Audi Q5 vs Volvo Xc60

Overview

For a young well-to-do person looking for a compact luxury SUV, the Audi Q5 is currently the default choice. But, could the young new Volvo XC60 change that? Let's find out...

The XC60 is clearly the most impressive product yet from the Chineseowned- Swede-carmaker Volvo in India. We said that in our drive report last fortnight. So, if you are young and rich and are looking for something more capable than a sedan for the Indian landscape, the Volvo XC60 might just be the answer.

But first, the Volvo must prove its worth against our standing champion among compact luxury SUVs, the Audi Q5. The Audi that won though was a petrol and had beaten an already ageing BMW X3. So, the XC60 D5 might actually have a very good chance of a win here. Read on to find out if the Volvo can indeed tip the scales in its favour.

Exterior & Interior

Quality and fit and finish is better on the Q5. But, the design is too familiar. It does look good in the dark though with its red, blue and white lighting

Q5 is more composed around bends and is more fun too. In terms of design though, it's not as good looking as the Volvo, but its rear three-fourths is its best angle

For visual appeal, we’d hand it to the Volvo straightaway, no questions asked. It still does look like an estate from afar, but as it approaches, you’d begin to find its edgy headlamps, high belt line and Christmas tree like tail lamps, very attractive indeed. To be honest, the XC60 takes away some sparkle from the Q5 when the two are parked side by side. The Audi looks a tad staid, even with its daytime running lamps, in the Volvo’s company!

Inside too, the XC looks more emotive thanks mainly to the colour combination of the interiors. And that’s a huge achievement to say the least and quite a departure from the Volvos of yore. But, when it comes to quality, the Audi is still ahead. The plastics feel more upmarket and are of better quality all round. The functioning of the various knobs, buttons, switches, stalks, you name it, feels better engineeredand tactile on the Q5.

Where the XC does nudge ahead is in terms of equipment. Now, the test cars here are loaded with options but even then, and even for the base versions, the XC does pack in more. It also offers features that one can’t even opt for on the Q5. Things like child safety seats or lane departure warning or blind spot recognition are exclusive to the Volvo. So are the power tail gate and the adaptive suspension system part of Volvo's Four-C chassis.

We also quite like the Volvo’s seats, the rear ones in particular. These are large and cushy, typical of Volvos, and comfortable too. The support offered for the thigh and sides is impressive too. The Audi’s rear meanwhile has a comfy seat back. But, the seat bottom just isn’t as comfortable or accommodating.

The Volvo's insides have a higher wellness factor to them. The colour combohelps, as do the real wood inserts. The XC60 is also the better equipped here

The XC's high-tail-lownose sporty stance gives it an adge over the Q5. But, it still can't match the Audi's handling prowess. It rolls more around corners and its steering lacks feel too

The most telling difference between these two city SUVs, however, is the way these drive. The XC60 is more focused towards comfort, while the Q5 is the wilder of the two. On city roads and at city speeds, the Volvo certainly feels more comfortable. It has the more sorted ride. It takes the light bumps and ditches smoothly and very little fi lters through to the occupants. Even at higher speeds, the bump absorption is exceptional and the body movement is well reigned in. Only the very prominent edges or those like those new plastic speedbreakers get the better of it.

The Q5 in comparison, is plain unpleasant. It tends to crash over nearly everything. And it’s more obvious after having been around in the XC60. But, show it a set of corners, and the Q5 regains respect. It rolls a bit, but its quick steering and turn-in, and light and surefootedness around bends, gives you the confi dence to push it, and push it really hard.

The XC in that respect trails the Audi. It has adaptive suspension and the driver can choose from Comfort, Sport or Advanced chassis settings, but even in Advanced, it’s no match for the Q5. Plus, it’s heavy but mute steering does little for you around corners. But yes, it does feel planted in a straight line.

Engine & Gearbox

Audi Q5 The 240bhp diesel engine makes the Q5 efficient and properly fast.

However, once you are seated and you crank up the diesel mills, the Q5 immediately feels like the car to have. It has the larger engine here, displacing three litres compared to the 2.5-litre unit of the Volvo. It also packs in more power and torque and along with a 7-speed auto (XC gets a 6-speed), the Q5 not only shoots off the line, it does so with such ferocity that the XC – not slow by any means - feels as if it’s caught sleeping on the start line. The Q5 has a higher top speed and gets there in no time at all.

Not just that, with a quicker responding gearbox in its armoury, it also delivers great roll-on times. The Volvo again isn’t slow, but just isn’t a match for the Q5’s performance. Having a lazier gearbox doesn’t help matters either.

Volvo Xc60 Engine is a 5-cylinder, 205bhp, diesel

Maybe, talking about the Q5’s performance has left you feeling that the XC60 is quite an average performer. It isn’t. A time of 9.1 seconds for a 0-100kmph run, isn’t slow. Neither is the less than six seconds it takes to complete the 40-100kmph run. And when driving in the city, the difference between the two won’t be as telling as the figures suggest.

But, if we had to pick, it would be the Q5. More so, because, besides the performance, it doesn’t lose out on the fuel economy stakes. It’s a little less efficient in the city compared to the XC, but overall, the difference inefficiency figures in less than one kmpl.

Dimensions

Audi Q5 (mm)
It is more spacious on the inside nonetheless, particularly at the front. Rear seats though aren't as comfy as on the XC	Audi's boot in terms of sheer volume isn't as large as the Volvo's, but is good enough for majority of usage
Volvo Xc60 (mm)
It's also not as spacious as the Audi, especially in terms of elbow and shoulder room at the front and rear respectively	Volvo has a bigger, more usable boot in terms of depth and width, but the usable boot height is lower

Scorecard & Verdict

Rank 1 Audi Q5- The Q5 with its outstanding engine and good dynamics is for the enthusiast. But, compared to the XC, it's not as great a value proposition.

Two Volvo Xc60- The XC60 is good looking, packed with equipment and technology and is very comfortable. It makes for a great city and highway companion.

Scorecard

Body: The Q5, overall is the more spacious SUV here. The XC60 mainly loses out for its limited shoulder room. Under the Body head, the Volvo still scores more points mainly on account of more safety features and a more usable boot. Its visibility is better too, thanks to the BLIS system it is equipped with. The Audi though has better fit and finish and quality interiors in its favour.

Drive: No competition here really. The Audi's larger, more powerful and torquey engine gives it way better acceleration times; it is two seconds quicker to 100kmph. It has a higher top speed too, helped in no small measure by Volvo's decision to limit the XC's top whack to 210kmph. But, for all its performance, the Q5 returns as good a fuel effi ciency thanks to its better 7-speed 'box.

Comfort: The XC60 returns the favour when it comes to comfort. The Q5 might handle better, but in terms of ride comfort, the Volvo has better absorption characteristics. It also has comfier rear seats that are also more supportive. To top it all, with all options in place for both SUVs, the Volvo also offers more comfort and convenience features.

Dynamics: Besides better handling, the Q5 also has the better steering. It's light for city use and manages to return enough feedback to keep you interested around bends. The Volvo's is quite the opposite. The steering is unnecessarily heavy and is mute. But, at least the XC60 is as stable as the Q5 in a straight line and manages to stop in a shorter distance.

Cost: In base trims, the XC60 is cheaper and better equipped. It's also cheaper and better equipped with all the add-ons in place. But, the Q5 retains its value better. So, at the end under the cost head, both are nearly at par, but the XC still wins overall, thanks to its better showing in our test results

Verdict

It’s a huge upset this because hitherto Volvos have never won our tests. And for good reason; the Volvos of yore failed to pack anything special, be it design, equipment or thought, compared to their German counterparts. With the XC60 though, Volvo has changed that. Not only is the XC a better product (considering all the optional extras for both the Volvo and the Audi), but is also cheaper to buy. It looks better, is more comfy and though it isn’t as much fun to drive as the Q5 3.0 TDI, has fantastic ride making it a pretty good everyday car to drive and be driven in. So, if you have about Rs 60 lakh to spare, buy the Volvo XC60, is what we'd suggest; with all the options, mind.