A new base version o the 2022 Audi Q5 luxury crossover SUV entered the market and brought with it a higher price tag. Does that mean you’re getting less while paying more? Unfortunately, yes, it does, but it seems that’s becoming the norm in the automotive world lately. Many vehicles show increases in prices compared to a year ago, which doesn’t make this new Audi special. What does make it special is that you now have a new starting point when shopping for this SUV.

How much does a 2022 Audi Q5 SUV cost?

The new model added to the lineup is the Q5 40, which starts at $44,495. According to Car and Driver, this is a $100 increase over the base model from a year ago.

The previous entry point, the Q5 45, now costs $46,995 for the standard package, giving us an increase of $2,600 over last year. Most likely, this isn’t going to be a significant increase in your monthly payment.

How much is a fully-loaded Audi Q5?

Buying the Audi Q5 at the top performance and price point puts you in the SQ5 Prestige category, costing $65,000. That’s a huge leap from the base prices, but so are the package and performance you’ll find in this top-level version.

What does it mean to pay more to get less in this luxury SUV?

The comparison of less isn’t simply a reference to the price. Looking at the powertrain lineup, Kelley Blue Book shows us the differences.

Audi Q5 40

This base model of the Q5 has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This setup gives you 201 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. The fuel mileage rating is 23 city/29 hwy mpg.

Audi Q5 45

Here, you’ll find the same powertrain as the Q5 40, tuned up to 261 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. The fuel mileage reaches 23 city/28 hwy mpg.

As you can see, the previous base model (Q5 45) has 60 more horsepower than the new base model. The Q5 45 also offers more torque, rounding out the power range, but the Q5 40 does offer one mpg more on the highway.

Are there any more powertrains for the Audi Q5 SUV?

Yes, you’ll find a plug-in hybrid model, the Q5 55 e, which gives you a permanent-magnet electric motor and the powertrain from the 40 and 45 models. This setup returns 362 horsepower combined and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Using the engine and electric motor together, you’ll achieve 61 MPGe while the gas engine is good for 26 mpg combined on its own.

The performance-oriented SQ5 model uses a completely different powertrain. You’ll have a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain gives you 349 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Fuel mileage in this sporty version of the Q5 reaches 19 city/24 hwy mpg.

How many trim levels does this Audi luxury SUV offer?

Strangely, there are more powertrain options than trim levels. Three trims make up the Audi lineup for every variant of the Audi Q5, including the sporty SQ5. These trims are Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. Each one adds to the previous version to give you features you can enjoy.

Premium

• Powered tailgate
• Aluminum roof rails
• Keyless entry
• Push-button starting
• Tri-zone automatic climate controls
• Heated front seats
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto (wired)
• Forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Front/rear parking sensors
• Active lane-keeping assistance
• Automatic high beams

Premium Plus

• Panoramic moonroof
• Virtual Cockpit Plus
• Top-view/360-degree camera system
• Adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist

Prestige

• Matrix LED headlights
• Head-up display
• Road-sign recognition
• Navigation system
• Heated/ventilated front sport seats
• Bang & Olufsen audio system

Is the Audi Q5 a good SUV?

When you don’t need a massive amount of room, but you want luxury, versatility, and comfort in one package, the Audi Q5 can be the right SUV to drive. As you can see, there are many ways to configure this vehicle to meet your driving desires. This SUV is comfortable, keeping with the Audi tradition of impressive cabin appointments, and it’s smooth on any road.

On the other hand, if you don’t appreciate the loss of 60 horsepower with a higher price tag, there are other compact luxury SUVs you can buy, such as the BMW X3.