The third-generation Audi Q5 just landed in Top Gear's garage, and the verdict is going to make a lot of mid-size SUV shoppers uncomfortable. The Mk2 Q5 sold 298,000 units in its final year on sale — Audi's single best-selling model — and yet here in 2026, the new one has trade-offs you don't usually see in a product launch. That's the story, and Top Gear covered it straight.
The British publication's full road test runs through three powertrains: a 201bhp 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol with 48-volt mild hybrid tech, an identical-output diesel TDI also with 48V assist, and the headline-grabbing plug-in hybrid they call the "Q5 SUV e-hybrid" — yes, "SUV" is officially in the name, because no one could possibly confuse it. The PHEV pairs that same 2.0-liter turbo with an electric motor and a 25.9 kWh battery for a system total of 295 horsepower, an Audi-claimed 62 miles of electric range at speeds up to 87 mph, a 0–62 mph time of 6.2 seconds, and a 155 mph top speed. Every variant gets quattro all-wheel drive.
What Top Gear liked
Top Gear's positives are familiar Audi territory: the Q5 is still a "safe bet," the hybrid system is genuinely clever rather than a marketing checkbox, the diesel remains efficient (a rare positive in 2026), and the in-car app suite includes karaoke, which the reviewer admits is funnier than it has any right to be. The Q5 Sportback — the coupe-like body — loses less than 1% of boot space versus the SUV despite the sloped roof, and Top Gear notes it's actually the better-selling variant in Europe, even though the SUV still dominates the UK and US.
What Top Gear didn't like
Here's where the review gets honest. The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is sluggish in normal driving — a recurring complaint against Audi's S tronic calibration. The ride is firm over broken UK tarmac. There's a lot of road roar at highway speed. And, the headline critique: the interior has lost the "tactile delight or restrained polish Audi is so celebrated for delivering." Translation: cheaper-feeling switchgear, more gloss black, less of the build-quality moat that used to justify the premium over a well-equipped Tucson.
What the original review missed
Top Gear ran a UK-spec car at UK prices (£52,360 starting in Sport trim, climbing through S Line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung). The US market gets a different picture. The 2026 Q5 starts at roughly $46,000 in America, which is now within $2,000 of a loaded Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and a tempting $5,000 under a base BMW X3. The interior-quality concern still applies, but the value math has shifted: in 2020, the Q5 commanded a $12,000 premium over Korean rivals. In 2026, that premium has collapsed.
The reviewer also didn't put enough weight on the e-hybrid's tax implications. In the UK, the 25.9 kWh battery pushes it below the 8% Benefit-in-Kind company-car threshold for the 2026/27 tax year. For a £50,000-salary employee running a company Q5, that's a roughly £3,200/year tax saving versus the petrol variant. In the US, the same PHEV qualifies for the federal $3,750 clean vehicle credit — assuming the buyer meets the new 2026 income caps.
Comparison: 2026 Q5 e-hybrid vs. rivals
| Spec | Audi Q5 e-hybrid | BMW X3 30e | Volvo XC60 T8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| System power | 295 hp | 288 hp | 455 hp |
| Battery | 25.9 kWh | 19.5 kWh | 18.8 kWh |
| Electric range (claimed) | 62 mi | 50 mi | 40 mi |
| 0–62 mph | 6.2 s | 6.1 s | 4.9 s |
| Base price (UK) | £55,500 (est.) | £54,500 | £58,500 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 463 L | 460 L | 468 L |
The Q5's electric range is genuinely best-in-class. Its straight-line speed is the slowest. For buyers who actually plug in daily, that's a winning trade. For buyers who only occasionally charge, the Volvo is the more compelling performance pick.
What this means for buyers
If you were waiting for the new Q5 to be a no-brainer upgrade over a 2021+ Mk2, this is your cue to keep waiting. The Mk2 is the better-built car and now sits at a steep used discount. If you're cross-shopping brand new, the new Q5 e-hybrid is the version to buy — the PHEV math genuinely works, and the electric-only commute range beats every direct rival. The petrol-only variants are harder to recommend against a Hyundai or Mazda at this price point.
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Source: Top Gear — Audi Q5 Review 2026 (https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/audi/q5). Republished on AutoWheeler with US-market context and comparison data.