Just like Audi’s Avenger car, Audi is determined to break into the American electric and hybrid market. Audi is known for its premium and high quality cars, and its newest hybrid isn’t an exception. The newest Audi hybrid hitting American shores is the Q5 plug-in hybrid, and here’s everything you need to know about it.

What’s new with the Q5 plug-in hybrid

While the basic Q5 is already a premium SUV, the Q5 plug-in hybrid will have some additional premium features along with its hybrid powertrain. For example, Cars Direct says that Audi does have its virtual cockpit system as standard on the Q5 plug-in hybrid. This piece of smart technology is only an option on the standard Q5. 

Additionally, the Q5’s standard 2.0-liter turbocharged engine will be supplemented with a 14.1 kWh battery. This allows the Q5 plug-in hybrid to get 362-hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The regular Q5, for comparison, gets 248-hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. 

Those 100+ horses may mean a faster and more fun to drive SUV. However, just like the Lincoln Aviator, another premium hybrid SUV, the Q5 plug-in hybrid definitely will weigh more. That extra weight comes from the electric motor as well as its batteries and it may dampen how fast and fun the Q5 plug-in hybrid will be.

Additionally, since it is a plug-in hybrid, it’s already better than the regular hybrid version of the Q5 that Audi offered in 2016, according to Cars Direct. The Q5 plug-in hybrid’s electric motor has a 20-mile range by itself. Combined with its engine, the Q5 plug-in hybrid has a 65 MPGe. 

What’s staying the same with the Q5 plug-in hybrid

That said, almost everything else is staying about the same with the Q5. U.S. News says that the Q5’s comfortable and spacious interior is the same, as are the materials that Audi is using in it. The infotainment system is also the same, as are the optional upgrades to it. The same can be said for the safety features that Audi offers as both standard and options on the Q5. 

Because of how smart the car is, of course, many of those features are smart as well. They include an infotainment system that’s compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as smart safety systems such as collision detection and automatic emergency braking systems. U.S. News says that the interior of the Q5 is as high quality as it’s advertised to be. 

However, one area where the basic Q5 and the Q5 plug-in hybrid doesn’t too well at is in cargo capacity. The Q5 may have a power liftgate as standard, but it can only hold 25.1 cu. ft. of stuff back there. With the seats folded down, this doubles to 53.1 cu. ft. of space. This is noticeably worse than what its competitors can do.

The price point

And of course, since it’s an Audi, the Q5 plug-in hybrid costs a lot. Cars Direct says that it’s priced at just under $54,000. The regular Q5, for comparison, is priced at about $44,000. This means that the Q5 plug-in hybrid is almost $10,000 more expensive than the regular Q5 is. 

While many people may think that buying a luxury SUV like the Q5 is a waste of money, there are some additional things to take note of. For one, Audi’s cars can still apply for the federal plug-in tax credit. Cars Direct says that taking advantage of that tax credit will slash the price of the Q5 plug-in hybrid by about $6,700. 

And that’s just the federal tax credit. Some states, like California and New York, have their own rebates and credits for electric and plug-in cars. Taking advantage of those things can make a Q5 plug-in hybrid cost as much as the Q5 costs.