REVIEWS: 2010 Audi Q5 3.2

2010 Audi Q5 3.2

Months in fleet: Ten
Miles to date: 29,233

Now in its tenth month at our office, the Audi Q5 is still winning the popularity contest among staff members and is the most sought after vehicle in our Four Seasons fleet. In early August, we shook things up and took our Q5 somewhere not many owners will take theirs: off road.

Truth is, you're not likely to find an Audi Q5 up on three wheels on a rut-riddled path, but after tackling the trails in St. Helen, Michigan, we discovered the Q5 is quite capable. On a day in which we thought a flat bed tow truck would be necessary to get home, our Q5 plowed through deep water holes, up sandy inclines, and over some large-ish rocks with out any serious challenges. Senior web editor and off-road junkie Phil Floraday, along with the rest of the staff, was impressed with the Audi's competence. "The Q5 inspires a lot of confidence and provides good maneuverability. I do wish we could fully defeat the electronic stability program, but I was impressed with how well the Q5 handled our back-roads romp," Floraday observed. "The 3.2-liter V-6 provided enough power to haul the Q5 up some steep sandy hills."

For all the hazards we put it through, (and aside from the persistent stability control) the Q5's only issue was a small pebble that got stuck between the disc brake and the heat shield causing a gut-wrenching screech that could be heard for miles. Eventually the pebble popped out, and so did the Q5 from the trail. We drove away very impressed with the capabilities of the Q5 and more than happy to call off the flat bed.

After a good cleaning back in Ann Arbor, the Q5 ventured to Toronto for a weekend with associate web editor Jeffrey Jablansky, marking the second time the Q5 has ventured out internationally. "This was my first time driving to Canada, and the Q5 thankfully has a built-in mph-to-kph converter in the instrument panel. It's a nice touch. Though you can't make any use of it if you have the navigation set, you can still set the cruise control in the given units." Jablansky was impressed with the comfortable cruising ability of the Q5 as he noted, "The ride is as smooth as any sedan's, steering feel makes you forget you're in an SUV, and its relatively low center of gravity allows for some spirited moves."