is required every 1500km or 12 months.