Avoid Munich on July 29-30 unless you like football. The Bavarian capital will be packed for the Audi Cup, a two-day, all-star kick about commemorating the four-ring marque's centenary at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. Bayern will host AC Milan, Manchester United and Boca Juniors, many of whose players and WAGs will be driven around town in a full range of Audis. The latest Q5 'performance SUV' is expected to star in the marque's midfield.
The 2.0 TFSI version is probably the most suitable version of the Q5 for compact Hong Kong. Audi dealer Premium Motors has also imported a 3.2-litre V6 version, but the 2-litre test car seems perfectly adequate here. Its turbocharged four-cylinder engine debuted in Hong Kong in the punchy, front-wheel drive, 1,475kg A4 earlier this year, and the block is efficient in the 1,740kg Q5, thanks to Audi's sequential high-pressure fuel injection and a valvelift system that the marque says sips no more than 8.3 litres of unleaded fuel on a 100km combined cycle.
The Q5's maximum 211 horsepower might not impress squillionaire Audi Cup footballers who are used to bigger cars, but the test car has sufficient oomph (350Nm of torque from 1,500rpm to 4,200rpm) to appeal to anyone who can tell Ross Brawn from Alex Ferguson. In case you ask, the Q5's little turbocharged engine has more torque than the V6 in its bigger brother.
A run up to Jardine's Lookout and down to Repulse Bay highlights the excellent synergy of the test car's turbocharged block, double-clutch gearbox and full-time Quattro system, yet reveals the Q5's design drawbacks on Hong Kong roads.
The Q5 doesn't feel as though it could outrun a Mini Cooper S or maintain the confident grip of an TT through corners, but it seems to offer a constant supply of mid-range torque via the right foot, and the gears change without any hint of sluggishness even hauling uphill. But the car feels a little heavy and tall for a spirited drive home to watch the F1 live or the FA Cup final in the evening.
The weight of the glass-roof Q5 is on par with that of the Land Rover Freelander 2, one of the less bulky competitors in its class, and the Volvo XC60 and Lexus RX350 are slightly heavier. At 1.65 metres tall, the Q5 also boasts 'the sportiest proportions in its market category', but you can decide whether it looks athletic or pretty.