2022 AudiQ5 Sportback S Line Premium Plus For Sale

The 2022 Audi Q5 Sportback and the higher-performance 2022 SQ5 Sportback models are compact luxury SUVs with sloping roofs. The Q5 Sportback starts at $50,100, while the sportier SQ5 Sportback costs $59,200.

The Sportback treatment adds extra-sleek looks to the usual Q5 theme, Audi’s best-selling vehicle. These SUVs may not be quite so popular because they’re less practical, but they compensate by being more stylish.

It could have been someone at BMW who had the idea of making an SUV for people who like an elevated driving position, but don’t need so much space in the back. That gave rise to the X6, based on the X5. Then the X4 (based on the X3), followed by alternatives from Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

There’s no point criticizing the Q5 Sportback for having less cargo room or rear passenger space than its straighter counterpart. That’s not what it’s about. Instead, it ditches the soccer-mom baggage and emphasizes the much-valued Audi attribute of exterior design. It also provides a sure-footed driving experience thanks to a standard all-wheel-drive system — known in Audi circles as quattro.

The regular, non-Sportback 2022 Audi Q5 is reviewed separately.