The second-generation Audi SQ5 was made available to the South African public 4-years ago, in 2017, offering a blend of practicality, style and face-melting performance. While much is written about high-performance SUVs and their seemingly absurd concept, one cannot deny that there is a certain appeal to a large, 5-seater SUV that goes like a sports car.
While there are many rivals for the Audi SQ5, particularly in the form of the Range Rover Evoque, Discovery Sport, and Jaguar's F-Pace range, we've selected the two nearest rivals in terms of power and performance. The prices remain within R100 000 of the Audi's base price.
Pricing
Taking the Audi SQ5s base price of R1 169 500, before you're checked any options, you can expect an instalment of R21 221 when taken over 72-months with a 10% deposit, 13% interest rate and no balloon payment. The Audi is sold with a 1-year / unlimited km warranty and a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan.
The BMW X3 M40i has a base price of R1 221 652 and with this price, you will run a monthly instalment of R22 163 over the same 72-month period with a 10% deposit, 13% interest rate and no balloon payment. With this, you will get a 2-year / unlimited km warranty and the same 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan.
The Mercedes-AMG is the most expensive of the three, coming in with a base price of R1 255 640 before you select any options. This equates to a monthly repayment of R2 777 when taken over a 72-month period with a 10% deposit, 13% interest rate and no balloon payment. You will get an included 2-year / unlimited km warranty and the same 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan.
Engine and drivetrain
It's here where the additional cost of the Mercedes-AMG is seen as the GLC43 is the most powerful of the three. The Audi SQ5 is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine that produces 260 kW and 500 Nm torque. It's mated to a 7-speed S Tronic dual-clutch gearbox and power is sent to all four wheels through the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. This sees the SQ5 complete the 100 km/h sprint from a standstill in only 5.4-seconds.
The BMW X3 40i is the only one of the three to employ a straight-six engine here, with its powerplant measuring in at 3.0-litres as well. This turbocharged petrol unit develops 265 kW and 500 Nm torque and it sends this power to all four wheels through a traditional 8-speed automatic gearbox. This makes the M40i good for a sprint time to 100 km/h of only 4.5-seconds, making it the quickest to the ton of the three.
You will get a 3.0-litre V6 in the Mercedes-AMG GLC43 and this one too benefits from turbocharging. It helps the GLC43 make the most power of the three, with 287 kW and 520 Nm on hand. Power is directed to all four wheels through the 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox and through 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. As a result, the GLC43 completes the standing start sprint to 100 km/h in 4.9-seconds.
Practicality
The BMW X3 M40i is the longest and widest of the three, measuring in at 4716 mm and 1897 mm respectively. Despite this, al three offer the same about of basic boot space with 550-litre on hand before you fold down the rear seats. This action will see the Audi grow to 1550-litres and the BMW and Merc grow to 1600-litres each.
On the tech front, many of the creature comforts are optional extras in all three models but it must be said that they all have a respectable standard features list. Adaptive cruise control is an option on all three but all of them get basic cruise control as standard. Auto Lights and Auto Wipers feature across all three as standard but Navigation is an optional extra on the Mercedes-AMG whereas the other two come fitted with navigation from the factory. Heated seats are standard on the Merc and an option on the other two.
Fuel consumption for the Audi is listed as a claimed 8.3 l/100km whereas the BMW returns a claimed figure of 8.7 l/100km. The merc is the heaviest of the three with their claims listing the combined fuel consumption as 10.6 l/100km.
Safety
Once again, all three are pretty evenly matched in the safety department. The options list will allow you to expand on the safety and driver assistance systems and it's best to check each system out individually. In standard form, you will get no fewer than 6 airbags in the Audi and BMW while the Merc has a standard count of 7 airbags. You can spec two additional airbags in the Audi and Mercedes-AMG for a total of 8 and 9 respectively.
All three are fitted with ABS with EBD and type pressure monitors are standard as well. The included stability program will help you remain in control of the vehicle and this system can be found in all three of our selected models here.
Verdict
With all three models so evenly matched, it's tough to choose a winner. No single model stands head and shoulders above the rest. Much of this buying decision will come down to personal preference and styling. It's worth keeping in mind that when you extend the warranty period of the Audi that the prices are considerably closer that one would initially see. The Mercedes-AMG may have the most power but it returns the worst acceleration times and fuel consumption which then leaves the Audi and BMW to battle (if we were to base our decisions solely on that merit)
