Audi has revealed the details of its mid-cycle refresh of its two-row Q5 SUV. The German automaker is giving the model the typically refresh touches including upgrades to the exterior and infotainment system.

The 2021 Audi Q5 has Audi’s new design language front and center with a thinned Singleframe grille that sits wider across the front. The side intakes are taller and have trapezoidal inserts. At the rear, a new trim element connects the taillights and there’s a new horizontal diffuser insert.

New grille designs vary by trim level.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Models get their own unique exterior touches as well. Audi is equipping the Q5 45 TSFI model with a standard Advanced line exterior, which includes vertical chrome strips in the grille and silver accents in the front and rear bumpers. The Q5 PHEV comes standard with the S line exterior which includes a sportier honeycomb structure in the Singleframe grille. Its front and rear diffuser design is more aggressive.

The SUVs get standard 18-inch five-arm-star design wheels while 19-inch five-double-arm design wheels with a bi-color finish and 20-inch five-arm-design wheels are available.

The Q5 PHEV has standard 19-inch five-double-arm design wheels and available 20-inch five-arm-design wheels with a bi-color finish. With the available Sport plus package, buyers get an adaptive air suspension, 20-inch 10-spoke-star design wheels in platinum finish with summer tires, front sport seats, S line leather/Dinamica seats, black headliner, and brushed aluminum inlays.

LED highlights are standard on the 2021 Q5.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

SQ5 models receive standard 20″ 10-spoke-star-design wheels in platinum finish with summer tires. Buyers can get the SQ5 with a black optic package, which adds matte black roof rails, high-gloss black exterior mirror housings and black exterior accents along with 20″ 5-V-spoke-star design wheels in bi-color finish with summer tires (all-season 20″ tires optional). With the package, upgrading to 21-inch five-arm-polygon design wheels with summer tires is available. The company also sells 21-inch five-V-spoke-offset design wheels with bi-color finish fo this grade.

Quad hot pipes that release an increased exhaust note are available for the SQ5.

Audi is adding District Green and Ultra Blue paint colors as options on Q5 PHEV and SQ5 models.

All Q5 SUVs get standard LED headlights and taillights with dynamic turn signals. Top-tier models get matriculates-design LED headlights. SQ5 models get next-gen OLED technology.

SQ5 models get unique exhaust options.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

All variants of the 2021 Q5 will continue to be powered by the same engines as the 2020 models. The 2.0-liter TFSI engine gets a 13 horsepower increase for the new model year and a 12-volt mild-hybrid system. That brings its total up to 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

The PHEV models the same engine, but it’s coupled with an electric motor. It achieves 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.

Both engines are paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive.

The SQ5 has had its standard 3.0-liter TFSI engine tuned so it can get the model off the line faster, lowering its zero to 60 mph time by half a second. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The grille of the Q5 is wider and slimmer than before.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Audi has given the interior of the Q5 what it’s calling “functional refinements”. At the center of the dashboard is a 10.1-inch infotainment touch screen that backed by the new MIB 3 infotainment system.

Buyers can opt for the second-generation Audi virtual cockpit plus featuring a 12.3-inch display. The driver can choose between three viewing modes – classic, sport and dynamic. On SQ5 models, sport mode replaces the classic mode as the default view, and an S Performance mode is added, which brings the tachometer and the speedometer to the front and center of the display and allows for customizable displays to the left and right of the screen.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is the Integrated Toll Module.

Additional refinement include new walnut wood inlays and leather seating surfaces, now with contrast stitching, as well as standard high-gloss black interior trim elements. On SQ5 models, electronic steering column adjustment is now standard.

Audi has given the SUV a 10.1-inch infotainment screen.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Q5 buyers can upgrade to a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound that delivers 705 watts of sound.

The 2021 Q5 comes with a free list of standard and available safety and driver assist technology:

• Standard Audi side assist provides blind spot monitoring via LED indicators on the exterior mirror housings at speeds above 9 mph.
• Standard Lane departure warning helps keep the driver within the driving lane, if the lane is about to be departed, through corrective steering intervention and adjustable wheel vibration at speeds above 40 mph.
• Standard Audi pre sense rear (as part of Audi side assist) uses radar sensors in the rear bumper to help detect an impending rear-end collision, and can initiate preventative measures.
• Standard Parking system plus helps make parking easier with front and rear proximity acoustic parking sensors, when the vehicle is in both reverse and drive, at speeds under 6 mph.
• Standard Rear cross traffic assist (as part of Audi side assist and parking system plus) supports the driver when reversing out of a perpendicular parking space. Indicator arrows in the MMI display can help inform the driver of approaching vehicles, and in critical situations, a warning tone and brake jolt can be applied, prompting the driver to fully stop the vehicle.
• Available Adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam assist (now standard on Premium Plus trim levels) assists the driver with acceleration and braking, maintaining speed and following distance between speeds of 0-95 mph and during traffic jam situations between speeds of 0-40 mph.
• Available Top view camera system (now standard on Premium Plus trim levels) uses four wide-angle 360-degree cameras to display the entire area surrounding, projected on the MMI screen, allowing the driver to “see” around the vehicle to help with maneuvering in tight spaces.

The SUV comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Audi is pricing the Q5 to start at $43,300. The SQ5 starts at $52,900. Pricing for the Q5 PHEV had not yet been released. All prices exclude the destination charge.