Audi Q5 VS Land Rover Discovery
Audi Q5
Likes
- Sprightly performance
- Still a dynamic winner
- Spacious, well-crafted interior
Dislikes
- Loses cargo space over petrol models
- Cabin starting to date
- Driving range can’t match Lexus
Land Rover Discovery
Likes
- Comfortable on-road
- Capable off-road
- Air suspension
Dislikes
- Price-tag
- Wheels and tyres not suited to off-roading
- Spongy brakes
Summary
Audi Q5
Audi has had a mixed history with plug-in hybrids (PHEV) in Australia. Under its ‘e-tron’ banner it has launched PHEV versions of the previous A3 hatch, and the Q7 SUV, with limited success.
But the German marque believes the time is right to add plug-in power to one of its most popular models - the Q5 mid-size SUV.
With decent driving range and a packed standard features list, Audi is not messing around. But how does it stack up value wise against the already popular BMW X3 and Volvo XC60 PHEVs?
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric Hybrid |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery is a bit of a classic with 4WDers – and while it’s never attracted a massive and passionate fanbase like its hard-core stablemate, the Defender, it’s done okay for itself.
There used to be a clear distinction between the Discovery and the Defender. The Discovery was always your Landie of choice if you were after a luxurious smooth-riding 4WD, while the Defender was a gruff, rough-riding, hard-core adventure machine.
Read More about the Discovery
Well, with the new Defender being so refined, so well-appointed, so comfortable and so nice to drive – it’s almost like a Discovery in disguise – is the 22MY Discovery even relevant any more?Â
More importantly, does it make sense as your next seven-seat 4WD wagon?
Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.5L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Audi Q57.9/10
It might be a late return to the PHEV game for Audi, but it’s an impressive one. Everything great about the Q5 remains - dynamically engaging, responsive powertrain - but you get the added benefit of electric power.
This could be the car to prove that plug-in hybrid medium SUVs don’t have to be bland family transport. If the Q5 is anything to go by, going green can be downright fun!
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Land Rover Discovery8/10
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S is a great family-friendly 4WD wagon.
It’s quiet, refined, and supremely well appointed; it’s also very nice to drive on-road and it’s a lot of fun – and very capable – off-road.Â
It’s packed full of driver-assist tech and its Pivi Pro system is a real treat to use once you’ve mastered the art, which doesn’t take long.
But you could say all of those same things about the new Defender.Â
So, is the Discovery still relevant? I reckon it is … at least for the time being.
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Design
Audi Q5
The second-generation Q5 has been around for six years, and it was very much an evolution of the original, but it still looks attractive in the metal. You couldn’t call it edgy, but it is handsome.
Both PHEV body styles get the S line exterior package as standard, which adds a unique honeycomb grille, S line bumpers front and rear, Audi Sport wheels and it borrows the rear spoiler from the SQ5.
While many will favour the swoopy Sportback body style, I think the Q5 is at its most arresting in SUV body style, bathed in the gorgeous 'District Green Metallic' paint. Stunning.
Inside, only the Sportback gains the S line interior, which includes a leather three-spoke steering wheel with multifunction, shift paddles and hands-on detection, Nappa leather upholstery with contrast stitching, and aluminium inlays. The SUV seats are leather-appointed.Â
It’s fair to say Audi’s interiors have modernised since the launch of this Q5 in 2017, but it’s still hard to fault. The multimedia screen jutting out the top of the dash is a little old school these days, but the materials and quality are top notch.
Land Rover Discovery
As always, I’ll avoid waxing lyrical about the styling of a vehicle – suffice to say, it looks good.
In terms of dimensions, this Discovery is 4956mm long (with a 2923mm wheelbase), 2220mm wide and 1888mm high.
It has a listed kerb weight of 2437kg.
Practicality
Audi Q5
As - predominantly - a family hauler, the Q5 has always done well in the practicality stakes. And adding a plug-in hybrid powertrain hasn’t changed that. Although you do lose some boot space compared with the petrol models - but more on that in a bit.
Up front, the Q5 has plenty of nooks and storage slots in the console, including a longer shallow slot to hold phones. The central bin is deep enough and the door bins can swallow big bottles and more. Housing the phone charger on the top of another storage spot in the console works as it can be hidden by the larger storage lid for security.
As the Q5 is older than some of Audi’s fresher models, there are physical buttons for things like air conditioning, seat heaters, and controls for drive modes and other vehicle functions.
It might not look as schmick as having a screen to house everything, but from a practicality and safety perspective, it’s welcome.
This approach also extends to the multimedia system which is fairly simple to navigate with a logical menu. Audi’s system gets a tick, as does the digital cockpit - something the brand pioneered.
While the leather appointed seats in the SUV are nice, the quilted Nappa leather seats in the Sportback are much more luxurious. And the ‘Rotor Grey’ colour scheme is simply beautiful. They offer more than enough support in the front row and they are comfy without being super plush.
There’s ample leg and headroom in the front row.
That is the same for the second row. So much headroom even with a panoramic sunroof. And behind my 183cm (six foot) driving position, there was room to spare in front of my knees. It’s such a good size.
Also, the rear seats have some bucketing so passengers will feel a little spoiled. There’s also knee-level air vents, map pockets, two USBs and a 12-volt port, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and ISOFIX points on the outboard seats.
The rear row folds 60/40 and there’s decent room in the boot, which has a power operated tailgate.Â
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Given some of the PHEV hardware sits directly under the boot floor, it’s little surprise that the SUV version (465 litres) loses 55L of space compared with the petrol-powered 45 TFSI.
Similarly, the Sportback (455L) drops by 45L. Also, despite the swoopy roofline, the Sportback only loses 10L of cargo space compared with the more practical looking SUV.
Those PHEV bits also mean there is no spare wheel - only a tyre repair kit.
Land Rover Discovery
The interior has a real premium feel about it, but it still serves as a very practical space.
The third-row seats can be either manually folded down into the floor to use that area as cargo space, or lifted up into a seating position.
There is a load-space cover, light, luggage tie-downs, bag hook and 12v in the rear, and two USB charging sockets for the third-row passengers.
The second row is a 60:40 electric-folding set-up with manual slide and powered recline, centre headrest and armrest, as well as map pockets, and door-moulded recesses. Second-row passengers get two USB C and one USB A charging points, air vents, air-con controls and more.
The front seats are 14-way electrically-adjustable with captain’s armrest, grained leather seat facings with Ebony interior; the Pivi Pro 11.4-inch touchscreen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; as well as one USB A and three USB C points.
The Discovery has a fixed front and rear panoramic roof.
Price and features
Audi Q5
Dipping its toe back in the plug-in hybrid market, Audi is keen to appeal to buyers looking to reduce their carbon footprint, but also to driving enthusiasts requiring a bit of zing with their environmental credentials.
That’s where the Q5 55 TFSI e quattro comes in. Audi Australia had the option of introducing a less performance focused Q5 PHEV grade, but opted instead for the higher output model.
Audi sees this as the SQ5 you buy when you want to save the planet. And the 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.3 seconds suggests it’s pretty close.
Pricing for the 55 TFSI e quattro starts at $102,900, before on-road costs, for the SUV body style.
Opting for the Sportback carries a $7300 premium, making the price $110,200. But you get some more gear in the Sportback over the SUV, including the S-line interior package, and Matrix LED headlights with dynamic front and rear indicators.
Other equipment standard on both grades includes a panoramic sunroof, hands-free power tailgate, ambient lighting (with 30 colours), keyless entry and start, front leather-appointed seats with heating and power adjustment, three-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, 10-speaker audio, auto-dimming interior mirror and 20-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels.
You can opt for different 20-inch wheels or 21-inch hoops as well.
The 'Technik' option pack costs $4900 for the SUV and $4700 for the Sportback and adds a head-up display, a more premium Bang & Olufsen audio system, and high-tech head or tail-lights, depending on the body style.
All in all it’s a healthy standard features list. I’ve said it before recently, but it’s worth repeating - it’s good to see premium brands including more standard features in their models, rather than making everything an option.
That said, maybe heated rear seats (as well as the standard front seats) might have been a nice addition.Â
So, how does the Q5 compare with its PHEV counterparts? Its most obvious rival is the BMW X3 xDrive30e which is more expensive at $111,800.
Then there’s the Range Rover Evoque R Dynamic HSE ($104,310) and Volvo XC60 Recharge ($101,990), which line up closely with the Audi, while the Lexus NX450h+ undercuts them all ($91,423).
Land Rover Discovery
For reference, this Discovery D300 S has a price-tag of $101,875* (plus on road costs).
As standard, the seven-seat Discovery’s list of features is considerable, as it should be at this price-point, and includes a 11.4-inch Pivi Pro multi-media touchscreen (like an all-in-one vehicle operating system, but more about it later), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, fixed sunroofs, 3D Surround Camera, height-adjustable air suspension, 20-inch five-split-spoke, gloss silver wheels, and a whole lot of driver-assist tech.
There are also plenty of optional features available, which obviously push the price up the more you add to your Disco.
Our test vehicle was equipped with a stack of those extras and, because of that, its price-tag was $110,910* (plus on-road costs). (Prices correct at time of writing.)
Optional features on our test vehicle include Advanced Off-Road Capability Pack ($3970, twin-speed transfer box (high/low range), All Terrain Progress Control, Terrain Response 2, Configurable Terrain Response; Active Rear Locking Differential $1110; Tow hitch receiver $1000; Leisure Activity Key $960; Black Roof Rails $940; Privacy glass $920; Premium carpet mats $640; and wireless device charging $455.
By the way, the Discovery is available in a variety of colours including Fuji White, which is on our test vehicle, as well as versions of black, blue, grey and silver.
Under the bonnet
Audi Q5
The Q5 pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine - found in many VW Group products - with a plug-in hybrid set-up that includes a lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor.
The total system output is 270kW of power and 500Nm of torque, which is impressive. In fact, it has more power - but a little less torque - than the SQ5 performance flagship.Â
It drives all four wheels thanks to Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system, and does that via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel engine – producing 220kW at 4000rpm and a whopping 650Nm at 1500-2500rpm – working with a mild hybrid system.Â
Those impressive power and torque figures don’t tell the whole story of just how well the Disco’s engine is able to punch this big unit along the road at a comfortable clip and – bonus – its chunk of torque, useable across a decent rev range, comes in very handy when off-roading.
It has an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.
Efficiency
Audi Q5
The PHEV’s battery capacity is 17.9kWh and that ensures the Q5 has an electric driving range of up to 55 kilometres on the WLTP protocol.Â
Audi says the average daily commute of an Australian is 35km, so technically many people could get to work and back using electric power only.
It might not sound like a huge amount, but it’s more than the 41km offered by the BMW X3, although it doesn’t come near the Lexus NX’s 87km claim.
Energy consumption is rated at 23.9kWh/100km, and the official fuel consumption figure for the Q5 is 2.0 litres per 100km - bettering the X3’s 3.2L/100km figure but not as frugal as the Lexus (1.3L).
It has a 54-litre fuel tank and emits 45 grams per kilometre of CO2.
The Q5 PHEV has a Type 2 plug and comes with a charger to add more juice at home.
It has an AC charging capacity of 7.2kW and it will take two and a half hours to fully charge using a home wallbox charger. You can also plug it into a regular wall socket at home and it’ll be charged up in about eight hours, or overnight. It's not capable of DC charging.
Land Rover Discovery
Fuel consumption is listed as 7.5L/100km on a combined cycle.Â
Fuel consumption on this test was 9.8L/100km. That’s sound considering I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing on this test and the Disco is quite a hefty unit.
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S has an 89-litre fuel tank, so, going by those fuel-consumption figures, I’d expect an effective touring range of about 860km, but remember that figure includes a built-in 50km safe-distance buffer.Â
Driving
Audi Q5
The Q5 has always been the driver’s pick among its peers - specifically the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. You could argue a Porsche Macan is more engaging and you’d probably be right. But of those immediate German rivals, the Q5 takes the cake.
Adding a PHEV powertrain and the circa-300kg of extra weight that brings should impact dynamics - but somehow, it doesn’t.Â
First of all, the Q5 PHEV can do the 0-100km/h dash in just 5.3 seconds which is hot hatch territory.Â
But the really impressive thing about this Q5 is how well it handles, despite that extra weight. The battery pack is housed under the boot floor, and Audi engineers have done a bang up job in ensuring it retains that dynamic prowess it's known for.Â
We drove on some delightfully twisty roads in the Gold Coast hinterland for this launch event, and the Q5 didn’t miss a beat.
It maintained composure when pushed into tight corners, and had plenty of grip. And the electric urge coming out of those corners - providing you have battery charge left - only helps the experience.
Typically sharp Audi steering is indeed present and welcome.
Riding on 20-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, and with a sporty bent, you’d think the ride quality would be impacted. But that was another pleasant surprise.
The Q5 soaks up corrugations with the standard suspension set-up, and the tyres have a decent sidewall. So no unpleasant sharp bumps detected.
The cabin is reasonably well insulated from most outside intrusion as well.
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery is very impressive on-road. No surprise really as it has always had a reputation as a comfortable on-road cruiser – and it's lost nothing in this latest iteration.Â
It is a smooth driving experience: quiet, refined and you suffer little to no noise from outside intruding into the cabin.Â
The seats are very comfortable and supportive, and that makes it perfect for long-distance trips.Â
The straight-six engine and eight speed auto are a nice combination, quietly effective, and well-managed.Â
Acceleration is good with sharp throttle response, so you can crack on the pace when you need to, say, for instance, from a standing start or when you need to overtake a vehicle.Â
In terms of overall driving experience, there’s nothing too outrageously exciting or dynamic on offer here, because this is a large SUV, but it’s always comfortable and it’s lively enough if you want to give it the boot. There are paddle shifters if you want to get fancy with your up- and down-shifting.
It’s not all good news: visibility from the driver’s seat is a bit pinched out the rear of the Discovery (due to its styling); there is pronounced body-roll through corners; the brakes are quite spongy, with a real delayed-action feel about them; ride is a tad harsh because you are rolling along on 20-inch tyres and rims, which is something I’m not so used to; and, the steering column is manually adjustable only, which I reckon is a bit slack for such a pricey vehicle.
Safety
Audi Q5
The Q5 plug-in counts an impressive level of safety gear, including eight airbags in total, although that does not include a front centre airbag.
It comes with the usual suite of driver aids, including Audi’s ‘pre-sense city’ system that activates emergency braking at speeds up to 85km/h, ‘pre-sense front’ emergency braking up to the Q5’s maximum speed, as well as attention assist, an active bonnet, a tyre pressure monitor, and hill descent control.Â
It also features adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, safe exit assist, cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera with an excellent display.Â
While the rest of the Q5 range is covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating dating back to 2017, the Q5 plug-in hybrid remains unrated for now.
Land Rover Discovery
The Land Rover Discovery D300 S has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2017 testing.Â
As standard, its suite of driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking aids, and trailer stability assist (TSA).
Don’t forget the Discovery’s terrain response system, and front and rear diff-locks.
Ownership
Audi Q5
The Q5 comes with Audi’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This was an increase on its previous term that Audi announced at the start of 2022. The PHEV is also covered by an eight-year/160,00km battery warranty.
Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and Audi offers a capped-price service plan for five years that costs about $3500 all up. That’s a little pricer than BMW and Volvo’s plan.
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance.
The service plan applies over five years/130,000km (whichever occurs first) with a cost of $2650.