- Audi has revealed the Sportback body style for its latest Q5 and SQ5
- The Sportback body style adds a more dynamic coupe-like profile at the cost of some rear storage space
- Availability and pricing for the U.S. market haven’t been announced
A new generation of the Audi Q5 is slated to arrive in U.S. showrooms early next year, and Audi on Tuesday provided a first look at the compact crossover’s sleeker Q5 Sportback body style.
The new Q5 Sportback starts sales later this year, initially in Europe, and an arrival in the U.S. sometime next year is likely. Both the Q5 and Q5 Sportback should arrive as 2026 models in the U.S.
2026 Audi SQ5 Sportback
Audi will also have the sporty SQ5 and SQ5 Sportback available at launch. The SQ5 Sportback was revealed alongside the Q5 Sportback on Tuesday.
Audi’s Sportback crossovers can be identified by their fastback roof designs, which lend them a coupe-like appearance. The more dynamic shape comes at the cost of storage, as the sloping roof takes away space at the rear. In the case of the new Q5 Sportback, storage space with the rear seats folded flat is 50 cubic feet, versus 52 in the regular Q5. The figures are slightly lower for the SQ5 and SQ5 Sportback.
2026 Audi SQ5 Sportback
Otherwise, there isn’t much to differentiate the two Q5 body styles. The new Q5 range rides on a platform known as the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), which debuted earlier this year in a new A5. The platform brings stiffer steering and suspension mounts on the front axle, and depending on the model, air suspension with adaptive dampers. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains are also supported with the flexible new platform.
Audi hasn’t announced Q5 specifications for the U.S., but the initial powertrains should be shared with the A5 range. That means a 268-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 in the Q5 and a 362-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 in the SQ5. The sole transmission should be a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, and all-wheel drive will also likely be standard in the U.S., which is the case for the outgoing generation.
2026 Audi SQ5 Sportback
The interior design is also mostly shared with the A5, but the dash sits slightly higher, which has enabled the some of the central controls to be moved from the center console to the center stack. The dash design is dominated by a curved panel angled toward the driver and integrating an 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.5-inch touchscreen for the Android-based infotainment system. A third screen is available for the front passenger and provides access to some vehicle features like the navigation and media settings.
Buyers in the market for a vehicle like the Q5 this time around also have an electric option from Audi in the form of the 2025 Q6 E-Tron. The electric compact crossover reaches U.S. dealerships by the end of the year, and like the Q5, has its own Sportback body style.