Small and very quick!! The Audi SQ5.

With a lot of automakers offering small crossovers and SUV’s how do they make one stand out?

Bumper2Bumpertv finds that Audi addressed that issue with a performance variant in the SQ5.

(NAT SOT OF EXHAUSTS) WE HAVE TO GIVE THE AUDI BRAND ITS PROPS IN TERMS OF MODEL MARKETING.

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE S Q5 SMALL SUV.

IN SHORT IT IS THE PERFORMANCE VARIANT ON THE Q5 WHICH IS A DAILY DRIVER FOR THOSE IN HIGHER INCOME BRACKETS.

THE VARIANT TAKES THAT EXPERIENCE AND ADDS A HEALTHY DOSE OF PERFORMANCE TO THE PLATFORM.

THE BASE Q5 COMES WITH A 2.0 LITER FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE THAT IS PRETTY RESPECTABLE.

BUT THE S VERSION STEPS THINGS UP QUITE A BITE WITH A TURBO POWER 3.0 LITER V6 POWER PLANT.

IT DELIVERS 349 HORSEPOWER AND 369 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

IN TERMS OF RESPONSE CONSIDER THIS, IT DOES ZERO TO 60 MILES PER HOUR IN 4.7 SECONDS.

THE S VERSION ALSO COMES WITH AN 8 SPEED TRIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION TO MATCH THE CAPABILITY OF THE ENGINE.THEN AUDI BRINGS ITS TECHNOLOGY CHS TO THE PARTY WITH DRIVE MODE SLELECTION.

IN THE S Q5 THAT MEANS FIVE AVAILABLE SETTINGS RANGING FROM DYNAMIC OR PERFORMANCE TO OFF ROADING.

OR IF YOU ARE PARTICULAR AN INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH TO HOW THIS SMALL SUV RESPONDS.

THE S Q5 IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH ADAPTIVE DAMPERS AND AN AVAILABLE AIR SUSPENSION SET.

THIS GOES A LONG WAY TO CREATING THAT LUXURY RIDE EXPERIENCE.

THAT IS ONLY PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE AUDI HAS CRAMMED INTO THE S Q5.

A VERY SOPHISTICATED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM IS STANDARD.

IN ADDITION THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM ALSO PROVIDES A WEALTH OF DATA ABOUT THE CUV ITSELF.

WE HAVE TO ADMIT BEING PARTIAL TO THE INTERIOR TREATMENT.

SEATING SURFACES ARE DEFINITELY IN THE LUXURY CLASS WITHOUT BEING OSTENTATIOUS.REAR SEAT PASSENGERS MANAGE TO HAVE ADEQUATE LEGROOM AND HEADROOM SPACE.

BUT SOMEONE RIDING IN THE MIDDLE POSITION WILL BE A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.

WITH AUDI’S EXTENSIVE USE OF ALUMINUM IN THE FRAME AND ENGINE THE S Q5 HAS A RELATIVELY LIGHT FEEL ON THE ROAD.

COMBINED WITH THE EXTRA POWER UNDER THE HOOD AND THIS IS A SMALL SUV A DRIVER WON’T BE ASHAMED OF WHEN ITS COMES TO CHALLENGING A LOT OF PERFORMANCE CARS CURRENTLY ON THE PAVEMENT.

I’M GREG MORRISON.