Have you seen the 2025 Audi SQ5? No, not that one, the “all-new” one. It’s not uncommon for an automaker to sell the newest iteration of a vehicle alongside the outgoing one, but the difference here is that they’re both 2025s. Confused yet? Me too. Why Audi didn’t simply call the “all-new” one a 2026 is beyond me, but despite the shared model year, the all-new version is significantly updated. There’s thoroughly fresh styling, more power, and a totally new interior design that’s been catching a bit of unwarranted flack in automotive circles, so let’s dive in and see what the new-new SQ5 is all about.

Audi, the ever-cautious fashionista

Audi generally plays it safe when it comes to styling. We typically see minimal changes between model years and hardly ever anything groundbreaking, minus the original R8 and its trend-setting LED daytime running lights. This new SQ5 looks familiar from a distance, but as you get closer, you realize it actually does look significantly different. The overall motif is softened and rounded, versus the sharper styling of the outgoing generation. The headlights are slimmed down and rounded off, the grille is larger and with gaping holes for better airflow. They’re a little too prominent finished in the standard bright silver trim, but work well blacked-out, as part of our tester’s Black Optics package.

The rear end sees the same rounded-out treatment, along with what looks like a more rakish tailgate. Speaking of lighting, the tail lights feature a full-length light bar, and both the front and rear lighting elements feature some very fun on/off animations that are sure to impress your friends — or in my case my toddler. The third brake light shines down onto the tinted rear glass and features Audi’s Quattro script surrounded by a patterned line. It’s oh so cool.

The rest of the SQ5’s exterior looks sporty but a little less serious than its predecessor. Quad exhaust tips remain and our tester’s optional 21-inch wheels look great. The new, flattened Audi logo feels like change-for-the-sake-of-change. It looks like a cheap sticker, coming across as less premium than the previous logo and the textured chrome rings.

What about the interior?

Audi interiors have been well-regarded for decades now. They’ve always felt conservative but timeless and classy, and overall quality and materials felt rather excellent. I’ll be honest, the new SQ5’s interior is a step backwards, but it doesn’t deserve the hate its been getting elsewhere. Sure, there are more scratchy plastics than before, but most touchpoints you actually interact with still feel premium, and quality materials like suede and carbon fibre give the interior some contrast.

I’ve said my piece about ‘squircle’ steering wheels before, but this one gets a pass. The steering wheel itself is among the best out there in any car; thin-rimmed, dimpled, and with just the right amount of padding. The window, mirror, and lighting controls have been condensed into a single haptic-feedback panel on the driver-side door, which takes some getting-used-to, until you realize you hardly ever touch those controls after you’ve set them all up for the first time. The one drawback is that the panel itself makes for an awkwardly wide door pull; I never got comfortable with it.

For some extra class, there’s contrast stitching throughout, including a diamond pattern on the heated, ventillated, and massaging Nappa leather seats. Audi got the ambient lighting right; along with lighting up all the right areas including the footwells, they’ve added a dynamic wraparound strip near the base of the windshield, which shows your turn signal activated on either side. It also turns red or blue when you adjust the cabin temperature via the on-screen-only climate controls. It sits just below your sightline, giving you a very futuristic feel without being in-your-face, even at max brightness.

Technology at the forefront

The new SQ5 rides on what Audi now calls their Premium Platform Combustion architecture, or PPC for short. It’s pretty much an updated version of the MLB platform underpinning the outgoing SQ5, but what’s really new here is the electrical architecture. It’s meant to underpin future EVs as well, adhering to all the latest software security standards — and introduces a lot of trick new features.

The 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.5-inch curved infotainment display is eerily reminiscent of some GMs, but the software is top-notch and displayed on responsive screens that continue to look great, with excellent black levels. Our tester was optioned with a third screen for the passenger; although I appreciate Audi didn’t just make a single panel across the entire dash, I still question how useful it really is and I’m glad it isn’t standard.

All the active safety features you’d expect are on-board the new-new SQ5, along with an adjustable air suspension and a 685-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system that sounds pretty good, but not best-in-class. Our tester is the fully loaded Technik trim; in addition to the aforementioned screens inside, you also get oh-so-cool exterior lighting signature animations and OLED tail lights. You can probably do without it, but I’m a sucker for cool lighting. [The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! —Ed.]

Does the “all-new” SQ5 drive any better?

The outgoing SQ5 was a well regarded product, and the new one follows up on it rather well. It’s still packing a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, putting out 362 horsepower and a solid 406 pound-feet of torque — increases of 13 hp and 37 lb-ft, respectively. Audi has also ditched the eight-speed automatic in favour of a sportier seven-speed dual-clutch unit; shifts are crisp and quick as you’d expect, but the only downside is that it will automatically upshift for you in manual mode. Still, coupled with Audi’s well-known Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the 2025 SQ5 moves forcefully. It doesn’t match the X3 M50’s gusto, but power is buttery smooth, feeling more like an inline-six than a V6. There’s still a front bias to the AWD system, which makes itself known when the SQ5 inevitably understeers the harder you push it.

And you know what? I like Audi steering. Yes, it’s devoid of feel, but it always feels true and accurate, and inspires confidence when you do push it.  Plus, interacting with the fabulous thin-rimmed steering wheel is a joy. I’m less thrilled about the lack of auditory drama; the 2025 SQ5 sounds pretty good at start-up, but does quiet down rather quickly and stays that way most of the time. Call me crazy, but I found the outgoing SQ5 to be rowdier. Maybe the Technik trim’s acoustic glass is to blame.

What’s the verdict?

This “all-new” 2025 Audi SQ5 finds itself in the middle of a hotly contested segment. It undercuts more performance-oriented competitors like the X3 M50 and the Porsche Macan by a large margin, but at $83,290 as-tested, it’s priced higher than very solid offerings like the V6-powered Genesis GV70 and the Volvo XC60 T8. It isn’t chump change, but there’s a case to be made here. It’s important to note the SQ5 isn’t supposed to be an all-out performance crossover as a theoretical RS Q5 would be; the SQ5 feels like a stylish, mature product intended to easily soak up highway miles versus carving country backroads. Here, it succeeds rather well.