The New Petrol-Only Audi SQ5 Actually Wants You To Oversteer

Audi has revealed its new SQ5 in Detroit, which shirks diesel power for petrol and actually encourages oversteer on the limit
The New Petrol-Only Audi SQ5 Actually Wants You To Oversteer

This week, Audi revealed its all-new SQ5 at the Detroit Auto Show, and two particular details stood out.

Firstly, there’s the engine: it’s a 3.0-litre petrol V6 - the same engine as the S4/S5, which is good for 349bhp. The last SQ5 was predominantly powered by a diesel engine, apart from in North America, where it was sold with a V6 petrol.

Now in this post-dieselgate automotive landscape, the whole world gets the V6 petrol, with the 3.0-litre oil burner conspicuously absent.

The New Petrol-Only Audi SQ5 Actually Wants You To Oversteer

Despite switching to unleaded power only though, the SQ5 is still torquey, with a decent 368.8lb ft output. It’s quick too, getting you from 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds and topping out at an electronically limited 155mph.

Interesting item number two is the handling, as the SQ5 has actually been set up to oversteer on the limit - not something you usually expect with a fast Audi. We have heard reports before about the SQ5 being engineered with oversteer in mind, but the car’s Detroit reveal gives us confirmation.

The quattro all-wheel drive system does the obvious thing of lobbing more power to the rear during most driving situations, but also under hard driving it’ll send more torque to the outside rear wheel. In other words, it’ll deliberately make the back want to step out a little. Neat, right? It should hopefully be a feature we see on future fast cars from Ingolstadt.

The New Petrol-Only Audi SQ5 Actually Wants You To Oversteer

In other news, the SQ5 gets Audi’s 8.3-inch screen-based MMI system as standard, with Virtual Cockpit as an option. You also get a bunch of autonomous-ish safety features, including ‘traffic jam assist’, ‘active lane assist’ and ‘Audi pre sense city’. The latter feature warns you of any absent minded pedestrians and - if necessary - brakes to stop you smacking into them.

Order books for the SQ5 will open later this month, with first deliveries happening in summer.

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Comments

Ethan Andersson (HOLDEN SQUAD)

Oversteering audis? That’s like takumi spilling the cup of water

01/10/2017 - 11:37 |
74 | 3

Nah. He has eurobeat so he will never spill a drop of water.

01/10/2017 - 12:35 |
13 | 1
Anonymous

Looks like the interiour of the A4 only more expensive

01/10/2017 - 11:37 |
3 | 3
RoyP

It’ll be a good car for Alex to practice powersliding in

01/10/2017 - 11:39 |
33 | 0
Anonymous

Oversteer or Understeer is when you lose grip. Not good for an SUV that is really meant for mums

01/10/2017 - 11:45 |
3 | 4
Albin Nygren

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Lol I don’t get what the appeal is when you could have an S4 for less money!

01/10/2017 - 13:41 |
6 | 0
James Reuter

Some put the diesel engine out of the SQ7 in it

01/10/2017 - 11:56 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

That diesel sounded angry, I’ll miss it. Wait, did I just say that?

01/10/2017 - 12:52 |
5 | 0
Smiller

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I had the same reaction strangely, pretty sure the diesel SQ5 was quicker to 60 as well?

01/10/2017 - 21:24 |
1 | 0
Foolishness (TOYOTA 86 FANBOY)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

As in ‘you’ll miss it because you’re going so much faster’

01/10/2017 - 23:56 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

The only thing we lack now is a RSQ7 with the 4.0 TFSI engine to smoke all the other sport SUV’s.

01/10/2017 - 13:09 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Brilliant!

01/10/2017 - 13:32 |
0 | 0
Anton 3

Ditched the Diesel for the S and made it able to oversteer. What year is it?!

01/10/2017 - 14:20 |
9 | 0
Anonymous

Shame it looks like a piece of crap like most SUVs and crossovers…why haven’t they done this in fast audis before that are actually sporty like rs4s or something

01/10/2017 - 15:02 |
0 | 0