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Audi Q5 is an all-new crossover derived from the recent A4 and A5 line. As with the Q7, Audi came to the SUV party fashionably late but came well equipped.The 2009 Q5 comes with a gasoline V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmissions; both gas-electric hybrid and diesel variants remain possibilities a few years in the future. All-wheel drive, with which Audi has arguably as much experience as any car company, is standard, as are a full suite of passive safety systems (only rear side airbags are standard; you may not want them with children) and an advanced stability control system that alters performance when the roof rack is in use. True to name, the Q5 has five seats, and the rear seats offer the recline-and-slide functions that until now have oddly been the purview of less-expensive class crossovers. Cargo volume is substantially greater than the A4 Avant, the Q5 will tow a minimum 900 pounds more than anything else in this class, and EPA ratings are among best in class. Styling inside and out is typical Audi, and the cabin has few peers for the combination of function, style, materials and finish. There is no obvious cost-cutting here: what looks like leather, wood or aluminum is; the passenger gets the same 12-way power seat the driver does; and three-zone climate control is standard. Features and electronics rise with price, which ranges from $38,000 to $56,000 or more when fully loaded. Features include: heated front seats; panorama sunroof; iPod interface; Bluetooth/HomeLink; Xenon headlamps and LED running lamps; power-fold auto-dimming mirrors; programmable power tailgate; driver memory system; 18-, 19-, and 20-inch wheels; navigation with 3-D graphics, voice recognition, rear camera, real-time traffic and weather; Bang & Olufsen stereo and Advance Key. The Q5 competes with the Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35, Land Rover LR2, Lexus RX350, Mercedes-Benz GLK350, and Volvo XC60.
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