- audi introduced a new 2022 q5 40 base model with a less powerful engine.
- it has 201 horsepower compared with the q5 45's 261 horsepower.
- the q5's base price sits at $44,495, with the more powerful 45 now starting at $46,995.
audi quietly slipped in a less powerful base powertrain for the q5 luxury crossover but has raised the price compared with last year’s base model. the 40 model now sits at the bottom of the 2022 q5 lineup, starting at $44,495, a $100 increase over the 2021 q5 45 base model. this new entry trim comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 201 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, versus the q5 45’s version of this engine with 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. the 45 is still available, but you’ll now pay even more than before to get the more powerful engine, as it now starts at $46,995—a $2600 increase over last year.
like the 45, this new base q5 40 configuration comes standard with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic and is offered in premium, premium plus, and prestige trim levels. it’s not available with the q5’s swoopier sportback body style, which comes standard with the 45 powertrain. when we tested a 2021 q5 45, it got to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 14.2 seconds at 97 mph. while we’ve haven’t gotten our hands on a q5 40, we can anticipate it will be a few ticks slower in those metrics. epa fuel-economy numbers for the two engines are nearly identical, but the 40 does have a 1-mpg advantage in its highway rating.
the q5’s price increase is noteworthy, but it isn’t as significant as some models that have seen even bigger jumps for the 2022 model year. and the average transaction price of new cars has also risen as of late, reaching $47,100 in january.