HIGH FIVE

NEXT LEVEL Audi Q5 SUV e-hybrid quattro

- With JUSTIN DELANEY & JOHN MITCHELL

AUDI are making up for a fairly persistent quiet period - during which they retooled plants and planned for a totally electric age with a bewildering array of new models set to come onstream in the next two years.

What's probably their most important car, the Q5 midsized SUV (around Tiguan size), has been trotted out in pure combustion forms for our admiration already with a petrol and diesel-engined model right out of the blocks.

And now it's time for the techier brother to emerge, the e-hybrid, a plug-in hybrid offering an electric-only range of up to 100km like its VW stablemates, the new Kodiaq PHEV and Tiguan among many others.

Both the Q5 SUV e-hybrid quattro and slinkier Q5 Sportback e-hybrid quattro can be ordered in two power levels: with 220 kW or 270 kW system output.

With a system output of up to 270 kW and an electric range of up to 100km, the plug-in hybrid models combine a sportily comfortable driving experience with a balanced blend of performance and efficiency.

The vehicles are driven by a tried and tested petrol 2.0 TFSI engine with an output of 185 kW as well as a powerful electric motor.