Audi makes some of the best luxury vehicles on the market, and the Audi Q5 isn’t an exception. The Q5 is a compact crossover from Audi, and it’s been selling very well in the U.S. And soon, Audi will be shipping the 2021 Q5 to dealerships near you. 

What’s new about the outside of the 2021 Audi Q5

As MotorTrend said, for the 2021 model year, Audi isn’t looking to change the Q5 too much since it’s already an SUV that customers love. That said, Audi will be doing a mild refresh on it, and Audi has changed and improved a few things about the Q5.

On the outside, one of the more notable changes has been to the Q5’s grille. MotorTrend reported that the 2021 Q5’s new grille gives it a more aggressive look.

Looks aside, Audi has also made a few more tangible changes. For one, due to some new bumper covers, the 2021 Q5 is about an inch longer than before. On top of this, Audi added new OLED lights to the outside of the Q5. These lights are programmable, and owners can choose between a few “signatures” that Audi offers.

These lights also work with a few sensors that are in the Q5. MotorTrend said that if a car gets too close to the rear-end of the Q5, then those OLED lights will change colors to signal to the other driver that they’re getting too close. Other than these things, Audi will also offer two new coats of paint for the Q5, “Distinct Green” and “Ultra Blue.”

What’s new inside the 2021 Q5

There are a few more upgrades in the interior of the Audi Q5, according to MotorTrend. In terms of its powertrain, there are a few upgrades, though not to every option that Audi offers. For instance, the Q5’s standard 2.0-liter turbocharged engine gets a bit more power. It now gets 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, and this is about 13 hp more than before.

Furthermore, the Q5’s standard engine is now also a mild hybrid engine, as it works with the car’s standard 12-volt electric system to get a smoother start. Since it’s just a mild hybrid, the engine doesn’t gain any additional horses, according to MotorTrend. Other than these upgrades, however, the Q5’s other powertrain options remain about the same.

In terms of its infotainment system, the Q5 gets a bigger upgrade. The Q5’s standard 10-inch touchscreen hasn’t changed, but the software behind it has. The 2021 Q5 now has Audi’s latest MIB 3 infotainment system, and it provides a better-looking and more intuitive infotainment system than before. The other significant change is the fact that Audi’s virtual cockpit is now standard on the Premium Plus trim of the 2021 Q5.

When will the 2021 Audi Q5 arrive

As MotorTrend reported, the 2021 Q5 should be available at dealerships by the end of the year. The standard Q5 will start at about $43,000, while the plug-in hybrid version will start at $52,000. 

The Audi SQ5, which is the sporty version of the Q5, will be arriving at the same time, and it’ll start at about $53,000. That said, MotorTrend wrote that in terms of specs, the plug-in hybrid version is actually more powerful than the SQ5 is. 

The SQ5 has a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that gets 349 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, while the Q5 Hybrid has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that works with a 48-volt electric motor to get 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid version also has a 14.1-kWh battery pack.