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The Q5 is a global hit for Audi, but can the latest version beat our current mid-size premium SUV favourite, the BMW X3?

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AUDI Q5 vs BMW X3

German rivals lock horns to decide mid-size premium SUV champ

IF we took two snapshots of every car in a brand's model range - one 18 months ago, another today - few will have as many fresh faces as Audi's current family photo.

The range overhaul is comprehensive; the A5 (formerly known as A4), the A6 and its new electric sibling, the A6 e-tron, the Q6 e-tron, plus their varying bodystyles, have arrived in just over a year, and there's a new Q3 coming.

In addition to all of those changes, the firm has introduced a brand-new version of its bestselling car globally, the Q5. Almost 300,000 were sold worldwide in 2024, and now there's a Mk3 model taking over.

We've lined it up against its strongest rival from a familiar foe. BMW and Audi go head-to-head in so many classes, and the X3 is our current pick of the midsize premium SUVs, having overcome our previous favourite, the Lexus NX, at the start of this year.

While we'll be considering the ranges as a whole, there's special focus on diesel for this encounter. For those outside of the company-car sphere, diesel's torquey power and strong fuel economy are a match made in heaven for SUVs. But whose match is more heavenly?

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Audi Q5

THE Q5 in our pictures is the limited-run Launch Edition, which is no longer available to order. We've therefore used prices and specifications for S line trim, which has a similar amount of equipment.