Audi Q5 vs Volkswagen T-Cross

Audi Q5

Audi’s mid-size premium SUV.

Volkswagen T-Cross

Volkswagen’s compact urban SUV.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi Q5

Pick the Q5 for quattro, the 550-litre boot and the 40 TDI’s 400 Nm.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TDI diesel for the best balance of economy and torque — or the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

Volkswagen T-Cross

Pick the T-Cross for an agile urban SUV with a high seat, clever interior packaging and low running costs.

Best engine: The 1.0 TSI (115 hp).

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 45 TFSI · Petrol vs 1.0 TSI 115 · Petrol

	Audi Q5	Volkswagen T-Cross
Power	245 hp Winner	115 hp
Torque	370 Nm Winner	200 Nm
0–100 km/h	6,3 s Winner	10,0 s
Top speed	237 km/h Winner	193 km/h
Power-to-weight	136,5 hp/t Winner	96,6 hp/t
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	183 g/km	120 g/km Winner
Consumption (WLTP)	8,1 L/100km	5,3 L/100km Winner

Dimensions & space

	Audi Q5	Volkswagen T-Cross
Boot	550 L Winner	455 L
Boot (seats folded)	1.550 L Winner	1.281 L
Wheelbase	2,82 m Winner	2,55 m
Length	4,66 m	4,14 m
Width	1,89 m	1,76 m
Height	1,66 m	1,57 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Audi Q5	Volkswagen T-Cross
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal, shared with the A4/A5)	MQB A0 (transverse, shared with the Polo/Taigo)
Drive	All-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 petrol · EA288 diesel · plug-in hybrid	EA211/EA211 evo 1.0/1.5 TSI · EA288 1.6 TDI
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid	Petrol · Diesel
Transmission	7-speed S tronic (DSG)	5/6-speed manual · 7-speed DSG
Euro standard	Euro 6d-TEMP (early) · Euro 6d (later)	Euro 6d (all engines)
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Euro 6d petrol/diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi Q5

S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point
EA288 diesels: AdBlue/SCR needs attention with mainly short trips
Direct-injection petrols: carbon buildup with lots of short trips

Volkswagen T-Cross

DQ200 DSG shift quality (dry clutch)
Timing belt + water pump (EA211)
Infotainment glitches on early cars

Pros

Audi Q5

quattro standard
550-litre boot (1550 litres folded)
40 TDI has 400 Nm

Volkswagen T-Cross

High seating position and good visibility
Flexible sliding rear bench
Thrifty 1.0 TSI engines with low CO2

Cons

Audi Q5

S tronic/tiptronic only — no manual gearbox
S line suspension rides firmly on large wheels

Volkswagen T-Cross

Rear bench tight for three adults
Pre-facelift interior plainer

Driving experience

Audi Q5

As a model line, the Q5 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at speed. Quattro gives reassuring, planted traction in all conditions. The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 2.0 TFSI is smooth, and the 55 TFSI e plug-in hybrid runs on electric for short trips. The S tronic shifts quickly. It is tuned for comfort over sharp handling.