Compared to its German rivals, the 2025 Audi Q5 is the height of prudence: a handsomely rendered SUV with a tasteful design that was once a hallmark of all three brands. The current model year is the final one for this rendition of the Q5, which debuted in 2018, with a newly engineered rendition expected sometime this year. However, all of that doesn’t rob the current model of its desirability, for it remains the techy, modern, refined SUV that has made it Audi’s top seller in the U.S. market.
Audi
The base Q5 40 model comes with a 201-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an 8-speed automatic transmission that together provide adequate power. Given those figures, you might want to go for the Q5 45 instead, which offers the same driveline tuned for 261 horsepower, enough to provide a speedy luxury vehicle experience. At the top of the trim level, we have the Q5 55, which is a 362-horsepower plug-in hybrid with an estimated 23 miles of range and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard on all models and the Q5 has a towing capacity of 4,400 pounds.
Audi
Its performance is best described as balanced, although it ultimately lacks the sharpness of some of its rivals. There’s no edginess here, just a sophisticated driveline that goes about its business with knowing competency. It’s not dull, but this is not for those looking for an SUV with a sports sedan persona. It’s for those who prefer an ambiance beyond mere boy racers. If it were us, we’d opt for the available adaptive suspension, which lends the Q5 the requisite poise and handling you’d expect.
Audi
Inside, you’ll find a roomy, modern, well-executed, and functional interior with a few aging touches. The 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes standard. Cargo space is fairly good at 26 cubic feet, expanding to 54 cubic feet with the seats folded. But given its aging design, you might wonder if there’s something better out there. Well, there might be.
BMW X3
New for 2025, the redesigned BMW X3 is offered as the X3 30 xDrive with a 255-horsepower turbocharged Miller-Cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder mild hybrid powertrain and the 393-horsepower X3 M50 with a turbocharged Miller-Cycle 3.0-liter inline-six mild hybrid system. An eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard. Towing is rated at 4,850 pounds.
BMW
All versions prove fast and boast quick, responsive steering and negligible body lean. Despite its athleticism, it provides a comfortable and fairly quiet ride.
The X3 is longer, lower, and wider than before, with a roomier cabin that sports 32 cubic feet of cargo space and as much as 67 cubic feet with the second row folded. Its finish is modern and fresh and boasts the first use of BMW’s new iDrive 9 infotainment system interface. It’s used on the 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen mounted alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on BMW’s curved display.
BMW
Lexus RX
Although more somnolent than its competitors, the Lexus RX still manages to deliver a solid luxury SUV experience for those who prefer tranquility more than exhilaration. It remains what it’s always been: a cossetting, comforting tourer with a commendably quiet, comfortable ride and noticeable body lean while cornering. But for some buyers, that’s the ideal.
Lexus
Forward momentum comes from the RX350’s 275-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional. Meanwhile, the RX350h comes with a lethargic but fuel-efficient 246-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. The one to have is the RX500h F Sport Performance, with a 366-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter four that sends power to each corner. Towing is rated at 3,500 pounds.
Lexus
The RX350’s cargo space is very good, at 30 cubic feet or as much as 55 cubic feet, with the rear seats folded down, depending on the model. A 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are standard, while a 14-inch touchscreen, head-up display, and Mark Levinson audio system are optional.
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
Despite not being as entertaining as some of its rivals, the new-for-2025 GLC is incredibly well-calibrated, striking a wonderful mix between comfort and handling. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mild hybrid with 255 horsepower is coupled to a nine-speed automated gearbox and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available, and towing is rated at 3,500 pounds.
Mercedes-Benz
Its cabin is familiar as it’s based on the C-Class car and features the same 11.9-inch infotainment touchscreen and confusing MBUX software interface. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, while a head-up display and Burmester audio system are optional. When the back seats are folded, the cargo area increases to 59 cubic feet from 22 cubic feet.
Such utility isn’t common among all compact luxury SUVs, especially one with such magnificent finishes that expertly balances opulence and sport.
Mercedes-Benz
Volvo XC60
While it may not possess the pure athleticism of the BMW X3, nor the soggy comfort of the Lexus RX, the Volvo XC60 falls somewhere between the two, balancing the priorities of handling and comfort that endow it with an identity all its own. Its unique sober, refined, eloquent demeanor is enhanced by the cabin, which is a model of modern Nordic modernism. It centers around the 9-inch touchscreen and a row of buttons below it that control the parts of the car not controlled by the driver. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard.
Volvo
There’s plenty of room for stuff, with 38 cubic feet with the seats up and 69 cubic feet with them folded. Towing is rated at 3,500 pounds.
Look up front, and you’ll find a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a 48-volt hybrid system and an eight-speed automatic transmission that generates 247 horsepower. You can also opt for the plug-in hybrid, which uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated to dual electric motors that provide 455 horsepower and 35 miles of pure electric driving range. It makes for an intoxicatingly luxurious SUV and a unique flavor in the increasingly heterogeneous SUV market.
Volvo
Final thoughts
While the Audi Q5 is far from the sportiest German SUV, both the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and BMW X3 offer a bit more in the driver engagement department. The Volvo XC60 is close to the Audi in performance and has a persona all its own. Finally, the Lexus RX offers impressive fuel efficiency, build quality, and the promise of appliance-like reliability. All of these modern SUVs are both alike and strikingly different, offering buyers ample choices in the segment, so take them all for a cruise before deciding on a final purchase.
About the author
Larry Printz
Contributing Writer, Autoblog